Category: Key things to help you everyday

It is the end of the Financial Year, and for many of us this means one thing – annual performance reviews.

For many, these meetings can be something to dread and cause unnecessary anxiety.

Depending on how you approach them, you can manage your own anxiety and turn annual performance reviews into something useful. They can become an opportunity for growth and improve your value to your business and open career opportunities.

In this article, we will provide tips to help you prepare for a review that showcases your achievements and sets you up for success in the year ahead.

Understand the Process

Like retirement villages, every organisation is different and so too is the annual performance review process.

That said, information should be provided in advance from your line manager or via the Human Resources team. Take a moment to understand the process, and your part in that process – as it can vary the level the preparation you will need to take.

Reflect on your achievements

Before the meeting takes place, take time to reflect on your achievements throughout the past year. Where possible, relate them to the goals you set in the previous year and how you have performed against specific key performance indicators the business has set you.

Tip: If you have been sharing status reports with your boss regularly, you may go back to them to pull significant items from.

You should be focused on your part in these achievements. Your contribution to improving resident and staff satisfaction, financial performance, and process improvement. You should also reflect on how you represent and uphold the values of the company.

Show how you tried to improve yourself

This is often a hard one. Many consider the idea of self-improvement to come from a place of negativity, but this is not the case. Improvement can be in the form of your own professional development – and how that relates to your role and improved business outcomes. New skills may qualify you for new opportunities. You could use the review to discuss taking on new responsibilities or partaking in projects outside of your daily responsibilities.

Consider your boss or line-manager

Take a moment to reflect on what their pressure points have been this past year, and what their own KPIs are. Bringing your achievements back to their own goals demonstrates your value to their own success.

Gather your notes

Typically, a performance review will be documented on a prescribed form. If that is the case, great. You can transcribe your notes onto that form to make following the structure of the conversation easier.

Think about areas of improvement

The part of the performance review most people struggle with is when the questioning turns to how you think you can improve yourself or your performance in the year ahead. This part of the review is tough for a reason. Your manager wants to know you are thinking of how to not just improve yourself, but the business outcomes as well. If you genuinely struggle with this, don’t be afraid to ask your manager for help.

Finally, be honest with yourself

When you meet with your manager, don’t approach the meeting feeling like you need to defend yourself or make excuses. You should be listening and taking in feedback that might seem negative at times. Ask questions to understand the feedback and take a consultative approach with your manager to understand what they’d like to see in the future to understand clear expectations leading into the year ahead.

Remember, not everyone has the same style when providing feedback. Some managers are very good at it, while others can be as anxious about this process as you are. Over time, you should understand how you need to flex your communication style to have effective meetings with your manager (and your direct reports.)

These tips are designed to help you prepare, which will help you to enter the meeting with confidence.

Diabetes is one of the biggest challenges confronting Australia’s health system with almost 1.5 million people (about 5.5% of the population) living with this condition.

What is concerning reading these statistics is that Diabetes Australia predicts about half-a-million of these people are living with diabetes in silent, that is undiagnosed type-2 diabetes.

New modelling from Diabetes Australia, based on US research, found that the cost impact of people in Australia living with type 2 diabetes not receiving recommended care was around AU$3,564 per person per annum.

An estimated 50% of Australians living with type 2 diabetes are not accessing a range of recommended diabetes health checks that help to prevent and manage diabetes-related complications including checks for diabetes management, cholesterol, eyes, kidneys, feet and others.

Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said the modelling highlighted the importance of supporting Australians living with all types of diabetes to receive the best possible healthcare.

“Diabetes is complex and can lead to a range of debilitating and costly complications, many that can be prevented or delayed by ensuring people receive timely and appropriate medical care,” Ms Cain said.

“One of the challenges with Australia’s healthcare system is that it has been orientated towards treating people when they are sick and unwell, rather than preventing issues before they develop.“

Understanding diabetes and its seriousness is important.‌

• If you are living with any type of diabetes, you need to learn how to manage your diabetes
• If you have a family member or friend with diabetes, you can learn how to support them
• If you are a teacher or employer, you have a duty of care to provide a safe environment
• If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, you can take steps to prevent, slow down its progression or even put your type 2 diabetes into remission.

From 9 through 15 July is National Diabetes week, which looks to start a conversation about the impact diabetes has on this country in order to drive change and create hope for the future.

Ms Cain said this National Diabetes Week, Diabetes Australia was launching the nation’s biggest ever conversation about diabetes to hear from people living with the condition about improving the quality of healthcare they receive and inform its submission to the Australian Government’s Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes.

“We’re hoping to amplify the voice of people with diabetes who understand the reality of living with diabetes better than anyone to ensure this inquiry focusses on the priorities that will change the future,” she said.

Over the course of the week, Diabetes Australia hosted a series of five thought-provoking Great Debates over five days. These debates featuring people living with diabetes alongside experts discussing the big topics relevant to the future of diabetes in Australia. 

The Australian Government recently announced an Inquiry into Diabetes in Australia. It is time to amplify the voice of the diabetes community to ensure this Inquiry focusses on the priorities that will change the numbers, change the future, and change lives. 

If you or someone you know has or is as risk of diabetes, and for further information go to: https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/

Is the willingness of retirement village residents to volunteer on the decline?

Recent conversations with members of the Residents Associations from across the country have raised this very concern.

It is also a concern that has been raised by Village Managers across the country this year. The DCM Institute has been contacted regularly throughout the year to help Village Managers navigate dissolving a resident’s committee, and what to do when one does not exist.

While this trend is being observed in retirement villages, is there any information to confirm this is more widespread?

In 2016, more than 20 per cent of Australians took time out of their busy lives to volunteer. By 2021, this number fell to 15 per cent – a record low.

Speaking at the recent Retirement Living Summit, Simon Kuestenmacher, ‘The Stats Guy’, commented that compared to their peers in the wider community, retirement village residents are more likely to volunteer.

Simon presented statistics from the 2021 ABS Census that confirmed 20% of 75–84-year-olds living retirement village residents are likely to volunteer, compared to just 17% in the wider community.

While this is encouraging as it speaks to our residents being more likely to volunteer than the wider population of people over 75 years of age, the 2021 Census also shows an overall decline in willingness of the 75-84 age group which is down to 16.58% from 19% in 2016.

Research shows that older adults who engage in volunteering are associated with more positive self-perceptions of ageing, which in turn predicted fewer symptoms of depression (Huo et al 2021).

What then can we do about this decline in our retirement villages?

One of the suggestions when this question was posed to Judy Mayfield from the ARQRV was, “to give them a project.”

Judy noted how residents are more likely to volunteer their time on a project that has a specific ‘end’ or ‘goal’ in instances when they are less likely to give their time to being members of Committees.

Sometimes the simplest insights are the most invaluable. If your retirement village is struggling to find volunteers, consider this approach. Find them a project.

Not just any project for the sake of ticking a box. Rather, a project which speaks to residents’ interests and can give or elevate their own persona purpose.

The concept of purpose is not foreign to DCM Institute participants. We explored it in detail at last year’s Village Summit with Phil Preston.

The numbers might suggest that the number of residents volunteering is declining. As Village Managers, we do have the ability to motivate and inspire. We just need to take the time to understand our residents. Understand their interests and their purpose. And find something that speaks to this which will benefit a wider group of people.

Recently DCM Institute partnered with Advance Care Planning Australia to delve into the topic of advance care planning (ACP) and its significance in promoting resident well-being.

Participants in the DCM Institute’s Village Manager Professional Development Program across the country dialled in to learn more about this topic, including how to create an environment that supports residents in navigating this often-difficult subject.,

Advance care planning involves open discussions about end-of-life care, identifying healthcare proxies, and documenting personal preferences regarding medical treatments. It enables individuals to communicate their desires, beliefs, and goals for care, relieving their loved ones of tough decisions during stressful times.

By encouraging ACP, Village and Community Managers can foster a culture of respect, empathy, and dignity in their communities.

The need for ongoing education and awareness programs on ACP was highlighted with managers encouraged to hosting workshops and inviting healthcare professionals to address residents and equip them with the necessary knowledge and resources to make informed decisions.

Key take aways was the importance of cultivating open communication, fostering education and awareness, collaborating with healthcare providers, and involving families.

Following on from this webinar, DCM Institute is pleased to announce an upcoming release in the Knowledge Centre topic on Advanced Care Planning.

If you haven’t already, subscribe to our FRIDAY newsletter to watch this space for more information.

About Advance Care Planning Australia

Funded by the Australian Government and administered by Austin Health, Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) is the national authority on advance care planning. ACPA supports individuals and health and care providers to enable people’s values and treatment decisions to be known and respected.

For more information, visit www.advancecareplanning.org.au

Maya Cuatt knows full well how important it is to build trust with our residents, and it is through this people-focused approach to care and support that she is making a positive difference to the lives of others.

She first joined Masonic Care Tasmania (now merged with Respect) a year ago, taking on the role as a key support for the day-to-day operations of their southern retirement living villages. In a busy role with a truly diverse array of tasks and responsibilities, she continues to be the ‘go-to’ contact for residents and their families.

“My role is chiefly about being there to support our residents – to help with whatever pops up, with whatever they want to talk about, and at the end of the day, providing them and their families with peace of mind,” she says. “I also liaise with prospective residents and their families too, so we can ensure more people in the community are being connected with opportunities to be a part of our villages.”

Maya is no stranger to juggling diverse responsibilities, while coordinating various facets of customer-centred care. Prior to joining, she worked in hotels and tourism. With the industry impacted significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, Maya was looking for a change – particularly a role that would allow her to “give back”.

12 months on and Maya reflects that the most rewarding thing about her current role is the warm relationships she has fostered with residents and their families.

“When I first started with our southern villages, I think residents felt they needed some extra focus and love. They had been through a really challenging time with the tail-end of Covid and many were feeling unsettled,” she says. “However, I felt very fortunate to have been greeted so warmly by residents, who were so open when I started in the role – and things kept improving from there.

“I feel so lucky to have been welcomed into their homes and their lives. That is the most rewarding part of my job – being able to contribute to the sense of family we have built across our villages.”

Key to this positivity is trust, and Maya says that cultivating a sense of confidence and connection continues to be a key component of her role, and her approach to work each and every day.

“For me, it’s about being there for them, and then getting things done, as a large component of the role is coordinating maintenance and trades. That’s what residents appreciate and that’s what gains their trust,” she says. “I’m always on-hand and available to listen to anything residents and families want to discuss, and then workshop ideas with them, so we get the right outcome for everyone.”

Looking to the future, Maya says that a key area of focus for the southern villages will be continuing to strengthen their connections across the community.

The favourite family recipes of residents in Serenitas’ over 50s land lease communities has been turned into a Mother’s Day cookbook for the second successive year.

 “The Mother’s Day cookbook was a huge success last year, celebrating the many wonderful home cooks within our communities and paying homage to the many women, past and present, who have made a significant and lasting impact in our lives,” said CEO Rob Nichols.

“Due to popular demand and the overwhelming positive feedback, we have created a new Mother’s Day cookbook, this time with a focus on sweets and treats, because it’s the right of every mum, grandma and great grandma to spoil loved ones.”

All the recipes in the Sweet Moments Cookbook embody meaningful moments and capture the love that is synonymous with our mothers’ powerful presence in our lives.

Robyn Gartrell, from National Lifestyle Villages’ Tuart Lakes resort in Baldivis, 46km south of Perth,  grew up living far out of town so popping down to the shops wasn’t an option. Her mum often had to make do with what was in the pantry and so Robyn’s Mystery Cake is created using a can of tomato soup.

“About ten years ago I got out all my old recipe cards, the yellow kind that we used to write recipes on and keep in a plastic box. I sat down for about two months and handwrote each of my recipes for all my three children and gave it to them all as gifts.

“My daughter told me it was the best gift she had ever received, and that means the world to me as her mother.”

With over 20 recipes from Serenitas homeowners and staff, the Mother’s Day Sweet Moments Cookbook features favourite go-to recipes that are perfect for when you need to quickly whip up a batch of biscuits or slice, bake a celebratory cake or decorate a flan, and everything in between.

For the Sweet Moments Cookbook, Click HERE.