News and views from our community

How to have the difficult conversations with ageing parents about home care

Key Points:It is important to have these conversations earlier rather than later so plans can be in place to ensure your loved one can remain supported at homeThere is between a six- and 18-month wait for home care services depending on when your parents have undergone an ACAS assessmentThe main benefit of receiving home care is to allow people to maintain their independence and to gain a better quality of lifeHaving open conversations with your parents and really listening to their feelings on home care may make them more open to the ideaBecome familiar with the language used and how home care packages workBook an appointment with a primary care physician to conduct an assessment on your parents’ physical and mental wellbeingWhen to discuss home care with elderly parents You may have noticed that your ageing parents are getting more overwhelmed with everyday tasks in their home. Perhaps changing sheets on their bed or keeping up with gardening or grocery shopping has started to cause them stress?It can be difficult to talk to our parents as they age about the need for them to get some extra help at home. However, it is important to have these conversations with your parents earlier rather than later so supports can be put in place to ensure that they can continue to live comfortably and independently at home. Wait time for home care servicesIt is important to start the conversation about home care before your parent or loved one needs help at home. This forward planning is necessary because there can be between a six- and 18-month wait for home care services, depending on the date your parents have undergone an assessment from Aged Care Assessment Services (ACAS) and the priority your assessor gives to your parents’ application. Starting the conversation early will give you and your parents time to make plans and discuss care needs and options.Does my parent need home care?It can be difficult to know or predict when your parents are at a stage of needing home care, depending on factors such as their overall health, level of independence and ability to manage their daily activities. A resource that is helpful in beginning this process is by reaching out to My Aged Care to begin the assessment stage.The positives of home care Your parents may be hesitant to discuss home care so it’s important to highlight the benefits they will receive with extra home help. For example, let them know that the main benefit of receiving home care is to allow them to maintain their independence and to gain a better quality of life. You could focus on the positives of home care such as caregivers helping them with tasks around the house to make living at home easier, such as laundry, dishes, and cleaning. Another benefit is the companionship your parents will receive from their caregiver.To learn more about the benefits of home care, refer to our website about how Baptcare offers you the highest quality Home Care Services, delivered by our caring, quality staff.How to talk to your parents about home careYour parents may be uncomfortable to discuss the introduction of home care into their lives. It can be challenging for a parent to feel like they have lost a sense of independence and they may even feel embarrassed about the idea of needing help with personal care. To make sure this conversation remains positive and productive, your loved one must feel that they are being listened to and understood. By having open conversations with your parents and really listening to their feelings on homecare, you may be able to identify the reasons why they may be hesitant with the idea of receiving help. You can then work together to come up with solutions that suit the needs of both you and your loved one.Home care options You can help make the home care discussions and process smooth for your parents by starting your own research early. There are many home care options and different providers available, but you’ll need to spend time sifting through the information. If possible, become familiar with the language used and how home care packages work before you start the conversation with your parents. You will then be able to explain calmly to your loved one how a home care package works, what types of care are available and the cost of the services.It's also a good idea to involve your parents in the research phase, asking them questions and working out their preferences along the way. This collaborative approach may help your parents to process and accept the introduction of home care into their lives.Who can help me talk to my parents about home care? In some cases, you may find it difficult to have the conversation about home care with your parents. Perhaps you’re not the best person to float the idea of home care, and this is okay. If so, think about who a better fit for your parents may be – someone within your family, a spouse, an aunt or even a friend.Another option is to book in with your primary care physician to conduct an assessment. For some parents, advice coming from a trusted medical professional may mean they are more willing to accept home care.Baptcare is here to assist you with finding reliable information, understanding your options, and applying for a Home Care Package. We understand that the process can be difficult and confusing, and we are dedicated to guiding and supporting you every step of the way.

• 12 Oct 2023

• Faces of Baptcare

Meet Callum Poole

Tuesday, 10 October is World Mental Health Day and World Homeless Day, two causes close to Callum Poole’s heart. A valuable part of Baptcare’s Mental Health team, Callum works in Baptcare’s Choices program, where we assist individuals discharged from hospital mental health units who may also be experiencing homelessness. We sat down with Callum to hear more about his role and what he’d change in the mental health space if given a magic wand. And speaking of wands, we also learnt about his love of all things Tolkien and Hobbiton but that’s another story. What is your current role and what does it involve day to day? My current role at Baptcare is Mental Health Practitioner in the Choices program, assisting people who are being discharged from the mental health ward of hospitals (and who are also at risk of homelessness) to find short-term housing. My day starts early as I have three little kids, a four-year-old boy and twin girls who just turned two. During the day I try to spend as much time as I can at the shelter to build a therapeutic relationship with the clients. I take them to appointments, advocate for them but mostly what I do is a great deal of listening. How long have you been working within the Mental Health team at Baptcare? I started working at Baptcare in May of 2022, so about a year and a half.Can you explain a bit more about Baptcare’s Choices program?The Choices Program operates in the south of Tasmania in partnership with the Royal Hobart Hospital. People can be referred to Choices while they are at inpatient locations such as the Department of Psychiatry, or other mental health residential or respite accommodations. The program also supports people in the community following discharge, with the aim to assist their return to the community and reduce the need for re-admission. Often the circumstances leading to admission include homelessness, in which case Choices can provide short-term emergency accommodation and intensive psychosocial support, allowing timely exit from inpatient services. What do you like about working with Baptcare and in the mental health space? I love the team I work with, and this is so important to me. It is a challenging role working with homeless people who have just come out of the Mental Health Wards but having a good team that I can be real with helps immensely.Working in the mental health space is great, I enjoy going home knowing that I am making a massive difference in people's lives. I also see it as a great privilege to work with people in their most vulnerable moments and for them to trust me enough to let me in to their world. World Mental Health Week aims to address what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide. If you had a magic wand, what is something you’d change in the mental health space? Big question. I think it would be around lifting the shame that is associated with having a mental health issue. Talking to clients, friends, family and from my own experience, shame is often the barrier that stops people from getting the help that they need. By removing shame, I believe, people will seek help sooner which is shown to have positive impacts. Did you always want to work within the mental health space and what are some other jobs you’ve performed in your career? Working in Mental Health is not something I particularly wanted to do before starting the role. However, looking over my previous roles, they all have some form of mental health aspect to them.I have had an array of ‘people helping’ jobs:* School chaplain for 10-plus years, here in Hobart and the greater Darwin area.* Worked at a halfway house with individuals out of prison who were not managing their mental health medication correctly.* Launch Youth, a male youth homeless shelter.* House Parent in Darwin looking after hundreds of Aboriginal boarders from the top end of Australia. What is one thing you wished people understood/knew about mental health? The pervasiveness of having a mental health condition and the impact it has on every area of life. What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was young, I wanted to be a scientist. I love understanding why things work the way they do. Can you tell us 2 surprising things about yourself? I am tall, I am 208cmAnd no, I do not play basketball. Do you have a favourite quote or motto in life? I have two.“Caffeine is not a drug; it’s a vitamin.”“A man without a vision is a man without a future. A man without a future will always return to his past.” - P.K Benard What are two things on your bucket list? I want to go to New Zealand and geek out at Hobbiton and spend as much time and money as my wife will let me. I love the works of Tolkien.I want to do a cycling tour of Tasmania. I think it will be a lovely way to slow down, (very slow with my current level of fitness!) and see this beautiful state. If you could sit next to someone at a dinner party, who would it be and why? I would love to sit down and have dinner with J. R. R. Tolkien. It would be great to ask all the questions that I have in my head regarding his written works like - what happened to the Entwives? Did he purposely make the name Denethor and Théoden similar? And where was Gondor when the Westfold fell?Thank you, Callum, for all that you give to our Baptcare community and for being a man with a vision. One day soon we look forward to seeing photos of you geeking out at Hobbiton with a strong cup of coffee in hand.

• 05 Oct 2023

How Baptcare is supporting mental health in Tasmania

Mental health is a vital aspect of well-being. Statistics show that one in eight people around the world are living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders being the most common. In Australia, more than 40 percent of Australians aged 16–85 are estimated to have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life.For people living with mental health conditions, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalised, having access to quality and holistic care is essential. Which is why Baptcare has developed a range of innovative and evidence-based programs to support people with mental health needs.What is Mindset Tasmania?Mindset Tasmania delivers psychosocial services to build people’s capacity to improve their mental health and make progress towards their recovery. Our programs work with adults experiencing severe and persistent or episodic mental health conditions, as well as people who are transitioning from hospital to community settings. Mindset Tasmania employs mental health practitioners and peer practitioners who use person-centred and strengths-based approaches to help clients identify their goals and remove barriers to living the life they want to lead.Mindset Tasmania offers three main programs: Foundations, Choices and Horizons.Foundations is a state-wide, nationally accredited, intensive psychosocial recovery-based program run by Baptcare in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services. It provides medium-term support for clients with complex needs.“The Foundations program is wonderful and they support the clients so well, unlike any other program. When Foundations was in its early stages we thought here is another program, how long will it last and will it deliver? We are so pleased to say that the program is great and the clients are so well supported once they leave our facility.” - Mental Health Services Case Manager, North Tasmania.Choices is a short-term, intensive outreach service operating in partnership with the Royal Hobart Hospital. The aim of this program is to assist people in the community following discharge from inpatient services or other mental health residential or respite accommodation. Choices is targeted at reducing the need for re-admission to in-patient care and provides transitional accommodation when necessary.“Choices helped me sort out my housing problems and helped me with my medications.” - Choices participant.Horizons is a short-term, intensive service that aims to equip clients with the strategies, skills and resources they need to work towards individual goals for their personal recovery. Individual, client-led support can be provided for up to 26 weeks.How does Baptcare ensure best practice support?The work we are doing with our Mindset Tasmania programs has been validated through independent research by the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University. This ensures our programs are of consistently high quality, accessible and tailored to the specific needs of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.Baptcare is committed to providing accessible, relevant and pragmatic support and care to people with mental health needs. By using research to continuously measure, refine and develop our services, we ensure that our programs are grounded in best practice and deliver on our vision to create communities where every person is cherished.How to contact usIf you are living in Tasmania and interested to know more about our Mindset programs, please contact us today on 1800 290 666.

• 05 Oct 2023

The bear necessities – Baptcare Wattle Grove residents knit toy teddies for children in need

If you hear a clicking sound around the corridors of Baptcare’s Wattle Grove Residential Aged Care community, chances are it’s Phyllis Dawe knitting.She’s good at it, which makes sense – she has had 90 years of practice. “I was taught to knit by my grandmother, auntie and mother when I was three or four,” Phyllis recalled.“I’ve been knitting ever since. I had a temporary stay at Wattle Grove last year and started knitting squares for residents’ rugs. When I went home I kept knitting the squares, well over 100.“Now that I have moved back in permanently, they said they wanted to make bears and I was more than happy.”Maria Alvaro, Wattle Grove Spiritual Care Coordinator, said, “We decided to knit bears to give to children in Baptcare’s Foster Care and Houses of Hope programs.“I approached Phyllis, knowing she has always been very involved in community work. We started knitting scarves for Bernie Bears, Baptcare’s stuffed toy bears. Then we decided to make some bears of our own.“Phyllis led the way and knitted 17 bears. The mother of our lifestyle assistant Kiran, Swarnjit Kaur, knitted another seven. We had staff and residents sewing them up, stuffing them and putting their faces on in a real team effort.“Then our Lifestyle team decided to make clothes for Bernie Bears, and that became its own project.“Phyllis is amazing, so proactive. She says it gives her meaning and purpose to do things for others. She’s an absolute joy,” Maria said.Phyllis grew up in Brunswick during the Depression, worked in clothing factories then spent the bulk of her career doing clerical work in Melbourne’s biggest hospitals. Her family was committed to the Salvation Army, an opportunity for Phyllis to exercise her love of singing and community outreach.“Knitting helps with my arthritis and it is very relaxing as long as you keep your mind on it,” Phyllis said.“I feel that it is something I can contribute so I should be doing it for people. They started calling me the Teddy Bear Lady in here!“I love the thought of refugee and foster care children receiving the bears, but I also want to keep going with rugs because I want to help out other people in Wattle Grove.”Never one to sit idle, Phyllis has rallied several other nimble-fingered residents to join in a project to make knitted bags to give out on Mother's Day 2024. “We are aiming for at least 50,” she shrugged.

• 22 Sep 2023

Meet TV writer Mike McColl Jones

Humble and quietly-spoken, it’s no surprise that Michael McColl Jones shocked TV executives years ago by building a quick rapport with the infamously prickly Graham Kennedy. A fan of cocktail frankfurts, James Patterson crime novels, soft liquorice and a good trashy magazine, just don’t put Mike near a stage or microphone!Mike, can we start with the irony of you hating the very thing that you spent your entire professional life supporting – live performance!I loathe public speaking! I don’t seek publicity at all. I’m very happy to stay behind the scenes.Graham (Kennedy) knew how terrified I was of public speaking and often used to joke that he never had to worry that I’d take over his job! Bert Newton used to say that I had ‘microphonobia”.But your speech at Graham Kennedy’s funeral where you read a Fax from Heaven that you said Graham had sent to you that morning was so brilliantly delivered. How did you manage this? I was so scared that I drove for over eight hours from Melbourne to Bowral, NSW for the funeral rather than flying so that I could commit the speech to memory.But I’ll tell you why I said yes to speaking at Graham’s funeral. There was no-one from Melbourne on his funeral bill who could speak live. Graham was Melbourne-born and he conquered everything from Melbourne. I felt it was very important that someone from Melbourne spoke at his funeral. And you even got everyone singing at the end of your speech?Yes! I didn’t know that I was going to be leading them all into the song until Geoff Harvey told me 20 minutes before the show that I needed to sing.I was petrified! There I was doing something that I hated even more than public speaking – singing!Can you imagine Graham laughing from heaven at your expense?Absolutely!You are renowned for your comedy writing, even awarded an OAM in 2017 for services to the arts and TV. But your entry into the world of TV writing was a story in itself.You started out as a travelling door salesman while also contributing material to Channel 9 on the side. You eventually got your break with a one-month trial working with Graham Kennedy. How was this month? Terrifying! For a start, I didn’t know if I would actually get the gig or not and I was starting from scratch. I was lucky to have met Fred Parsons who became my mentor. To my mind, the greatest comic writer this country has ever seen because he was a writer for vaudeville and theatre and a top writer for radio and TV in their golden days.Your relationship with Graham was unusually positive. Why do you think you got on so well?Before I started, Graham didn’t have a great relationship with writers because they tried to get away with murder – not all of them, but a lot of them.During my one-month trial, I sent Graham some material and then got a note back from him with feedback. It was pretty unheard of for Graham to write notes to writers and not long after that, I was given the permanent gig. I ended up writing for him for over twenty years.I didn’t treat Graham differently to other people. We had the same attitude to comedy that was basically get a laugh and if we got into trouble with the sponsors along the way, well, so be it.We upset all sorts of people but we also knew our boundaries.You always wanted to be a writer. Why? Yes, I always wanted to be a writer but I didn’t know of what.I wasn’t the classic prolific reader and writer as a child and I really don’t know why I wanted to be a professional writer. I just liked it.I think there’s a bit of rebel in all of us – certainly there is in me. I enjoyed pricking pomposity and big business through words.Probably the most rewarding thing was being able to do something under the cloak of anonymity – no one knew where the jokes and content was coming from and I loved it that way.What are some of the best memories of your TV writing career? (I’ve heard you say that you try only to remember good things, so I won’t ask you about your bad memories).I worked with Graham for over 20 great years.I introduced a few things into his shows that remained for the full life of the show.For example, I introduced a segment ‘Headlines of the future’ that ran every Wednesday for 10 years.Graham would have a mocked-up paper and it was headlines you may read in the paper 30 years hence.I remember the first joke I did for this segment:Today Elizabeth Taylor celebrated her golden wedding anniversary – 50 husbands!With your vast experience in writing and dealing with people – what have you learnt?The thing you learn is that everyone is the same – everyone has fears and gets cranky. People are nothing out of the ordinary just because they’re famous.Did anything surprise you looking back now at your career? I think the thing that surprised me most of all is that it’s all over in a moment. You can worry about something for days but when you’ve completed a show – or delivered a speech – it’s over and in the ether. There’s no time to say I’ll do it again - you don’t have that opportunity – it’s hit or miss.After being in TV industry for so long, what advice would you give your younger self?My advice is that once you’ve created something and had it published or performed, don’t worry about it. There’s no point in worrying about something once it’s done – it’s out there and finished. Let it go.I generally try not to hurt people but at times you do, and at times you can do this intentionally because you don’t like them necessarily! But I try not to hurt anyone because I think comedy should be a place where we do laugh and have some fun. More importantly, we should laugh at ourselves. That’s the best sort of humour.You also need to be able to work really hard and be committed.When I worked as TV writer for Graham and others I was in the studio from 9.15a.m. to two or three a.m. the next day for five days a week for over 20 years.It’s a job and I did it to the best of my ability.I did 25 Logies and two Royal Command performances for the Queen and Charles and Di. They were big shows – huge pressure events.Who makes you laugh?Bert and Graham made me laugh. But people don’t have to be comedians to make me laugh. Friends who would be known to no-one make me laugh.I’ve retained friendships with lots of people. For 50 years, I met all the top people in the world. For 50 years! That’s throwing in people like Americans Shelley Berman and Bob Newhart.If there was a TV series made about you, what would it be called?Mr NervousAre you a nervous person?Yes, particularly if I get close to a stage or a microphone! Bert used to say that I had microphonophobia.But being a writer, you can be behind the scenes. That must have helped?Yes, well, you have to be! I was lucky enough to have a relationship with GK/Bert and Steve Vizard and they could almost tell what I was thinking before I said it/did it/wrote it down.One night during ‘Tonight Live’ I made Steve laugh so hard that he had to go to a commercial break because he couldn’t continue. It was just something I said off the top of my head and he just collapsed laughing – it had hit a nerve. I’d say it into his ear live – I’d just walk over and tell him something.Did you seek out accolades during your career?No! No! The worst thing that could happen to me would be to get singled out – I hated that.It was enough that the jokes worked on the night.There’s no way known that anyone could fool me into thinking that a bad show was a good show. We seldom had bad shows but on those rare occasions there’d be no drinks in GK’s dressing room.Are you a big reader?Yes, I read everything. I read all sorts of things from the local paper to magazines. I love the trashy magazines – I don’t believe a thing about them and they contradict themselves in the one story!I also like crime fiction and airline disaster books.My favourite crime writer is James Patterson. I bought his first book in New York and started reading it and thought he has worked out the formula for books and it’s a lot like a TV show –it’s all about pace. If you establish good pace early in a show or a book, you’ve got an audience hooked and nothing can stop you.You’re a published author of at least six books. Do you still write today?Yes. I do a weekly column for the Melbourne Observer and I’m also writing another book. This one is going to be the most interesting one of all.It’s unusual because I haven’t decided what the book is about yet – I keep changing my thoughts on it.My books have always been about other people but this book will be about me. It is likely to include some family history and some tips on how to write jokes.I write a little bit each day and it’s enjoyable because I have no idea how it’s going to turn out . Like many fiction writers who say they enjoy the process because they don’t know what their characters are going to do…well, I have no idea and I’m the character and I don’t know what I’m going to do (laughing).We’ll look forward to reading your book.So will I!Can we chat a bit now about your time at Hedley Sutton. What do you enjoy about life at Hedley?I’ve been at Hedley since the start of this year and everyone has been terrific.I don’t have any complaints. It’s the people who make it. You could have flashy marble everywhere in a place but it wouldn’t make any difference if the people were no good.I think the staffing is fantastic – there are some really, really good people – particularly a lot of younger people who are taking the trouble to find out things about how the place runs that impresses me. By and large for an organisation that’s so care oriented, it does a very good job.The other thing - and people can’t believe me when I say this – but the food here is amazing!What’s amazing about it?The variety, flavour and the way in which it’s served – it’s inventive and impressive.What they’d managed to do with food is that they take normal menu items and they play with them – put spices in them – make the food really interesting. The chef Elton has just got a dedication – Baptcare is so lucky to have someone like that.Our chef, Elton must have heard you talking! (Elton comes over to join the conversation and Mike gives Elton some live feedback).I think you should be very proud of what you do Elton. Congratulations. Your Japanese pancake on today’s lunch menu was fantastic! But one thing you shouldn’t ignore – with footy season around the corner – please include some cocktail frankfurts! They’ll be really popular, trust me.Do you get involved in the activities at Hedley?No, I don’t join in any of the activities at the moment because I tend to do my own thing, including working on my book. But I do eat dinner in the dining room and have made a few friends – some charming people who have made me feel very welcome.Any motto in life? Someone asked me recently what I would change in my life and I can say absolutely nothing.What’s done is done, and how am I going to change it? That’s me anyway. There’s nothing you can do about things that are done. It doesn’t worry me. Perhaps it should?What are you proudest of in your career?Making people laugh – it has been my forté for so many years and hopefully having people leave the studio/theatre in a better frame of mind than when they came in.Unfortunately, we’ve got to the stage in society now where you’ve got to be careful with anything you say. My attitude is don’t be careful with anything – just do it! I’d prefer to get a laugh rather than have someone snooze and nod off.There’s little danger of that happening in your company Mike. Thank you for your time. You can learn more about Baptcare Hedley Sutton community on our website:https://www.baptcare.org.au/services/aged-care-homes/residential-aged-care-homes/camberwell-residential-aged-care

• 20 Sep 2023

• Faces of Baptcare

Meet Betty Logan, resident at Strathalan’s Retirement Living community

We were lucky to catch Betty for a chat given her busy schedule at Strathalan’s Retirement Living! But we’re glad we did. We’re pleased to share below Betty’s reflections of Strathalan, a shining example of someone who is retired and loving it.What do you enjoy about being in the Strathalan family? There are so many things that I enjoy such as the variety of options available at Strathalan, including the Hub lounges, library, gym, hairdresser, café and the homestead. Residents can choose whether or not to be involved in the many events, activities, interest groups and wellness programs on offer.I also like being with like-minded people who support each other and where many interesting discussions are enjoyed (particularly during the relaxed Happy Hour gatherings!).Another positive is the sense of being in a safe and secure community bubble as soon as one moves in. This is the case whether you move into an apartment or a villa (which I lived in while waiting for my great apartment, which I absolutely love).Since I moved here in December 2019, seven of my friends have also bought into Strathalan, surely proof that this is a special place to live! I know that I am where I am meant to be.What surprised you about living in a retirement living community? After moving into the apartments two years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the residents not only developed strong neighbourly bonds but, for some, strong friendships too.It has been amazing discovering the unknown threads of connection that many residents have with each other before moving into Strathalan – for example, connections from school, friends, sport or areas where they lived pre-Strathalan.I’ve also been pleasantly surprised how much people care and support each other, too. Personally, I have been grateful for this support as my mobility is compromised due to recent surgeries.Can you tell us two surprising things about yourself? One - whilst staying with a politically well-connected American friend, my husband and I were presented to the Senate. We travelled in the “Senate Subway” in the tunnels underneath the Capitol (ed. the seat of the United States Congress, similar to Australia’s Parliament House, Canberra), finishing with a private tour of the Capitol (ed. where chief law makers make US law). It was such an amazing experience.Two - I was staying at Coolum Beach Resort on a three-day Team Building workshop for work. The theme of the day was ‘trust and integrity’ and we were asked to choose between going up a pamper pole or abseiling. I chose abseiling because I thought if I am going to do this workshop, then I was going to do the real thing! We were taken to the top of an escarpment in the Gympie area. At one stage, I found myself on the overhang rock where I hung like a bat. I did freeze for a bit but got myself together and completed the drop. Can we talk about the amazing photos you send us of the Strathalan homestead? Is photography a hobby of yours? Not really although I’ve always owned a camera from a young age and have always enjoyed taking photos. However, since the great cameras included in smart phones nowadays, I think we all enjoy capturing things that cheer our souls! Do you have a motto in life? I have a few mottos, really, but there is one that I have used for much of my life that probably sums me up best:“We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” (Luciano De Crescenzo)Thank you, Betty, for being such a vibrant part of our Strathalan flock! Find out more about Baptcare’s Strathalan retirement living community: https://strathalanliving.com.au/

• 12 Sep 2023

Gemma’s experience as a Foster Care Sibling

Meet 18-year-old Gemma, daughter of foster carers Bernadette and Jason. Gemma is a talented artist who hopes to do further study in Fine Arts and Industrial Design. She has surprised herself by loving the foster caring journey too.What was your first reaction to hearing that your family was going to foster children? Originally, I didn’t think that the fostering would really involve me. I was excited when I realised that I was going to be a part of it too.How have you found the fostering experience?I really love it! It has also been really good for our family. It seems that kids like coming to us too. One foster care child recently said that they enjoyed being around our family because we were lots of fun.Sometimes we encourage the child to plan the day. For example, recently one of our visitors planned a visit to an arcade and then dinner at his favourite restaurant. He really enjoyed it, and we learnt a little about his culture too.What do you enjoy about being in a fostering family?I enjoy getting to know the kids on a more personal level, looking after them and just hanging out with them doing stuff.The kids start to feel a bit like a sibling to me. I do get attached to them and it can be hard to see them go.And they can surprise you too. One child recently went shopping with us and went and bought chocolates as a gift for our family. I thought this was really touching.What have been some of the challenges? Probably the need to balance my life and personal space.I’m currently doing my VCE, so I need to balance the workload out. I’ve had to explain to some foster kids that I can’t hang out all the time, that I’ve got schoolwork to do as well. Some of them are really sweet and offer to help me.What are some of the good things?There’s lots of life lessons involved in fostering – both for the kids and for me!I’m conscious that I have a role to play in the fostering experience and some responsibilities too.I hope some kids see me as a role model, particularly the girls who visit.I find it unusual because I’m not used to being a role model – but it feels good.I know that the male foster kids look up to my younger brother as a sort of role model – a big brother of sorts. He pretends that he doesn’t like it, but I know he does.What did you expect it would be like and how did your expectations measure up to the actual experience?I didn’t really have any expectations. I was pretty relaxed about it all and didn’t overthink it. I thought of it as just gaining some more younger siblings for a while.What has surprised you about being in a foster carer family? I was surprised to get so attached and close to the foster kids. I didn’t expect this. But when you start to hang out with them you just naturally get close to them. It surprised me how much I genuinely wanted to get to know them.You realise some kids are doing it tough. Some kids have had multiple placements. It made me realise that we’re doing something good for them and this feels good. Now that I’ve been involved in a foster care family, I’ve realised that I want to keep fostering in my life in the future.What have you learnt about yourself from the fostering experience?I think that I’ve surprised Mum and Dad a lot by the way I’ve got involved in our foster caring. I’ve been a lot more open, empathetic and engaged with the kids than they expected.I feel like I’ve grown in confidence a lot more since being involved in foster caring too. The first time I talked with Jacqui (ed Jacqui Bance, Baptcare Recruitment and Retention Worker, Carers Vic pictured with Gemma) I was really nervous and a bit unsure. Now I’m not.What qualities do you think you need to cope well with being a foster sibling? You probably need to be empathetic, a good listener and just active. The kids like activities and it helps us all bond too.What have you gained from the experience personally?I’ve realised that I really like talking and listening to the kids who stay with our family. I’ve found that some kids struggle emotionally and don’t really know how to express themselves. But if you ask them questions and really listen, they do open up.Any advice for other families/foster siblings thinking of becoming foster carers?I would tell them to just have a go! I would suggest that they get really engaged with the children and get to know them on a personal level, as it really helps you to understand their behaviour.Any tips on how to connect with foster siblings?I would suggest lots of talking, listening and going out and about doing activities that the children are into. This really helps with the bonding.I recently did some art therapy with one of our foster kids. I asked her to draw things that she liked and she drew a picture of her biological family. It really touched a chord with me.Another child drew a picture of me and I promised them I would put it in my VCE folio and I did!Do you think foster caring is important in society?Definitely! There are lots of kids out there who don’t have the support and care that they need. Giving kids the opportunity to stay with people until they can go back to their families is really important.That’s what every kid wants – just to feel loved and appreciated.I feel so privileged growing up in a loving, safe environment.These kids deserve to feel what I feel – loved, appreciated and safe.If you’re interested in joining Gemma and her family as part of Baptcare’s foster care community, please call Jacqui and have a chat on 0409 591 895.

• 12 Sep 2023

Meet Bernadette and Jason, foster carers with Baptcare

Meet Bernadette and Jason, foster carers with Baptcare. We sat down with them to find out about their fostering journey.How long have you been partnered with Baptcare?B: We’ve been providing foster care to children with Baptcare for over a year now.J: It was recommended that we start off with respite care as we’ve already got a daughter, Gemma, studying year 12 and a son, Sebastian in year 10, and two dogs.Why did you decide to become foster carers?B: I come from a big family with lots of extended family and lots of cousins.Part of this extended family group had been doing foster caring for a long time and showed me a photo of a baby they’d become fulltime carers for. I thought this was fantastic and it triggered me to make that initial call to Baptcare to become a foster carer. At that point I didn’t even tell Jason that I had applied.J: I thought it was great! I’d worked with people who had been foster carers and I was really open to the idea.But unlike Bernadette, my interest wasn’t a family-driven thing as I didn’t grow up with a large family. My thinking was more practically based. I thought that we had the spare space and ability to look after kids – to help people out and give back.I didn’t know there was a thing called respite care, but I’d worked with a guy who had been a carer and whose parents had fostered dozens of kids and thought the experience was awesome. I could see that he and his family had benefited from the experience and thought we might too.Any other motivators for becoming carers?J and B: One other motivator for becoming carers was to broaden our kids’ world a bit. Our kids are pretty spoilt – we wanted them to appreciate that there are many kids in the world who are less fortunate than them. Also, COVID was a big motivator. The kids had become a bit insular. We really wanted to broaden their world.How have your children reacted to the reality of having other kids bought into their space?B: We thought the kids would be jealous and defensive, but they’ve been great.Have you noticed that your kids have changed in behaviour?J: The kids were protective of their turf at the beginning but have learnt empathy now. We tried to explain to them that while it might be a bit disruptive for them having kids going into their home, imagine how much more difficult it was for the kids themselves having to enter a foreign environment with strangers.It has definitely made them more understanding.Sebastian has become so much more helpful and humble. He started off not letting any of the kids into his room but has changed to acting a bit like a big brother now.What has surprised you about being foster carers?B: We were prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly but it has been great.We’re sad that we can’t have more kids than we do presently but look forward to welcoming more children into our family as time goes on.We’ve recently had a lovely experience caring for a 10-year-old child who really became a part of the family.J: Being a carer has opened my eyes up. It has been a huge learning experience for me. I expected that kids were put in care because of bad parents but I’ve learnt that situations can be complicated.It is so much fun. Mind you, we’re like the fun grandparents. We go out of our way to make it a fun time for the visiting kids.What would you say to people contemplating becoming a foster carer?J: Just do it! It’s not hard.The process was long but easy. The hard part was actually making the decision to do it.If it wasn’t for Bernadette biting the bullet and actually applying, we may not have got around to doing it.You need to be prepared to change up your routine a bit and be flexible during the time you have the kids with you. For example, I’m a big bike rider so during the weekends that we have the kids, instead of going on my usual solo bike rides, I take them out for a ride too.But in general, daily life is the same, except you need to buy a bit more food.B: You do need to be organised as a family and clear your calendar for the time you have the visiting children. Also, you need to be on the same page as a family and have each other’s backs.What are some of the best and worst parts of your fostering experience so far?B: The best is how naturally we all adapted to having other people in our house.Also, it surprised me how attached I became to the visiting children.An incident I remember happening was when Jason and I had a disagreement regarding how to manage a child’s behaviour. This was pretty stressful. But we worked it out as a team. Just as with parenting, there are always going to be challenges in fostering. But we’re never alone. The caseworkers are always there to be called on for any guidance.J: It has been so great and personally rewarding too. Recently, the children we’d been looking after told us that they liked coming to our house. This felt good and made me think we’re ok people to be around.I’m not sure there is anything really bad. At times it can be difficult getting a visiting child to go to bed on time but nothing really hard or challenging.If you’re interested in joining Bernadette and Jason as part of Baptcare’s foster community, please call Jacqui and have a chat on 0409 591 895.

• 08 Sep 2023

Geraldine Lannon celebrates one year at Baptcare

Our CEO, Geraldine Lannon, recently celebrated her one year work anniversary.Chair of the Baptcare Board, Tim Farren reflected on this milestone below.“As a Board we are thrilled that in her first year Geraldine has strengthened the leadership team within Baptcare, led important work to clarify where we can further improve our clinical practice and risk oversight in response to the increasing expectations of the community post Royal Commission, whilst also driving an even stronger opportunity within our Affordable Housing area.It has been wonderful also to see Geraldine so actively out and about amongst staff and all those in our community. Her presence and ability to listen to feedback from staff and clients has helped to strengthen and develop communication throughout Baptcare and beyond.The Board also acknowledges Geraldine’s ability to build important new networks within the Baptist communities across Australia, and with state and federal governments, whilst continuing to lead the mission and vision of Baptcare in the rapidly changing aged care and community services sector in which we all serve.Please join us all in celebrating Geraldine’s first year, and we look forward with her to provide fullness of life to people of all ages, cultures, beliefs, and circumstances.”

• 07 Sep 2023