In this episode Dr Julie is in the Hot Seat as we get to know the host. We welcome back to the show Maurie Voisey-Barlin who is interviewing Julie. Maurie and Julie discuss Julie’s background, including her upbringing in Bosnia and then New Zealand, and doing her university study in Australia.Julie shares how moving to a new country where she didn’t speak English at the age of 11 has impacted her interest in communication and connection, as well as the special connection she had with older people from a young age.Maurie and Julie then discuss why she decided to focus on Aged Care, when and how WiseCare started and all about her research and work first with 1:1 psychology and now in the mentoring and training of the Aged Care Workforce.They cover the potential for growth and thriving in Aged Care, how to deal with and give families the right support, as well as empowering workers in Aged Care to both support the needs but also have a strengths-based approach to the residents, plus much more.Finally, Julie shares some of the biggest lessons and biggest wins from her time working in this industry, as well as her goals and what’s next for Julie and WiseCare.This is the final episode in Season 2 of the Voice of Aged Care Podcast. We’ll be back in 2021!This episode is proudly brought to you by the Beyond Reluctant Move book: practical approach to wellbeing in Residential Aged Care Facilities. Let’s together beat the myth that depression and dementia are a normal part of ageing. Grab a copy today from wisecare.com.auYou can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Voice of Aged Care

Get to Know the Host - Dr Julie is in the Hot Seat (Interviewed by Maurie Voisey-Barlin)

Julie speaks with experienced Clinical Nurse Consultant, Kelly Arthurs, a Registered Nurse who specialises in Palliative Care. It’s a very important topic that is often not discussed openly in Aged Care because people don’t know how to ask the right questions or what to say or do, and Kelly has great insights to share.Kelly explains what Palliative Care is, including the 5 phases of Palliative Care, because it’s something people often are confused about. She shares a bit about her background and what inspired her to specialise in Palliative Care, as well as about the Hammond Care Centre for Learning and Research in Palliative Care.Julie and Kelly discuss how people working in Aged Care can connect with their local Palliative Care unit, as well as some resources for families or staff to use. Kelly also emphasises the power of information to equip staff and families with the knowledge of what death and dying looks like and how to make it a beautiful time for families.Kelly shares some tools to use, including the ‘surprise’ question, and why we need to take the opportunity to plan for good deaths even though it might be scary or hard to talk about. Finally, Julie and Kelly discuss lifting the profile and advocating for the field of Palliative Care, and some top tips for those to support clients in Palliative Care.Some resources from this episode:Hammond Care Centre for Learning and Research in Palliative Care: https://www.hammond.com.au/services/palliative-centrePalliative Care Bridge: http://www.palliativecarebridge.com.auFree ‘Dying2Learn’ course from Flinders University and Caresearch https://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/tabid/2868/Default.aspx‘Let’s Talk About Dying’ TED Talk by Dr. Peter Saul: https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_saul_let_s_talk_about_dying‘Love is not enough’ video from Advanced Care Planning Australia: http://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/resources/love-is-not-enoughDr. Kathryn Mannix ‘In My Humble Opinion’ video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CruBRZh8qucThis episode is proudly brought to you by the Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing in late life workshop. This essential training is for anyone supporting older adults, seeking practical strategies to reduce isolation and loneliness, and help older adults make new and exciting as well as fulfilling moments. Find out more today from Wisecare.com.auYou can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Demystifying Palliative Care, with Kelly Arthurs

Julie speaks with Jo Muirhead, a Rehabilitation Consultant and the leader of Purple and Co. Jo tells Julie about her Great Aunt Gwen, a bit about her life story and some of the challenges as she aged and moved into care, as well as why she was so influential in Jo’s life. Jo also explores some of the stereotypes about older people being grumpy, judgemental and technologically challenged, and how Great Aunt Gwen defied those ideas.Julie and Jo then discuss some of the reasons why more health care professionals aren’t working in Aged Care, as well as some of the misunderstandings that health care professionals often have about accessibility and engagement issues for that Aged Care population. Jo shares some of her experiences with the fact that all health professionals are always rushed and under-resourced, and how this is a barrier to client-centred focus, but an even bigger challenge in the Aged Care industry.Jo and Julie cover the importance of properly supporting residents and resourcing the care that people need in a way that they can receive it, as well as the sense many health care workers in Aged Care Facilities have of being isolated.They then discuss the opportunities and challenges of self-promotion and social media PR as a health care professional, and how to get the word out that depression and dementia is not a normal part of ageing. Julie and Jo finish their conversation discussing Jo’s health journey and how she’s advocated for herself as a patient and also for her mother as a resident in a Facility too.Find out more about Jo at https://jomuirhead.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jo.muirhead/This episode is proudly brought to you by the Beyond Reluctant Move book: practical approach to wellbeing in Residential Aged Care Facilities. Let’s together beat the myth that depression and dementia are a normal part of ageing. Grab a copy today from wisecare.com.auYou can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Exploring Aged Care, with Jo Muirhead

Julie speaks with Reverend Ron Baker, who is almost 90-years old and lives in a residential aged care facility in Australia. Ron has a wealth of knowledge and experience in a wide range of topics and he has first-hand experience of how COVID19 has impacted those living in residential aged care facilities this year.Ron shares how long he’s been in an aged care facility and how the transition was for him when he first moved there. He then tells Julie a bit about his life, his career in ministry and the way he’s applying those skills and connecting with other residents in his facility too.Ron explains how he loves studying and researching, as well as how he sees technology both to connect with people but also to continue to feed his fascination for learning. He talks about how he connects with people and engages with residents, including those from non-English speaking backgrounds.Ron also shares about the impact of having residents in his facility pass away and how powerful technology has been for getting a sense of closure and connection through attending funerals via video link.Julie and Ron discuss what people should say when they visit a resident in an aged care facility, how we can incorporate family and the outside world into the locked-down aged care facilities, and the importance of having a readjustment plan for residents coming out of lockdown.Julie and Ron finish their chat discussing the power of gratitude and his positive view of how he believes this pandemic will impact younger generations.This episode is proudly brought to you by the Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing in late life workshop. This essential training is for anyone supporting older adults, seeking practical strategies to reduce isolation and loneliness, and help older adults make new and exciting as well as fulfilling moments. Find out more today from Wisecare.com.auYou can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Resident Perspective with Rev. Ron Baker

Julie speaks with Donna Valantis, a Diversional Therapist who works as a Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator. Donna tells us about her background and how she became involved in the Aged Care industry.Julie and Donna discuss what Diversional Therapists do, and the differences between a Diversional Therapist, Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator and a Recreational Activities Officer.Donna then explains how Diversional Therapy works, the types of activities that could be on offer, as well as the important role of volunteers and the community in these activities. She explains some of the activities volunteers can participate in, the process of becoming a volunteer and benefits for the volunteers as well as the benefits for residents having a variety and combination of these roles and activities.Julie and Donna explore some of the misconceptions many people have about Aged Care, how Donna addresses that and some of the ways Donna and her team support resident having difficulty adjusting to living in an Aged Care facility.Donna and Julie then discuss the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on residents and staff, and some of the many ways technology has been helping. Finally, Donna tells us the three things she’d like to see change in the Aged Care industry if she had a magic wand.This episode is proudly brought to you by the Beyond Reluctant Move book: practical approach to wellbeing in Residential Aged Care Facilities. Let’s together beat the myth that depression and dementia are a normal part of ageing. Grab a copy today from wisecare.com.auYou can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Diversional Therapy with Donna Valantis

Julie speaks with Professor Sunil Bhar about the Swinburne National Telehealth Counselling and Support Service for Aged Care. Sunil tells us about his background in private practice and research, as well as what inspired him to focus on Aged Care, both working with older people and in helping to train the workforce that is sensitive to the needs of older adults.Julie and Sunil discuss why it’s important to be training and up-skilling psychologists to work in Aged Care, why many of the tools in psychology for other populations are not appropriate for Aged Care and the more specific measures that have be developed in the last decade that are specific to this older population.They also cover the various reasons it can be more difficult to screen Aged Care residents for mental health conditions.Sunil then explains the Telehealth Counselling program through Swinburn University, including who it’s for, how it works and how people can get access to it. Julie and Sunil also explore the benefits for those receiving services through Telehealth.They finish their conversation discussing reminiscence and life review therapy, and the progress we are making both as an industry and a society in recognising the emotional needs of older adults.For more information about the Swinburne National Telehealth Counselling go to www.swin.edu.au/telehealthcounsellingGo to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults, including the book Beyond the Reluctant Move.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Swinburne National Telehealth Counselling and Support Service for Aged Care with Prof. Sunil Bhar

In this episode, Julie speaks with Maurie Voisey-Barlin, a Creative Engagement Specialist. Maurie and Julie discuss the role of Creative Therapeutic Engagement Specialists, what he does with older adults and how he has been supporting his peers and clients during COVID.Maurie explains why many lifestyle specialists get frustrated when the document that matters most is scantily filled out, and how his role is to unearth the goldmine of information that families don’t realise they have. He also shares the story of a powerful breakthrough he had with an Aged Care resident that he worked with.Maurie then tells Julie about the Outside In Collective, why mentoring his peers is so important and what inspired him to do that, as well as how his background as an actor helps with the work of a Creative Engaegement Specialist.They finish their chat discussing Window Therapy and why it’s so effective, what Maurie would like to see happen in Aged Care Facilities, as well as the importance of managing the psychosocial health of residents in Aged Care during the COVID crisis.Connect with Maurie via LinkedIn or on the Outside In Collective Facebook page @outsideincollectiveThis episode is proudly brought to you by the Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing in late life workshop. This essential training is for anyone supporting older adults, seeking practical strategies to reduce isolation and loneliness, and help older adults make new and exciting as well as fulfilling moments. Find out more today from Wisecare.com.auYou can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareauThis podcast episode was edited and produced by Perk Digital.

Bringing Creative Engagement to Residential Care with Maurie Voisey-Barlin

Welcome back to the first episode this year after Julie returns from maternity leave to this strange time we’re all living with during COVID. Julie will discuss the impact this has had with every guest for the remainder of the year.In this episode Julie speaks with Del Marie McAlister, a leisure and lifestyle consultant who has worked in Aged Care for a long time now. Del also has a background as a chaplain and volunteer coordinator, as well as in grief counselling and freelance journalism so she has many skills to bring to her work.More recently, Del has been working in the Aged Care sector during the pandemic so Julie speaks with her about the impact that has had and how she has been able to bring her skills and expertise to today’s world.Del shares a bit about her background and the training she offers leisure and lifestyle personnel, as well as about her books.Julie and Del then discuss the Inspire Magazine and CARE model that the Del has created, how it came about and the benefits it offers.Del also explains the impact COVID has had on the residents she’s worked with this year and what they did to find out what the residents wanted and needed to be supported during this time.Julie and Del finish their interview discussing the way changes to activities and digital communication and virtual connection with families has been increasingly important this year and why it needs to continue in the decade to come even when social distancing is no longer required.To connect with Del and get her books and magazine, visit www.delmariemcalister.comGo to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults, including the book Beyond the Reluctant Move.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

Leisure and Lifestyle, with Del Marie Mc Alister

I hope you've enjoyed this first season of the show. I've thoroughly enjoyed bringing all the episodes to you and interviewing a wide range of speakers. You see, we don't often talk about Residential Care because most of Australians live in their own homes. Fact: it's only 5% that live in Residential Aged Care environments. So often this population is forgotten about and we don't necessarily hear positive stories. And my aim was to communicate the various psychosocial benefits that can be delivered to older people whose physical health is declining. I'm taking a little break over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. However, I'm already mapping out the next season of The Voice of Aged Care, which will come out sometime in early 2020. In the meantime, you can catch up on the previous episodes in your favorite podcast app and also connect with me on Facebook and Instagram. Using the handle @wisecareau. You can also visit my website wisecare.com.au for more information for free resources on supporting well being in older adults. Looking forward to bringing you my book in 2020 and sharing with you even more great information to help support older people in your life. In the meantime I wish you a happy and safe holiday season, and I look forward to the next season of The Voice of Aged Care podcast.

Merry Christmas and See You Next Season

Julie speaks with Jenny Blok, who has worked as a Chaplain for 12 years and now manages a team of Chaplains and Pastoral Care Volunteers to support older people both in residential settings and in their homes. Jenny shares how she came to work in Aged Care as a Chaplain, as well as what spiritual care is and who it’s for. Chaplains provide not only religious care but also other areas of spirituality and connection, such as creativity and gardening.Jenny and Julie discuss the change in standards that has given more responsibilities to chaplains and created greater expectations and challenges, as well as professionalised the role within Aged Care settings. Jenny explains how her team works with residents who are returning to faith and beliefs later in life, as well as those who have culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and the challenges of that particularly when combined with a residents’ dementia.Jenny tells us why it’s important for Chaplains to work closely with families and with the whole care team, as well as other religious practitioners. Finally, Jenny shares some tops for listeners who might be looking at organising spiritual care for their family member who has moved into care.Go to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

The Role of Spirituality in Late Life with Jenny Blok

In this episode, Julie makes the case for taking care of you as a person who supports older adults in Aged Care. The best outcomes for you, for older people, for families and for management are when we all work together. However, that ultimately comes down to you taking care of yourself and recognising what you may need to do more, or less, of in order to be well.Julie shares her experience when she started working in Aged Care, and why prioritising self-care is so important. She explains how important it is to start the day on a positive note, and some ways to make your self-care activities more realistic, sustainable and related to your other life goals and priorities.Julie explains how taking better care of yourself also involves making sure older adults get the support that they need. Plus, in this episode there are a range of practical suggestions about asking for help and support for you, and for others.Go to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

Taking Care of You

Julie speaks with Liz Kraefft, a qualified yoga teacher. Liz and Julie discuss Liz’s background and how she got started learning and then teaching yoga. Liz shares how she incorporates relaxation in her yoga sessions and what guided relaxation is. She explains the benefits of guided relaxation practices, and why people often struggle getting started with this practice.Liz and Julie then discuss yoga and mindfulness for older adults, including the importance of trust and managing fear of falls, as well as how mobility challenges can be accommodated using props like chairs to allow people with injuries or mobility issues to still participate.Liz explains what mindfulness and mindful breathing are, and why it’s so important to incorporate it in our lives. Liz and Julie finish this interview discussing mindful breathing as a non-drug strategy for dealing with mental health issues, and Liz’s tips for incorporating relaxation into residential settings.You can find out more about Liz and her classes on Facebook or at her website https://www.kuringgaiyoga.com.au/The app she mentions in this episode is Insight Timer, which you can find here https://insighttimer.com/meditation-appGo to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

Understanding Guided Relaxation and Mindful Breathing with Liz Kraefft

Julie discusses the important role of families in helping an older person settle into the Aged Care home, as well as the different ways facilities will involve residents’ families. There are many things that can impact the dynamics of the relationships an older person has with their families, and there are also a number of things that can enhance that to help the resident settle into Aged Care and support them going forwards.In this episode, hear three ways families can play an integral role when their loved one moves into care, and some practical strategies for families to help support their loved ones.Julie also shares a part of an interview with a relative whose mother has moved into an Aged Care facility. This woman tells Julie about her experience when her mother moved into care and they discuss the different aspects of that journey and what she thinks would be helpful for other families in a similar position.Go to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

Involving Resident Families - Discussion With A Relative

Julie speaks with Bob Creelman, a qualified chaplain, scientist, engineer and volunteer. Bob has been running Men’s Groups in Aged Care Facilities for over a decade and he shares a bit about his background and how he came to be doing this work.Bob explains some of the challenges for older men in Aged Care, the types of discussions had, how the sessions are structured and what he calls ‘The Miracle of Men’s Group’.Bob also covers how his work was recognised by Positive Living in Aged Care in 2013, and why he’s had such interest from women wanting to join Men’s Group!Julie and Bob finish the interview talking about why it’s so important to acknowledge when a member of Men’s Group has passed away, and some tips for others who might be wanting to start their own Men’s Group in an Aged Care Facility.Go to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

Men's Group in Residential Care with Bob Creelman

Julie speaks with Trish Carlier, a volunteer dog visitor in Aged Care Facilities. Trish volunteers with Delta Society, a not-for-profit organisation that is supported by volunteers and their family pets.Trish explains how she became a volunteer dog visitor and what her visits with Golden Retriever Jazzy to Aged Care Facilities are like. Trish also shares a bit about the process of becoming a volunteer dog visitor, including requirements for the dog as well as requirements for the owner/trainer.Julie and Trish then discuss the physiological and psycho-social benefits of visiting with pets, and Trish shares some of the changes she has seen in residents, as well as some of the challenges of the role that she has experienced.You can find out more about Delta Therapy Dogs, including request a visit or become a volunteer, at https://www.deltasociety.com.au/delta-therapy-dogsGo to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free resources on supporting the wellbeing of older adults.You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

Delta Therapy Dog in Residential Care - Insights with Volunteer Trish Carlier

Dr. Julie Bajic Smith is an award winning Aged Care Site Consultant and Psychologist with a mission: to halve depression rates in Australian aged care facilities by 2022. Her research has demonstrated a link between the wellbeing of staff and the mental health of residents, and now Julie helps aged care providers improve staff retention by addressing the psychological aspects of delivering aged care work. The Voice of Aged Care will offer you tips and tricks on improving service delivery without complexity and overwhelm. Each episode will include information that is inspirational, provides you with insider knowledge and real experiences and most importantly, it will be described in easy to understand ways so that it’s not overwhelming or confusing. There is so much information out there about aged care. A lot of that information is not necessarily a true representation of what goes on in aged care. It’s when we hear the real unedited stories and experiences that we really connect with others. “In this podcast I wanted to share with you some inspirational stories which I myself have encountered a number of times in aged care. You see, not everything’s negative or dark: there are people out there who are excited to be able to work with this population, and equally there are people who live in aged care homes who are happy with the environment and who are in fact thriving.” ~ Dr. Julie Bajic Smith Go to wisecare.com.au for more information and your free guide full of practical tips on supporting older people with cognitive impairment. You can also follow Dr. Julie Bajic Smith on Facebook and Instagram @wisecareau

hubhopper

Voice of Aged Care

hubhopper