Kolora Hostel
Caring for the Aged and Disabled
20-25 Yarrawonda Street
Guyra NSW 2365
ph - 02 6779 1922
fax - 02 6779 2097
email - jbrazel@guyra.nsw.gov.au
ABN - 73504101671
Resident
Admission Handbook
Welcome
Kolora Hostel is a 22 room Aged Care Facility; we have 21 permanent beds
and 1 respite room.
All residential aged care applications have to be assessed by the Aged Care
Assessment Team (ACAT).
If you choose to live at Kolora you would become an important person to this
organisation and we trust that your stay would be happy and satisfying.
The staff of Kolora work as a team that are dedicated to the care of the frail
and elderly.
This booklet has been prepared to explain basic policies and procedures. Where
there is any doubt, do not hesitate to speak to the Manager.
Respite Care
Respite care is short term accommodation for up to nine weeks in each
financial year. This may be used to help with rehabilitation after a stay in
hospital or for a period while carers have a break.
During the length of their stay, Respite Residents are included in all Kolora
activities so that they can make a decision regarding a permanent stay if they
decide they need ongoing care.
Mission
Kolora Hostel will provide effective and special care and offer a warm and
friendly environment as home to our older and disabled citizens in Guyra and
surrounding areas.
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Table of Contents
Kolora’s Philosophy ...................................................................... 3
Kolora Entry Information .............................................................. 4
Cost of Residential Care ............................................................... 5
Disclosure Statement ................................................................... 8
Charter or Resident’s Rights & Responsibilities ............................... 9
Security of Accommodation ........................................................ 11
General Information ................................................................... 13
Health & Personal Care .............................................................. 18
Specified Care & Services for Residential Care Services ................ 20
Comments, Suggestions & Complaints ........................................ 25
Emergency Procedures ............................................................... 27
Kolora’s Evacuation Plan ............................................................. 28
Kolora’s Floor Plan ..................................................................... 29
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Philosophy
Kolora Hostel is a not-for profit organisation operating under the management
of Guyra Shire Council. It is situated in Yarrawonda Street, Guyra.
Kolora Hostel, as part of the Guyra and District Community, subscribes to the
following viewpoint: Every person has the right to grow old with dignity and with genuine
opportunity for old age to be meaningful.

Basic human needs are universal, regardless of age and include:The development and maintenance of positive attitudes towards good
health and well-being;
The provision of suitable accommodation and other material needs;
Companionship and opportunities to relate to other people in meaningful
and supportive ways;
Opportunities for involvement in purposeful activities and the pursuit of
personal interests;
Recognition of the right to personal decision making.
Therefore, Kolora aims to: Work within the Guyra and District Community to ensure that the individual
physical emotional and spiritual needs of the Hostel Resident are not
overlooked.

Recognise and provide for the differences in culture, language, religious
beliefs and dietary habits etc, of individuals from Ethnic backgrounds.
 Encourage individuals to recognise that in retirement they still have a
positive contribution to make to society and help to create opportunities for
the expression of this contribution in terms of independence and
interdependence.
 Ensure that residential care is recognised as a support rather than a
substitute for family involvement and help to ensure that meaningful
relationships continue beyond the point of entry into the Hostel.

Ensure that the Hostel fosters an atmosphere in which the Residents grow
in self confidence and self reliance.
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Kolora Entry Information
Entry into Kolora:
Before entry into Kolora all residents must be assessed by the Aged Care
Assessment Team (ACAT), which is attached to the Community Health Centre at
Armidale Hospital ph 6776 9688 or by referral from Kolora’s Manager to the
ACAT Team.
Each resident is given a Kolora Occupancy Agreement and Resident Admission
Handbook. They will also be given a Residential Aged Care Kit which contains
the following:











5 Steps to Entry into Residential Aged Care book,
Choosing an Aged Care Home - Checklist book,
Application for Respite Care or Permanent Entry to an Aged Care Home,
Permanent Residential Aged Care-Request for an Assets Assessment
Information Booklet,
Permanent Residential Aged Care-Request for an Assets Assessment,
Residential Aged Care – Appointment of a nominee form,
Information sheet no. 9 – Fees and charges-an overview,
Information sheet no. 10 – assessing income for residential aged care fees,
Information sheet no. 11 – Income-tested fees for residential care,
Information sheet no. 15 – The accommodation charge,
Information sheet no. 16 – Accommodation bonds,
Information sheet no. 24 – Useful contact numbers.
Prior to Permanent admission to Kolora, all residents are advised to complete
the Permanent Residential Aged Care-Request for an Assets Assessment and
post it and any supporting documentation to either Centrelink or Department of
Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) as stated on the back page of the Assessment book.
Kolora will enter into an Occupancy Agreement with each Resident from the
date of entry and a bond will be deemed payable within the month of admission
unless otherwise indicated; i.e. concessional or assisted residents – refer to the
(Permanent Residential Aged Care Request for an Assets Assessment)
Information Booklet: Page 4.
The Resident Occupancy Agreement must be in accordance with the detailed
provisions of the Aged Care Act 1997 & Principles.
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Residents have an obligation to familiarise themselves with the contract and any
other contracts relating to their residence in Kolora, and should get independent
legal advice before signing any documents, if they do not understand them.
Accommodation:
All of Kolora’s rooms are self contained with their own en-suite. Each room has
a sliding glass door that leads to the outside of the building.
Each room contains a built-in wardrobe with a set of drawers; one drawer being
lockable, single bed, floor coverings, and curtains, container for personal
laundry, towel rail, and emergency call buttons in bedroom & bathroom.
All bed linen, blankets, sheets, pillows, towels, face-washers are supplied and
linen is changed each week or as required. Residents will need to supply their
own bedspread.
Cost of Residential Care
What could I be charged?
Residents in aged care can be asked to make two types of payment.
1. Daily care fees contribute towards your daily living costs, such as nursing
and personal care, meals, linen and laundry, as well as heating and cooling.
These have two parts:
o
o
a basic daily care fee, and
an additional income-tested fee for residents who have a higher income.
2. Accommodation payments
The Commonwealth Government has stated that those people who have the
capacity to pay for their residential care are required to pay a Accommodation
Payment in addition to the normal daily care fees. Those people who cannot
afford to pay an Accommodation Payment can still become a resident of Kolora,
and the Hostel is given a subsidy by the Commonwealth Government to assist
in paying for their accommodation.
Accommodation payments contribute towards the cost of your accommodation
in an aged care home. You only pay this if your assets exceed an amount set by
the Australian Government. This is agreed with your aged care home when you
move in and will be either:
- an accommodation bond, if you are in low level care, or an extra service
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place (with low or high level care needs); or
-
an accommodation charge, if you are in high level care.
Only aged care homes that are certified by the Australian Government as
meeting required standards of accommodation can charge accommodation
payments.
See also Information Sheets 15 and 16 (Residential Aged Care Kit)
What is the basic daily care fee?
Basic daily care fees are set by the Department of Health and Ageing and
increase twice a year on the 20th March and 20th September.
Residents are informed that a daily fee is charged to all residents entering
Kolora which is usually paid by direct debit and is payable once a fortnight to
the Guyra Shire Council Account.
What is an income tested fee?
The income tested fee is an amount you may be asked to pay in addition to
your basic daily fee. The amount of income tested fee you may be asked to pay
depends on the amount of assessable income you have above a certain level.
If you are charged an income tested fee, you can be asked to pay the fee from
your date of entry to the aged care home (inclusive of pre-entry leave).
You will not have to pay an income tested fee if you:
 are a full-rate means tested pensioner and you first entered permanent
residential aged care before 20 March 2008 and had not had a break in
care of more than 28 days;
 were a permanent resident of an Australian Government funded aged
care home between 1 October 1997 and 28 February 1998;
 are receiving respite care;
 have dependent children;
 are an Australian ex-prisoner of war;
 leave the aged care home, providing you do not move to another aged
care home, before the provider has been notified of the amount of
income tested fee you should pay; or
 are receiving care at the lowest assessable level.
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How are my assets and income assessed?
The purpose of an assets assessment is to determine whether you may be
eligible to pay an accommodation payment, or if the aged care home is eligible
to receive an Australian Government subsidy on behalf of a person. An assets
assessment also helps to clarify the maximum amount of accommodation
payment that you may be asked to pay.
Assets assessments are undertaken prior to entry, wherever possible.
When you move into an aged care home, either Centrelink or the Department
of Veterans’ Affairs will assess your income so that the Department of Health
and Ageing can work out the amount of income tested fee you could be asked
to pay.
If you are already receiving a pension or other income support payment from
Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs, you have already provided your income
information to them and you will not need to do this again. If you are a nonpensioner, you will be asked to provide details of your income to Centrelink to
be assessed under the same income test rules that apply to the pension.
Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs will provide your income assessment to the
Department of Health and Ageing who will then write to you to advise the
maximum amount of income tested fees that you could be charged.
If you choose not to supply these to Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’
Affairs, you may be asked to pay the lesser amount of either:
• the maximum income tested fee; or
• the full cost of the level of care you are receiving.
See also Information Sheet 10 and 11 (Residential Aged Care Kit)
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Disclosure Statement
Information you are entitled to
GUYRA SHIRE COUNCIL is the approved provider for KOLORA HOSTEL under
the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act), residents and prospective residents or their
representatives are entitled to receive particular information from their
approved provider on request.
This includes, in relation to the previous financial year:
 a summary of the permitted uses for which we have used accommodation
bonds
 information about whether we complied with the requirements for
permitted uses of accommodation bonds and with the prudential
requirements for accommodation bonds
 information about the number of accommodation bond balances (if any)
that were not refunded in accordance with the timeframes set by the Act.
For entry contributions (payable before 1997), information about the
number (if any) that were not refunded in accordance with the entry
contribution agreement
 a copy of the independent audit opinion on our compliance with the
prudential requirements for accommodation bonds
 our most recent statement of audited accounts.
We must also provide:
 if you have already paid an accommodation bond, a copy of your entry in
the bond register
 From 1 February 2012 if we invest accommodation bonds in particular
kinds of permitted financial products, our investment objectives and the
asset classes we may invest in.
Residents, prospective residents or their representatives may request any or all
of the available information. We must provide the information within seven
days of the request, and the information must be correct at the time of the
request.
More details are in section 23.42 and section 23.43 of the User Rights Principles
1997 available from www.comlaw.gov.au
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Charter of Resident’s Rights & Responsibilities
A.
Each resident of a residential care service has the right:

To full and effective use of his or her personal, civil, legal and consumer
rights

To quality care appropriate to his or her needs

To full information about his or her own state of health and about
available treatments

To be treated with dignity and respect and to live without exploitation,
abuse or neglect

To live without discrimination or victimisation and without being obliged to
feel grateful to those providing his or her care and accommodation

To personal privacy

To live in a safe, secure and homelike environment and to move freely
both within and outside the residential care service without undue
restriction

To be treated and accepted as an individual and to have his or her
individual preferences taken into account and treated with respect

To continue his or her cultural and religious practices and to keep the
language of his or her choice, without discrimination

To select and maintain social and personal relationships with anyone else
without fear, criticism or restriction

To freedom of speech

To maintain his or her personal independence

To accept personal responsibility for his or her own actions and choices,
even though these may involve an element of risk, because the resident
has the right to accept the risk and not to have the risk used as a ground
for preventing or restricting his or her actions and choices

To maintain control over and to continue making decisions about, the
personal aspects of his or her daily life, financial affairs and possessions

To be involved in the activities, associations and friendships of his or her
choice, both within and outside the residential care service

To have access to services and activities available generally in the
community

To be consulted on and to choose to have input into, decisions about the
living arrangements of the residential care service
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
To have access to information about his or her rights, care,
accommodation and any other information that relates to the resident
personally

To complain and to take action to resolve disputes

To have access to advocates and other avenues of redress

To be free from reprisal or a well-founded fear of reprisal in any form for
taking action to enforce his or her rights.
B.
Each resident of a residential service has the responsibility:

To respect the rights and needs of other people within the residential care
service and to respect the needs or the residential care service community
as a whole

To respect the rights of staff and the proprietor to work in an environment
free from harassment

To care for his or her own health and well-being, as far as he or she is
capable

To inform his or her medical practitioner, as for as he or she is able, about
his or her relevant medical history and current state of health
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Security of Accommodation
Your accommodation at Kolora Hostel should be regarded as secure and the
Hostel should be looked upon as your home.
No resident will be arbitrarily asked to move under normal circumstances.
Occasionally, however, it may be in your best interests to move for your care
needs.
Residents may remain in Kolora Hostel when reassessed by the Aged Care
Assessment Team as “High Care” if their care needs, in the opinion of
management, can be met by the staff. Management embraces “Ageing in
Place” allowing people to remain in Hostel Accommodation as long as possible.
There are, however, some points that should be noted with regard to
accommodation and the following Exit Criteria: Management reserves the right to transfer a Resident within the facility to allow
for optimum care and surveillance. This strategy is in conformity with “Ageing in
place” legislation. Management will always discuss such transfer and pending
exit with Resident (if possible), Next of Kin and Medical Officer.
A Resident should be transferred out of Kolora Homes Hostel when one or more
of the following criteria are evident:

Requires a high band level of care beyond our staff’s capacity to care for
Residents in a safe manner for both parties.

Exhibits uncontrollable aggression or other behaviour problems assessed
as diminishing the lives of other Residents and/or staff on an ongoing
basis, and/or requiring frequent intervention.

Unmanageable incontinence (when continence care becomes an
overriding care need and the lifestyle of other Residents is diminished on
an ongoing basis as a result of continual incontinence e.g. damage to
environment, disruption to social milieu and excessive use of available
staff time).

A substantial degree of immobility e.g. inability to independently use
mobility aids, need for lifting assistance where two staff are required, or
extreme unsteadiness leading to regular falls.

The Resident continually wanders away from the buildings without staff
knowledge and so puts him/herself in danger.
Please see the list of Prescribed Services in this Handbook.
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The main thing to remember is that no arbitrary move will take place and
that the resident, resident’s family/advocate, Medical Practitioner and the
Aged Care Assessment Team will be consulted in advance.
Termination conditions apply as per Clause 14 of the Occupancy
Agreement.
All assessments will be conducted by the Aged Care Assessment Team.
The Hostel Management will determine the final placement.
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General Information
Arrival Time:
When residents are entering Kolora for either a Respite or Permanent stay
Kolora asks that they arrive between 9.00 and 12.00am. This is to allow time
for all the necessary paper work to be completed, any medications that need to
be organised and most importantly gives the resident time to settle in.
Outings:
When residents are leaving Kolora for an outing of some kind please sign out
when leaving and then sign back in on return. This ensures that staff know
where everyone is at all times. This is to comply with Occupational Health and
Safety.
Personal Belongings:
Each single room can be supplied with basic furniture and furnishings.
You may, if you wish, bring your own furnishings such as bed, chair, TV, radio,
photographs and ornaments to give your room its own individual touch. As
space may be a problem, please consult with the Manager about these items.
Kolora asks that an overnight size bag is provided in-case of emergency
admission to hospital. This is so staff can pack some clothes and personal items
to send with the resident.
An inventory of personal items is taken on admission and may be added to.
Please draw the Manager’s attention to any items that have been removed so
that the inventory maybe kept up to date.
Laundry:
All bed linens are supplied and laundered by New England Linen at Kolora’s
expense. The laundering of clothing is attended on the premises and is free of
charge. (Excludes: Knitted articles and items of clothing for dry cleaning, these
are the responsibility of Relatives and/or Representatives.)
If a Resident is admitted to hospital it is the Relatives and/or Representatives
responsibility to arrange for soiled personal clothing to be brought to the Hostel
for washing and clean clothes taken back to the hospital.
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Clothing:
Residents need to bring in suitable clothing - it must be practicable and be
easily washable. Foot-wear also needs to be comfortable.
All clothing should be clearly marked for easy identification with name tags,
preferably pre-printed tags that are sewn on.
Valuables:
The Management request that items of value are not brought into Kolora
Hostel. If an item of value is kept at Kolora Hostel, it should be secured by the
Resident.
Security:
Kolora has an alarm system attached to the external doors; this system is
turned on at night. When a door is opened a bell system rings alerting staff to
the matter.
There is also a security system which operates 24 hours a day that is monitored
by a contracted security service.
Special Dietary Needs & Mealtimes:
Nutritious, well-balanced meals are served. Special dietary requests, medical or
cultural are respected and may be provided by arrangement with the Manager.
Consultation with a dietician is organised when necessary. Help with buttering
bread, cutting up food, and special dinner ware and cutlery are supplied as
required.
Breakfast .................... 7:50 am
Morning Tea ................ 9:50 am
Lunch ................. 12:00 midday
Afternoon Tea .............2:45 pm
Tea .............................5:30 pm
Supper ........................8:00 pm
Resident Meetings:
Regular resident meetings are held for provision of information to residents and
for residents to discuss concerns, problems, suggestions for improvements and
other matters which may arise from time to time, and are, designed to enable
residents as much input and choice as is possible into Kolora’s quality of care
and service standards. These meetings also allow management to keep
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residents informed of the performance and future directions of Kolora and take
into consideration resident views in all continuous improvements activities at
Kolora.
Resident’s Advocates are also welcome at these meetings.
Meetings are held every 2 months in the dining room. A community member
chairs the meeting and takes the minutes. When a meeting is due a notice is
posted on the notice board with the date and time of the next meeting, and
then afterwards the minutes are typed and displayed on the notice board.
Activities:
Staff organise social activities such as outings, art & crafts, films, exercises,
games, etc in consultation with the Residents. All Residents have a choice in
participating in these activities. A monthly program is planned in advance and
displayed on the calendar on the notice board in the dining room.
Birthdays, annual celebrations and other organised functions are available for
Residents and their Relatives and/or Representatives to attend.
Every second week during activities the activities person will do small items of
personal shopping for residents i.e. bathroom products, lotto, mail posting.
Religious Services:
Religious representatives from various denominations are invited to visit
individual Residents. Appropriate Church services are arranged in various
communal areas of Kolora Hostel.
Telephone & Mail:
Mail is delivered to Kolora Hostel Monday to Friday and distributed to the
Residents’ mail boxes in each wing. There is a mail box for outgoing mail in the
dining room. Letters for posting must have a stamp on them.
Private telephones may be installed in the Resident’s room. The cost of this is to
be the responsibility of the Resident.
Newspapers are delivered daily on request; Residents will be billed monthly by
the newsagent.
Transport:
Residents and/or their relatives/representatives are responsible for arranging all
transport required for medical and personal reasons.
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The town has a taxi service that operates every day except Sundays,
ph no. 0408 659 366.
There is a bus service run by HACC (Home and Community Care) that travels to
Armidale on Mondays and Fridays bookings can be made at the Council Office
during Office Hours ph no. 0267 791577. The bus will pick up and drop off at
Kolora.
Motorised Scooters:
Are permitted but must be kept outside. Security arrangements are the
responsibility of the resident. Use inside is not permitted.
Parking:
Visitors’ parking is available in the car park at the front of Kolora and if
Residents have their own car there is another car park at the rear of Kolora.
Smoking & Alcohol:
In the interests of the safety and health of other Residents, smoking is not
permitted in the building.
The consumption of alcohol is permitted in moderation providing it does not
cause inconvenience or distress to other Residents.
Electrical Appliances:
Residents may have small electrical appliances in their rooms. All such
equipment must be inspected in the first instance to ensure safety. The
Manager may require written proof of the inspection being done, allowing the
appliance to be put into use. The Manager reserves the right to remove any
appliance that becomes unsafe for use. For those residents who wish to use an
electric blanket we recommend those that are machine washable. Double
adaptors are not permitted under any circumstances.
Note:- Some electrical appliances may not be practicable due to the physical
and/or cognitive health status of some residents. Please speak to the Manager
about having any electrical appliances in your room prior to the use of same.
We apologise if any request is denied but resident safety is always our first
concern.
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Visiting:
Visitors are welcome at any time. After 6:00pm it will be necessary for visitors
to ring the doorbell. The building is locked at 6:00pm for security reasons.
Residents are asked to ensure that their visitors do not enter the rooms of other
Residents or cause unnecessary noise in the building.
It is also requested that Residents respect the privacy of other Residents when
they have visitors.
Hairdressing:
Local Hairdressers have the approval to visit Kolora Hostel. The cost of the
Hairdresser is the responsibility of the Resident.
Voting:
Residents are asked to advise the Electoral Office of their change of address to
remain on the role and it may be beneficial to ask the Electoral Office if they
will send out a “postal vote” when an election is approaching.
Pets:
Unfortunately pets are not permitted at Kolora but there is a cat that belongs to
the hostel and is part of the family.
Staff:
Your “Care Team” will provide 24-hour coverage at Kolora Hostel. If the
Manager is not on duty you can direct your inquiries to the Personal Care
Assistant on Duty.
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Health & Personal Care
Medical Services:
Residents may choose their own General Practitioner for Medical Consultations.
Residents are responsible for arranging transportation to and from their Medical
or Dental appointments. Emergencies are covered by the Ambulance Service.
Other transport can be arranged via taxi.
Resident Care Plan:
An individual care plan is drawn up for each resident. This is done in
consultation with staff, family/representative and the resident.
Medications:
The Unit Dose 7 Webster System is used at Kolora. The Resident’s pay for their
own medications and Kolora pay for them to be packed.
The Resident may choose to organise their own medication, but the Manager in
consultation with the Doctor reserves the right to take over this responsibility
when it is assessed that the resident can no longer safely self administer his/her
own medication or the resident requests assistance.
Social & Hospital Leave:
Residents are entitled to 52 days social leave in any one financial year. Hospital
leave is unrestricted, but residents will be reassessed for care needs on return
to the hostel after 30 days of consecutive hospital leave.
Records:
It is necessary to keep Resident’s Records to meet Commonwealth Government
requirements and to provide optimum service. All collected information is
regarded as confidential. This is in accordance with NSW Health Records and
Information Privacy Act 2002.
Privacy:
The Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 requires organisations to
clearly indicate the information gathered, and the use of that information to all
residents of Kolora Hostel. This organisation will collect from each resident,
particular personal information as detailed in the Resident Agreement. A
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resident may obtain access to the information we hold about them at any time.
We will also seek your consent to disclose relevant information to professional
persons or authorities.
Kolora Hostel will not:
Use personal information of the Resident other than for a purpose
connected with care and services to be provided to the Resident or for the
purpose for which the information was provided;
Disclose the information to any other person other than for a purpose
connected to the Resident's care by Kolora Hostel or by another provider
approved under the Aged Care Act 1997; and
Kolora Hostel will implement reasonable security safeguards to protect the
information against loss or misuse.
The Resident will need to authorise Kolora Hostel to provide such information as
may be required by any other person in accordance with statutory
requirements.
Nail Care:
Residents may choose to use the services of a private podiatrist or Kolora’s
contracted podiatrist, at their own cost if low care.
When nails become inappropriate for staff to manage, (this could be due to
health reasons or ill formed and/or in-grown nails) residents need to have them
attended to by a podiatrist.
It is advised that Diabetics attend a Podiatrist every 4 – 6 weeks.
Allied Health:
Doctor & Massage; are available in Guyra.
Doctor, Dentist, Specialist, Optometrist, Audiologist, Podiatry, Massage; are
available in Armidale.
These are the cost of the resident; some services may be covered by Medicare.
On request some services will visit Kolora. All services require an appointment
and/or a referral from your family doctor.
Residents and/or their family are responsible for arranging all transport required
for medical and personal reasons.
A Physiotherapist attends Kolora every month at Kolora’s expense, which is in a
consultative role for the Residents & Staff. A Physiotherapy Plan is then devised
for Residents who require same. Residents do not have to use this service.
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Specified Care and Services for Residential Care Services
As per the Legislation set out in The Residential Care Manual
Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing
Hotel Services – to be provided for all residents who need them:
Service
Content
Administration
General operation of the residential care service,
including resident documentation.
Maintenance of
Adequately maintained buildings and grounds.
buildings and grounds
Accommodation
Utilities such as electricity and water.
Furnishings
Bed-side lockers, chairs with arms, containers for
personal laundry, dining, lounge and recreational
furnishings, draw-screens (for shared rooms), resident
wardrobe space, and towel rails.
Bedding
Beds and mattresses, bed linen, blankets, and
absorbent or waterproof sheeting.
Cleaning services,
goods and facilities
Cleanliness and tidiness of the entire residential care
service.
Waste disposal
Safe disposal of organic and inorganic waste material.
General laundry
Heavy laundry facilities and services, and personal
laundry services, including laundering of clothing that
can be machine washed.
Excludes cleaning of clothing requiring dry cleaning or
another special cleaning process, and personal laundry
if a resident chooses and is able to do this himself or
herself.
Toiletry goods
Bath towels, face washers, soap, and toilet paper.
Meals and
refreshments
a) Meals of adequate variety, quality and quantity for
each resident, served each day at times generally
acceptable to both residents and management, and
generally consisting of 3 meals per day plus morning
tea, afternoon tea and supper.
b) Special dietary requirements, having regard to either
medical need or religious or cultural observance.
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c) Food, including fruit of adequate variety, quality and
quantity, and non-alcoholic beverages, including fruit
juice.
Resident social
activities
Programs to encourage residents to take part in social
activities that promote and protect their dignity, and to
take part in community life outside the residential care
service.
Emergency assistance At least 1 responsible person is continuously on call and
in reasonable proximity to render emergency assistance
Care and Services – to be provided for all residents who need them:
Care or Service
Content
Daily living activities
assistance
Personal assistance, including individual attention,
individual supervision, and physical assistance, with:
a) Bathing, showering, personal hygiene and grooming.
b) Maintaining continence or managing incontinence,
and using aids and appliances designed to assist
continence management.
c) Eating and eating aids, and using eating utensils and
eating aids (including actual feeding if necessary).
d) Dressing, undressing, and using dressing aids.
e) Moving, walking, wheelchair use, and using devices
and appliances designed to aid mobility, including the
fitting of artificial limbs and other personal mobility
aids.
f) Communication, including to address difficulties
arising from impaired hearing, sight or speech, or
lack of common language (including fitting sensory
communication aids), and checking hearing aid
batteries and cleaning spectacles.
Excludes hairdressing.
Meals and
refreshments
Special diet not normally provided.
Emotional support
Emotional support to, and supervision of, residents.
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Treatments and
procedures
Treatments and procedures that are carried out
according to instructions of a health professional or a
person responsible for assessing resident’s personal
care needs, including supervision and physical
assistance with taking medications, and ordering and
reordering medication, subject to requirements of State
or Territory law.
Recreational therapy
Recreational activities suited to residents, participation
in the activities, and communal recreational equipment.
Rehabilitation support Individual therapy programs designed by health
professionals that are aimed at maintaining or restoring
a resident’s ability to perform daily tasks for himself or
herself, or assisting residents to obtain access to such
programs.
Assistance in
obtaining health
practitioner services
Arrangements for aural, community health, dental,
medical, psychiatric and other health practitioners to
visit residents, whether the arrangements are made by
residents, relatives or other persons representing the
interests of residents, or are made direct with a health
practitioner.
Assistance in
obtaining access to
specialised therapy
services
Making arrangements for speech therapy, podiatry,
occupational or physiotherapy practitioners to visit
residents, whether the arrangements are made by
residents, relatives or other persons representing the
interests of residents.
Support for residents
with cognitive
impairment
Individual attention and support to residents with
cognitive impairment (e.g. dementia, and other
behavioural disorders), including individual therapy
activities and specific programs designed and carried
out to prevent or manage a particular condition or
behaviour and to enhance the quality of life and care
for such residents and ongoing support (including
specific encouragement) to motivate or enable such
residents to take part in general activities of the
residential care service.
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Care and services – to be provided for residents receiving a high level
of residential care:
Service
Content
Furnishings
Over-bed tables.
Bedding materials
Bed rails, incontinence sheets, restrainers, ripple
mattresses, sheepskins, tri-pillows, and water and air
mattresses appropriate to each resident’s condition.
Toiletry goods
Sanitary pads, tissues, toothpaste, denture cleaning
preparations, shampoo and conditioner, and talcum
powder.
Goods to assist
residents to move
themselves
Crutches, quadruped walkers, walking frames, walking
sticks, and wheelchairs.
Goods to assist staff
to move residents
Mechanical devices for lifting residents, stretchers, and
trolleys.
Goods to assist with
toileting and
incontinence
management
Absorbent aids, commode chairs, disposable bed pans
and urinal covers, disposable pads, over-toilet chairs,
shower chairs and urodomes, catheter and urinary
drainage appliances, and disposable enemas.
Basic medical and
pharmaceutical
supplies and
equipment
Analgesia, anti-nausea agents, bandages, creams,
dressings, laxatives and aperients, mouthwashes,
ointments, saline, skin emollients, swabs, and urinary
alkalising agents.
Excludes motorised wheelchairs and custom made aids
Excludes goods prescribed by a health practitioner for a
particular resident and used only by the resident.
Nursing services
Initial and on-going assessment, planning and
management of care for residents, carried out by a
registered nurse.
Nursing services carried out by a registered nurse, or
other professional appropriate to the service (e.g.
medical practitioner, stoma therapist, speech
pathologist, physiotherapist or qualified practitioner
from a palliative care team).
Services may include, but are not limited to, the
following:
a) Establishment and supervision of a complex pain
management or palliative care program, including
monitoring and managing any side effects.
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b) Insertion, care and maintenance of tubes, including
intravenous and naso-gastric tubes.
c) Establishing and reviewing a catheter care program,
including the insertion, removal and replacement of
catheters.
d) Establishing and reviewing a stoma care program.
e) Complex wound management.
f) Insertion of suppositories.
g) Risk management procedures relating to acute or
chronic infectious conditions.
h) Special feeding for care recipients with dysphagia
(difficulty with swallowing).
i) Suctioning of airways.
j) Tracheostomy care.
k) Enema administration.
l) Oxygen therapy requiring ongoing supervision
because of a care recipient’s variable need.
m) Dialysis treatment.
Medications
Medications subject to requirements of State or
Territory law.
Therapy services,
such as, recreational,
speech therapy,
podiatry,
occupational, and
physiotherapy
services
a) maintenance therapy delivered by health
professionals, or care staff as directed by health
professionals, designed to maintain residents’ levels
of independence in activities of daily living.
b) More intensive therapy delivered by health
professionals, or care staff as directed by health
professionals, on a temporary basis that is designed
to allow residents to reach a level of independence
at which maintenance therapy will meet their needs.
Excludes intensive, long-term rehabilitation services
required following, for example, serious illness or injury,
surgery or trauma.
Oxygen and oxygen
equipment
Oxygen and oxygen equipment needed on a short-term,
episodic or emergency basis.
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Comments, Suggestions & Complaints
Resident’s Complaints Mechanism
An Opportunity
The Management of Kolora regards suggestions and complaints as an
opportunity to improve Kolora’s service to you and to others. Comments and
Complaints are welcome and assist us to make improvements to the care and
other services we provide. There are definitely no reprisals if you share a
concern, suggestion or make a complaint to help us to improve our approach.
1. TALK ABOUT IT
You are encouraged to discuss your concern with the Manager or at the
Residents’ meeting. Your complaint will be followed up promptly and feedback
given to you as soon as possible.
2. COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS BOX
Write a note about your complaint, comment, suggestion or query and put it in
the Comments and Complaints box in the foyer. You can be assured that issues
raised will be followed up. You will be given personal feedback if you write your
name. Otherwise, depending on the issue, feedback will be provided in the
newsletter or through resident meetings.
3. FORMALISING YOUR COMPLAINT
If your problem has not been resolved after using the above methods or if you
feel as though the issues are complex, you are welcome to contact Guyra
Shire’s General Manager who will investigate the matter and give you feedback.
Phone: 6770 7100; Address: 158 Bradley Street, Guyra NSW 2365.
4. ASK FOR AN ADVOCATE
You can ask for an advocate to support you. An advocate is someone who
stands beside you and works on your behalf and at you direction in a way that
represents your expressed wishes. They will always seek your permission before
taking action.
You can call the National Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600 or go to
health.gov.au/agedcareadvocacy for the details on the advocacy agency in your
state or territory.
{Advocacy is free, confidential and independent}
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5. EXTERNAL AGENCIES
If you are unable to resolve your concern within Kolora you can contact the
Aged Care Complaints Scheme.
Phone:
1800 550 552
Address:
Aged Care Complaints Scheme,
Department of Health & Ageing
GPO Box 9848
Sydney NSW 2000
Website:
agedcarecomplaints.govspace.gov.au.
You should be able to voice your concerns, particularly in your own home.
Aged care services should provide an environment where you feel safe and
supported to raise a concern. However, you may feel uncomfortable about
raising a concern; you may not want to ‘rock the boat’, or ‘be seen as a troublemaker’.
If you want to raise your concern with the Aged Care Complaints Scheme, it is
best to submit you complaint openly; that is, provide your name and contact
details. However, you have the right to complain anonymously or confidentially
if you wish.
If you remain confidential:
 The Aged Care Complaints Scheme will know your identity and contact
details.
 The Aged Care Complaints Scheme will not pass your information on to
Kolora without your consent (there are some circumstances when this
may happen, they will talk to you about this).
 You will be kept informed about the progress of your complaint.
 You will be able to provide more information if required.
 You will have review rights.
If you remain anonymous:
 The Aged Care Complaints Scheme will not know your identity.
 Kolora will not know your identity.
 The Aged Care Complaints Scheme will not be able to keep you informed
about the complaint’s progress.
 You will not be able to provide more information.
 You will not have review rights.
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Emergency Procedures
Kolora Hostel has a fire alarm system and numerous fire extinguishers. In
accordance with Fire Regulations each section of Kolora Hostel has an
Evacuation Plan which is positioned on the wall.
If the smoke detectors are activated the fire brigade is automatically alerted
and will respond. Each room has a door closure which automatically closes
when the alarm is sounded.
Usually the first warning that you would get of a possible fire is the continuous
audible sound of the Fire Alarm.
It is the responsibility of the staff on duty to evacuate residents and direct them
to the safest area of assembly.
Staff attend Fire In-services twice yearly and are trained to evacuate Residents
in the case of emergencies.
Kolora’s Fire Protection Equipment is maintained and serviced every month by
Armidale Fire & Safety.
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Evacuation Plan
ACTION IN THE EVENT OF
FIRE
IF YOU SEE FIRE OR SMOKE
DO NOT PANIC OR SHOUT
R EMOVE
ALL NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL
FROM IMMEDIATE DANGER
A LERT FIRE BRIGADE
OR SWITCHBOARD
AND NEARBY STAFF
C ONFINE FIRE & SMOKE
IF PRACTICABLE –
CLOSE WINDOWS & DOORS
E XTINGUISH
OR CONTROL FIRE –
BUT DO NOT TAKE UNNECESSARY RISKS
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We hope you will find this information helpful and useful. If you have any
further queries or wish to discuss any points mentioned in this handbook
please do not hesitate to speak to the Manager.
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Kolora Hostel
Caring for the Aged and Disabled