Cram News Your News
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Issue 1 2015 CRAM NEWS YOUR NEWS In October last year Cram won can demonstrate how they outcome for clients. In his speech the award for ‘Excellence in measure, monitor and manage he dedicated the award to Rod Customer Service’ at the customer expectations, Thompson who passed away a Illawarra Business Awards. We satisfaction and retention. few weeks earlier. won this award in a category that includes businesses from In the application we submitted the hospitality, financial we used the results from the services, call centre and Annual Family Surveys to reflect housing sectors. We were joint the strong customer satisfaction winners along with Pillar with Cram, along with examples Administration who are a of person-centred practices and superannuation agency procedures that are client employing over 700 people. focussed. In his acceptance This Award recognises speech, CEO Gareth McKeen businesses that have proven to acknowledged the contribution of provide consistent exceptional staff and the adherence to The service and professionalism and Cram Way that results in positive Cram staff celebrate the award Please let us know what you would like to see / or if you would like to contribute to our newsletter by email [email protected] or phone 42556900 CRAM NEWS YOUR NEWS Late last year the Jim McIntyre Officially called The Hungry This is the second donation from this Foundation donated a nasogastric Manikin, we are affectionately Foundation, in 2013 we purchased a manikin which is used to calling it ‘Jim’, in honour of the ceiling hoist, furniture, white goods demonstrate the technique for Jim McIntyre Foundation. and a BBQ with funds donated. inserting nasogastric and gastrostomy tubes. The benefits of the manikin include; Movable epiglottis to demonstrate swallowing Transparent body allowing trainees to observe the tube being passed Divided nasal septum Gastrostomy opening Representation of lungs and oesophagus The manikin has already been used by Jodie and Jess during gastrostomy training with new staff. Jessica M Enrolled Nurse and Naomi E CSW In late 2014 our CEO Gareth John Ajaka is also the NSW McKeen was appointed as one of Minister for Disability Services 13 people to the advisory panel for and whilst the appointment to the It’s the top news story in the Minister for the Illawarra, Hon panel is on an individual basis, it disability services… John Ajaka, MLC. does provide another opportunity to raise the profile of Cram and of The Illawarra Community disability providers in the Want to know more about the Advisory Panel was established to Illawarra. NDIS? provide the people of the Illawarra with an opportunity to advise the Minister for the Illawarra on ways Learn about how your life will the NSW Government can work improve under the NDIS both individually and with others to ensure the strategic growth and advancement of the Illawarra www.ndis.org.au region. The role of the Panel is to OR use community knowledge and www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au networks to provide strategic advice, solutions and recommendations to the Minister for the Illawarra on ways the NSW Government can work individually and with others to develop and advance the Illawarra region. Page 2 CRAM NEWS YOUR NEWS In this newsletter you will see two The second photo is under the continue to receive excellent articles on two completely different section called Our Person-Centred services that reflect their choices events at Cram in the past few Approach and shows Rod’s pathway and decisions about how they live months. At first glance there would colourfully drawn out on his their life and that we also attract appear to be little in common whiteboard in his room. These two more clients as we develop our between them, however if you photos symbolise that Rod made capacity. consider them in the context of our choices about what was important to philosophy, The Cram Way, you will him and that he pursued these Whereas in recent years we see the connection. choices. Whilst we will miss Rod, regularly talk about The Cram we also celebrate his time at Cram at Way, you will also start to hear In September last year Rod the same time as we celebrate a about Cram aiming to be the Thompson passed away and a month business award success. The two ‘Gold Standard’ of care providers later in October, Cram won the may be completely different in disability. Customer Service award at the celebrations but will forever be Illawarra Business Awards. When I inextricably linked. We all have an important part to gave the acceptance speech on play in achieving this, so until behalf of Cram I actually finished So what does 2015 hold in store for next time……. Happy caring! the speech by dedicating the award Cram? With the NDIS to be to Rod. I thought it was appropriate introduced across NSW from July due to the timing of his passing but 2016 we will be busy preparing for also due to the fact that in my this major change to the disability opinion, during his time with us Rod landscape. There will be a number benefited from The Cram Way. of changes implemented in 2015 to ensure Cram is competitively placed There are two lovely photos of Rod for the NDIS. We will consult with on the Cram website, one is of him staff regarding these changes as we in the backyard at Darling Mills with also continue to develop our internal vegetables that he grew in the veggie processes and financial strategy to Gareth McKeen garden. ensure that our existing clients The Cram Board welcomed three Patrick is currently the Director, Dale, works for Peoplecare in the new Directors recently following Wollongong Academy for role as Deputy CEO. Dale has a the resignation of two directors and a Tertiary Teaching and Learning strong background in Governance decision to increase the Board from Excellence at the University of and Risk Management and is 6 to 7 Directors. Wollongong and previously he actively involved in community was the Head of the Nursing roles such as Relay for life and Dr Melinda Williams joined in School and the Faculty of WEA Illawarra. August, Professor Patrick Crookes Science, Medicine and Health. joined in October and Dale Cairney joined in February 2015. Melinda is currently the Head of Hospital and Health Services for Peoplecare, a leading health insurance company. Having started her career as a Registered Nurse, Melinda has held clinical services and health policy roles in the Illawarra with other health insurance agencies along with pursuing additional study leading to a Melinda Williams Patrick Crookes Dale Cairney Doctorate in public health. Page 3 CRAM NEWS YOUR NEWS In 2010, after many years in a support this was not an easy thing to for Disabilities and the Illawarra nursing home, Rod came to live at manage, but with his persistence and Mr John Ajaka visited Darling Cram. Darling Mills was a new staff working closely with him and his Mills and he and Rod recognised Group Home and all clients and staff family to prepare a carefully in each other a shared passion for were starting a journey together. planned structure of staff support, the St George Illawarra Dragons Rod took a leadership role, helping Rod’s south coast holiday with his and it was this connection that his co-residents, being a bit bossy family and friends was something he influenced future contact. In his with his light pointer and ensuring so enjoyed and loved to talk about. speeches, Mr Ajaka often spoke of that his strong interest in his discussions with Rod and how environmental protection was heard Rod was an advocate for people with Rod had helped him understand and addressed in the day to day a disability and spoke well for himself some of the many challenges of routines of living, for example and for others when he took his living life with a disability. reminding staff to turn off lights in person centred plan and stories about empty rooms, rubbish recycling and its implementation to other As we say farewell, we remember establishing a vegetable garden. organisations to discuss how he a man with naughty wit and a great wanted to live his life and how sense of humour, a man with great Rod was the first person at Cram to disability staff can help him and love for his family and a wide have a visual person centred plan and others like him. In addition to his network of friends, a man with it was in pride of place on his public speaking which he did using remarkable determination to live bedroom wall. He was always keen his light pointer and support from his life to the full. to have staff help him work on his family or staff for interpretation, plan by pointing to his goals when Rod maintained a group of friends and On behalf of all your planning his day and to have his colleagues in the community using friends and staff at achievements recorded on the plan to Facebook. He was never afraid to Cram, thank you for show to family and friends alike. share what he knew and had learned and was constantly challenging staff sharing your life Rod told us his most important goal with his new ideas about what was to with us and for the was to spend more time with his come next in his busy life. difference you made family and in particular to go to to us while you were holiday with them as this was Prior to his accident, Rod was a keen something he had missed when in the footballer and his interest did not here.