Residents co-design experiential staff training

At Calvary St Paul’s residential aged care facility at Cundletown near Taree, residents are working with the Calvary St Paul’s team to co-design a series of hands-on, practical training sessions for existing staff, new trainees and future starters, all aimed at improving the resident experience.

Taree couple Richard and Jennifer Woolcott, who are residents and former teachers, are part of the co-design team. “I think it’s important that staff themselves get put in the sling and be hoisted,” Richard said, adding that “it’s good for them to see what it feels like”.

The co-design workshops are part of Calvary’s PEARS model for caring for older people. PEARS stands for Personhood, Environment, Activity, Relationships and Safe care — each underpinned by a set of principles and outcome measures.

Calvary St Paul’s was an early adopter of the PEARS approach, which has now been introduced at 18 of Calvary’s 50-plus aged care facilities across the country, with 11 more homes on the agenda for 2025.

“Designing solutions with residents, for residents is at the heart of our PEARS approach,” Home Manager Michelle McKenna said. “It gives residents a voice and is empowering them to actively shape their care and activity around their home.”

One of the hands-on experiences was being carried through the air in a hoist, then lowered into a chair. Cindy Brown — a long-time care worker — was one of the first staff members to go through the hoist experience, which she said was an unnerving session that has already led to changes in the way she works with residents.

She described the experience as “just hanging there and putting myself literally in everyone else’s hands — and I was fully clothed. There was no privacy,” 

Brown added, “Transferring people using the sling and hoist is something we do every day but this made me stop and think a lot more about it. It was really worthwhile to see it from their perspective.

“Now when I need to transfer someone, I make sure they have privacy.” 

Jennifer Woolcott, who visits most days, has suggested training include staff taking a turn at being confined in a wheelchair or the large mobile lounge chairs that are a common fixture at Calvary St Paul’s — so they can experience the room and home environment as residents with limited or no mobility do.

“Imagine if you’re sitting in a bed or one of the big chairs and you can’t get a drink of water, or it’s just out of reach, or the cord has fallen out of your mobile phone, or you can’t reach the remote controls,” Jennifer said. “Richard doesn’t want to be buzzing all of the time to get the basic things. He wants to be as independent as possible and be able to maintain that as well as his dignity.”

Staff member Lyn takes note of resident Richard Stephenson’s request.

The experiential training will be expanded to cover other aspects of daily living at Calvary St Paul’s, McKenna said, including residents’ dining experiences. The initial workshops have also led to several other practical improvements being adopted. These include pocket notebooks — so staff can jot down residents’ queries or requests and report back — and large-print staff name badges — to help residents more easily identify and talk with staff.

Large-print staff name badges prompt easier recognition and connection.

Top image caption: Calvary care worker Cindy Brown takes a turn in the hoist as Richard Woolcott looks on.