When you start out as a Home Care Package client a personalised care plan and budget unique to your needs is developed. The budget summarises how your funding is to be spent based on things that are most important to you. Maximising your budget is vital. You are entitled to get the most out of your budget and make your home care package count.

Our Client Support Coordinators play an important role in working with you to maximise your funding to create a budget that will cater to all your wants and needs, as well as helping you plan for the future.

Unspent Funds
While it is important to have unspent funds available, a Coordinator can help you maximise your budget and direct all available funds to your wellbeing and care. If you notice an increase in your “Unspent Funds” on your monthly statements, talk to us. There are lots of creative ways you can put these funds to good use, while still having a little tucked away for that unexpected situation.

Recommendations by Leading Aged Services Australia to the Department of Health is to address the accumulation of unspent funds through an annual acquittal. Unspent funds would be returned to Government and redirected to eligible clients on the national queue to enable them to access services.

A Coordinator is a valuable font of information about what is available in your local area, and can also help connect you to other support services.

When you are thinking about spending your funding, be creative. Would an iPad help you keep in touch with family? Does your air conditioner need replacing? Do not be afraid to ask questions and talk about your needs, wishes and future goals that we could assist you to work towards.

Have you received a card from Jubilee Community Care? When it comes in the mail know it is written with love by one of our treasured volunteers Karilyn Lau.

Karilyn is passionate about personalising the cards, wanting to let clients know someone is thinking about them on their special day.

“It was triggered because I saw a birthday card from a corporate organisation in someone’s bin and that was sad to see,” she said. “I wanted to try to make our cards different. I want our
clients to receive a handwritten, personalised card rather than a corporate one.”

Karilyn, who is a hobby artist, sometimes also decorates the cards with pictures. And if that doesn’t keep her busy enough, Karilyn also volunteers her time to our Jubilee Wanderers activity group, attending outings and providing a helping hand.

Thanks Karilyn for all you do. It is much appreciated.

Scams against the elderly continue to grow as criminals find more ways to carry out both new and old scams. Elderly people are targets, with the Federal Government’s Scamwatch website reporting people aged over 65 in Australia lost more than $12 million in 2017 to scams.

One such popular scam is the Personal Identity Theft Scam. It involves using someone else’s identity – such as account details, passport, tax file number, licence, medicare or other personal identification details – to steal money or gain other benefits. A few common examples of such scams are:

Phishing – Scammer tricks you into providing personal information.
Hacking – Scammer gains access to your computer by exploiting security weakness on your computer, mobile, or iPad.
Remote Access – Scammer tricks you into giving access to your computer and paying for a service you do not need.
Malware -Scammer installs the software on your computer that allows them to access your personal files and to watch what you are doing on your computer.
Fake Online profile – Scammers set up a fake online profile on social media and send you a ‘friend’ request.
Document Theft – Scammers access your unlocked letter boxes or discarded bills, insurance details and health records.

HAVE YOU BEEN SCAMMED?

Contact ScamWatch Online: Report a scam to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) by using its website www.scamwatch.gov.au      You may be encouraged to include the details of the scam contact you received, eg, email or phone number.

If you have been threatened, assaulted or had your property stolen, contact your local police immediately.

If you think you have provided personal details to a scammer contact your bank, financial institution or other relevant agencies immediately. You can also contact iDcare – a free government-funded service which will help you with your situation. Visit the iDcare website at www.idcare.org or phone 1300 IDCARE (1300 432273).

1. Tell us a bit about yourself: I was born in Tenterfield many moons ago, the youngest of 10 children. I went to Casino High School. From there I went to Sydney to complete my nursing training. I have two wonderful children and six grandchildren. I love pottery, floral arranging and cooking.

2.What do you love about working at Jubilee? I love working at Jubilee because of the support and caring nature of everyone, from other support workers to all in management.

3. How would you describe your role? I feel my role is to give support, care and to treat clients with dignity and kindness.

4. What is something that makes you smile? It is to see my grandchildren achieve their dreams and to know that in some small way I have been part of that.

5. What is something you have learned working at Jubilee? We as a team bring so much joy and love to our clients on a daily basis.

6. What do you like better – sweet or savoury? Perhaps a little of both but at this time of year, all in moderation.

Each year we ask our wonderful and valued staff to complete a survey that measures their job satisfaction, our internal communications and their opinions across a number of important areas of the work of Jubilee Community Care. The survey is voluntary, confidential and staff are not identified individually.

The survey took place in October 2017. We had 65 completed replies which is a 92 per cent response rate. The response rate is extraordinarily high for a survey of this kind. This underlines the highly motivated staff employed at Jubilee Community Care.

I have listed below a number of statements from the survey and the responses measured in percentages of staff agreeing with the statement. Additionally, the last 3 questions asked staff for their thoughts to the statement.

• My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment – 98% agree.
• I’m satisfied with my involvement in decisions affecting my work – 84%
• I have the appropriate amount of information to make correct decisions about my work – 95%
• I feel valued by the JCC leadership team (administrators, coordinators and management) – 92%
• I am satisfied with the information I receive from management on what is going on in JCC – 95%
• I would have no hesitation in referring someone to work at JCC – 98%
• Considering everything, I am satisfied with my job at JCC – 98%
• How motivated are you to see JCC succeed? – 100%
• What are the reasons why you like working at JCC?
Clients – relationships, assisting and helping;
Staff – great, friendly, JCC value staff;
Support Team is very approachable, feel supported, great support;
Organisation – strong, good leadership, moralistic, motivated, caring;
Great team and great team environment.
• What three words would you use to describe the culture at JCC?
Caring 48%
Supportive 33%
Friendly 20%
Other words commonly used in reply to this question were: Professional, compassionate, diligent, efficient, kind, happy, team.
• Is there any other feedback you would like to give to management and the Board of JCC?
You are doing a great job;
Keep up the good work;
I love what I do partly because of how JCC operates and its values;
Staff work as a TEAM;
I love your work.

This is a wonderful survey result in regards to staff satisfaction with their work, why staff like working at Jubilee Community Care, the culture of Jubilee and the feedback to the management committee. I also would like to inform everyone that I am extremely satisfied with my role and feel privileged to work with so many capable people.

– Shaun Riley, Jubilee Community Care Director