You Are ACE! ACCPA Excellence Awards celebrates aged care employees

The Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) wants every Australian aged care worker to know that You are ACE!

Aged Care Employee Day, August 7th, aims to recognise and celebrate the hard work and dedication the aged care sector requires and to give thanks for all that workers do.

“Our sector extends our heartfelt gratitude to all aged care workers for their unwavering dedication, care and commitment,” ACCPA chief Tom Symondson said.

“Aged care workers often go above and beyond to ensure the people they serve receive excellent care.

“These employees are the unsung heroes of our communities. Their compassionate and tireless work ensures the wellbeing of older people, and their commitment is nothing short of extraordinary.

“We sincerely thank them for their exceptional service.”

The Aged Care Employee Day campaign encourages the public to reflect and give thanks for all of the incredible work aged carers do, day in and day out.

“Aged Care Employee Day has become an important date in our calendar and reminds us of the caring and professional work of our aged care staff. They make the lives of older Australians better every day,” Mr Symondson said.

“Our staff have proven to be care ‘superheroes.’ We want our residents and clients, their families and friends to join us in saying ‘thank you for a job well done’ and recognise the hard work of aged care staff in caring for our loved ones.

“Be they personal carers, nurses, kitchen and laundry staff, diversion therapy staff, allied health professionals, administrators, gardeners or volunteers they have all worked above and beyond the call of duty to keep our older Australians cared for and safe.”

“We also want to encourage aged care staff to take a moment for themselves to regroup, take a breath, and recharge.

In a #Thanksforcaring message, Federal Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells said her immense gratitude for the aged care workforce is personal because her mother worked in the industry for more than 15 years. Minister Wells, too, gained aged care experience working alongside her mother during her years at university.

"The Albanese government genuinely values your dedication and skill, which is why we funded a 15 per cent increase to the award wage for more than 250,000 workers with more to come, because you deserve fair wages for the complex work that you do," Minister Wells said.

"Thank you for your work, your dedication, your compassion and for being a part of a better future for aged care in Australia."

ACE Award Rural and Remote Organisation Category finalist Aged Care Deloraine is a not-for-profit aged care provider in Tasmania.

CEO Nadine Ozols said that she is incredibly proud that their small organisation had been recognised in a national awards program.

"It was an honour to share the news with our staff, who have worked so hard to build our organisation and the current healthy culture,” Ms Ozols said.

“As a small rural facility, we know our residents and their loved ones and each other, so we can more easily build trusting relationships.

“... When the ACCPA team visited our Grenoch facility to present us with the finalist certificate, I had a long-term staff member come up to me and give me the biggest hug and say, as she was crying, ‘Thank you for making me so proud’.

“She was so proud that our organisation had been recognised and that staff had the opportunity to be recognised.”

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Here are the winners of the ACCPA Excellence Awards, representing the 48 finalists who were selected from 460 You are ACE! nominations.

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY
• Consumer Focus & Care – Curt Schmeissing, Aged Care Assistant, Country To Coast Home Care Services, Vic
• Innovation – Julie Roppola, Lifestyle Services Coordinator, Bolton Clarke Montclaire, Brighton, VIic
• Leadership – Peter Williams, CEO, OneCare Limited, Tas
• Rising Star – Melissa Taylor, Lifestyle Manager, Oryx Communities, WA
• Volunteer – Nickolas Makrynakis, Volunteer, Fronditha Care, Viv

TEAM CATEGORY
• Consumer Focus & Care – Barossa Village graduate enrolled nursing team, SA
• Innovation – KinCare team, NSW
• Making a Difference – Akooramak Aged Care lifestyle team, Qld
• Project – Burnie Brae respite team, Qld
• Teamwork – Elderbloom Community Care Centres Jacaranda and Wanneroo team, WA

ORGANISATION CATEGORY
• Consumer Focus & Care – Gratis Home Care, SA
• Excellence – Greek Orthodox Community Home for the Aged, NSW
• Innovation – Inasmuch Community Ltd, NSW
• Making a Difference – Fronditha Care, Vic
• Rural & Remote – Care In Motion – Community Care and Transport, SA

Read more about the winners and watch more #Thanksforcaring videos here.

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