Anglicare Southern Queensland

Recently, St Martin's and The Department of Health and Aged Care hosted an Open Day for the Specialist Dementia Care Unit (SDCPU) at Taigum. This was a great opportunity for industry specialists to come together to learn strategies from the SDCPU which can be incorporated in standard practice: • how to effectively transition out of SDCPU and the practitioners/services/skills that can help with this • having a 'person centred' approach when it comes to caring for people with dementia • listen to positive experiences from family members who have gone through the St Martin's SDCPU • how collaboration between services have helped ease transition Thank you everyone for attending and sharing your ideas on how to improve the care for our clients living with dementia. 👏 #DementiaCare #AgedCare

We were delighted to meet with Queensland Housing Minister the Hon. Sam O'Connor MP, this week. Archbishop Jeremy Greaves, along with our CEO Sue Cooke, and Chief Operating Officer of Children, Youth and Families Tammy Lloyd, explained the work we are doing in the community to provide housing and support services to help people get back on their feet, and ultimately secure long-term, secure housing. From young people and single women, to mothers with young children and men requiring aged care, Anglicare Southern Queensland are there to help those who are experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.   

Last week, Bernadette Stanley, Program Coordinator of the Carer Group Peer Support & Respite Program, joined Craig and Loretta on ABC Brisbane to discuss the vital role of supporting our carers. 💬 Carers of those living with dementia face unique challenges, not only in caring for their loved one, but finding the time to care for themselves too. Our 6-week program offers invaluable support, providing: • 1 day a week, 3 hour sessions • Expert speakers • Guidance on navigating the system & options for respite • Peer support & activities like morning tea to build social connections and remind carers they’re not alone 🎧 Listen to the full interview to learn more about the importance of caring for those who care. For more info on the Dementia Carer Support Program, visit our website here: https://bit.ly/4gIgtDm #DementiaCare #CarerSupport #Respite

Today is World Day of Social Justice and this year's theme is: 'Empowering Inclusion: Bridging Gaps for Social Justice.' Some of our recent work in this space has been around improving media guidelines to increase social inclusion, especially when reporting on youth related matters. In 2024, Anglicare's Research, Evaluation and Advocacy team; academic Associate Professor Renee Zahnow; and media professional Barbara Haines , from BBS Communications Group had discussions with several of our young clients around a proposed set of guidelines that media should follow when reporting on youth-related matters. These guidelines aim to promote inclusion and change negative public narratives of young people. When the media constantly position young people as outsiders in their own communities, it can have detrimental impacts on their mental health and overall wellbeing. Thus, these guidelines are an important step in promoting balance and fairness throughout communities about young people. Find out more about these guidelines, here: https://bit.ly/413wxK7 #SocialJustice #YouthInMedia #MediaGuidelines

We’re pleased to announce that Tracy Morgan has been formally appointed as our new Board Chair, commencing on 25 March 2025.   Currently a Non-Executive Director with Gold Coast Hospitals and Health Services and Deputy Chair of Wesley Community Services Ltd, Tracy holds over 30 years of leadership experience across professional services, not-for-profit, and commercial sectors. Tracy brings a deep expertise in financial oversight, risk management, and organisational transition and is experienced in driving sustainable and effective governance within complex environments.   We look forward to welcoming Tracy as Chair of Anglicare Southern Queensland.

🌟 Meet Brenda Moore, our incredible Hotel Services Coordinator across Symes Grove and St Martin's Residential Aged Care Homes! 🧑🍳 Brenda's journey with Anglicare began in 2010, starting as a chef at the old Symes Grove on Handford Road. These days her role looks a little bit different, as she now oversees the food, laundry, and cleaning services across Symes Grove and St Martin's. On a daily basis, Brenda works closely with her team to design menus, order food, and collaborate with dietitians, speech pathologists, and nurses to ensure residents receive delicious meals that meet their nutritional needs. 🍽️ Brenda goes above and beyond to make sure all residents' food preferences are heard. She organises collaborative sessions where a group of residents come together to share their ideas on the menu. For those who may not feel comfortable attending group meetings, Brenda takes the time to conduct one-on-one surveys, gathering their food preferences individually. She ensures that every resident has the opportunity to share what they'd like to see on the menu, making sure all voices are heard. 🌟 Career Highlight: Building the new Symes Grove 🍴 Favourite Food: Spanish & Italian dishes, especially seafood paella (Fun fact: She just walked the Camino for 40 days!) 🥘 Her advice for those considering a career in aged care: “It’s very rewarding. You build meaningful relationships and bonds with residents. It’s important to chat with them – sometimes you might be the only person to visit, so make it count!” 💬 Brenda, your hard work and care makes a world of difference – thank you for all you do! 💙 If you are interested in joining the Anglicare Southern Queensland team, head to our website here: https://bit.ly/41mXpoL #AgedCareCareers #WorkWithUs #BeWhereYoureNeeded #BelongRightHere

"I think youth workers are needed to be a good support system for young people, and to work alongside them in achieving their goals," Summer, Anglicare Southern Queensland Youth Worker. Summer is a youth worker in our Fraser Coast region. Her inspiration to help young people came from some challenges that she experienced in her own childhood. "I wanted to work with young people because I've been in a situation, myself, so I felt like I could relate to them," says Summer. One of the key benefits that Summer believes Anglicare offers its youth workers is trauma-informed training to equip them with how to best deal with young people and their trauma. There are so many other benefits of being a youth worker with Anglicare. They include: ✅being a highly rewarding career where you can make a difference to young people in need 🪴career progression opportunities ⏰great work/life balance and flexible hours 💰salary packaging and not-for-profit benefits. Find out more about a career as a youth worker by visiting https://bit.ly/3D2aueI! #YouthWork #WorkWithUs #BeWhereYoureNeeded #BelongRightHere

Staff spotlight 🔦 Meet Kirsty Hanslow, who not only nails a Scottish accent, but is also a part-time Lifestyle Assistant, part-time Lifestyle Team Leader at our Caboolture Respite Centre. Kirsty began her journey with Anglicare Southern Queensland as a Home Care Worker, helping clients in their homes with tasks like food preparation and attending appointments. After earning a Certificate IV in Leisure and Lifestyle, she moved into her current role as a Lifestyle Assistant at our Caboolture Respite Centre three years ago. But she didn't stop there - just a couple of months ago, Kirsty stepped into the role of part-time Lifestyle Team Leader, taking on more responsibility. Her daily responsibilities include picking clients up from their home, bringing them into the respite centre, and engaging them in games and activities that support their social, physical, and mental well-being. When asked about what she loves most about her role, Kirsty shared her passion for making a real difference in the lives of her clients. "I love that we do makes a difference in their lives. I feel like social well-being and connection are so important. Many of our clients live alone, and not only does our service give their carers a much-needed break, but it also gives our clients a chance to connect with others in a similar situation." Kirsty also reflected on the impact of social connection in the centre, adding, "We have people that are very passive and quiet, but they are still in the group and receiving social connection because they are part of something. They don't have to join in and tell a joke, but they are still getting that social connection." She went on to explain the deeper values of the activities offered at the Respite Centre: "When clients do activities like cutting or gluing, they may not realise it but they are getting so much more out of it. We're making them move, we're making them think, and they're drawing on their skills from the past. Many clients have said it's life-changing." Thank you, Kirsty, for your dedication to enrich the lives of our clients. ⭐ If you are looking for a new role in aged care, with a company who values your growth, take a look at Anglicare Southern Queensland's current vacancies here: https://bit.ly/4gEC6Vb #BeWhereYourNedded #BelongRightHere #AgedCareCareers #AgedCareJobs #WorkWithUs

Today marks 17 years since the Australian Parliament made a formal apology to members of the Stolen Generation. This apology was a milestone for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who suffered the devastating impacts of past Government policies of forced removal and assimilation of children from their families and communities. As a nation, we still have a long way to go in the National Reconciliation Journey to ensure the past injustices towards First Nations people are acknowledged, their voices are heard and that they are equal. Anglicare remains committed to ensuring our organisation is culturally responsive and inclusive of First Nations Australians. We are also committed to the Reconciliation Journey and embedding cultural capabilities across all facets of our organisation. To learn more about our efforts in this space, please visit: https://bit.ly/4hzbTZr

We’re currently surveying Queenslanders to understand the social impacts of the 50cent fares. In addition to providing a significant cost saving, we’re finding 50cent fares are helping people to get out more, increasing a sense of agency while also enabling people to participate in meaningful social connections.   The survey responses shared so far provide insight into the additional wellbeing benefits of this initiative and demonstrate the clear social value of cheap fares. We’d love to hear your experiences! Share your thoughts in our 2 minute survey here: https://bit.ly/4hzbru2