Our care philosophy has always been based on a belief that personal growth and meaningful activity is possible for everyone. Research and experience tells us that meaningful day-to-day relationships between residents and our team members are at the heart of great care and a way to building strong relationships with residents and clients. This is the essence of relationship based care.
MyLife, our award-winning model of aged care, integrates care for social, emotional and physical needs. MyLife is underpinned by a strong relational approach where care staff build deep personal relationships with the people they provide care for, delivering better outcomes for everyone!
Our relationship based care approach focuses on partnership with residents, clients and their families, to achieve a highly personalised level of care. When our teams learn more about our residents’ and clients’ unique life experiences, they are able to work together and with families to keep people participating in the things that matter most to them.
All Whiddon employees are trained through a specific MyLife training program which equips our team with the skills, new techniques and approaches to provide relationship based care. Our goal is to ensure our aged care workers are building relationships that are meaningful with our residents.
This also shows just how valuable teamwork can be when we’re working together to deliver something special for our residents.
Stronger relationships between residents, clients and the team who are caring for them
Greater involvement for family members and stronger relationships with the care team
A true partnership and choice in your care and how you’re supported
A dedicated care team for residents in our homes, with consistent staffing
Specially trained people who provide the support to our residents and clients
Involvement in our fantastic Best Week program, creating tailored activities for each resident
A focus on re-ablement and wellbeing for residents and clients
Proven health benefits, including improved mood, physical function and participation
Relationship based care is about the way we work and train our staff to bring MyLife into practice across our care homes and home care services. The way we achieve strong relationships is through continuity of staffing, personal connections and enabling choice and control for residents and clients.
A dedicated rostering approach means that each resident has a dedicated MyLife carer. This allows them to really build on relationships, along with personal connections that are friendly, respectful, kind and fun, and incorporate playful interaction where possible.
We empower our Whiddon employees to get to know their residents and clients really well. In this environment, they are encouraged to hear their stories, learn about their friends and families and explore their interests, so that we can help them maintain and build social connections and reach their wellbeing goals.
The stories that we find out through our ‘All About Me’ process, and the things that our care staff learn, encourage staff to go above and beyond in suggesting and making things happen for our residents. This provides our team with the information that they know will make a difference for each resident and provide a better, caring environment.
It is only when we truly know and understand our residents and clients well that we can help them to achieve their goals and dreams, support their wellbeing and quality of life, find ways to keep them connected and participating in the things that matter most to them, and deliver the best possible care outcomes based on their individual needs.
As a first step, Whiddon care staff work with clients and families to create an All About Me sheet for the client, describing the things that matter most to them in life. Care staff also give their All About Me sheet to client, as they share their stories with each other.
Care staff engage with clients, building on what they know and aiming to personalise the service and help clients meet the goals that really improve their quality of life.
For example, one gentleman, recovering from a mild stroke, wished to get strong enough to travel to Scotland to see his family. As part of his home care service agreement we took him to the physio appointments recommended by his GP but also encouraged and motivated him to do his exercises while we cleaned his house. We took him around the block to build up his stamina and to keep him moving, and also explored hydrotherapy options. We supported him to renew his passport, which had lapsed, printing off the form and took him to the post office to submit it. We celebrated his trip with him when he returned, talking and reviewing photographs. Then we set a new goal with him of a trip to Queensland to visit other family and supported him to make this trip come true, liaising with family on his behalf.
Another lady gave us her goal to remain mobile for as long as possible but her home care service agreement only covered cleaning. Her care worker practices Tai Chi so by mutual consent the staff member cleans priority areas in her home and then they spend the remaining time doing Tai Chi together – something they both love and gain great satisfaction from.
MyLife is Whiddon’s award-winning model of care. A model of care guides everything about the way we care for our residents and clients. It defines our approach to care, our care environments and our commitment to meeting the individual needs of those we care for. Our model of care enables us to support the wellbeing of our residents and clients through a relationship based approach. MyLife is a model unique to Whiddon and it has been developed, trialled and evaluated, using the latest evidence-based methods.
MyLife promotes holistic wellbeing and supports our residents and clients across eight wellbeing outcomes based around the emotional, social and physical needs of our residents and clients.
MyLife places incredible importance on the value of strong relationships between residents, clients and the employees who care for them, something that our research and experience tells us is at the heart of great care. MyLife enables us to truly get to know and understand our residents and clients on a much deeper level – who they are, what they love, what makes them smile, what their life experiences are and what they are passionate about. This is incredibly important for us to be able to truly support their wellbeing and improve their quality of life.
Yes! Whiddon’s MyLife program has a re-ablement focus with staff encouraging residents to take more exercise and to continue to perform daily tasks. Relationship based care provides residents with the opportunity to share something they used to love doing, or something they wish to do, and would not be known without the connection made with care staff.
The University of Sydney measured the effects of the program on our residents. They found, over a 12 month period, that it significantly improved mood, physical function and social engagement and participation. It also improves job satisfaction for staff as they work in a stronger team environment.
