There’s nothing like a healthy home cooked meal and AnglicareSA’s Community Aged Care team is learning how to deliver just that through a new series of information sessions for care workers.

Developed and presented by AnglicareSA Executive Chef Andrew McIntyre, the six-person sessions to be attended by all care workers in the coming months are based on feedback from customers on what they like to eat and what meals they want the team to be able to prepare for them as part of their service.

Topics covered in the sessions held in the classroom and the kitchen are:

• Basics of nutrition and meal planning
• Culinary techniques for home cooks
• Specialised diets and allergies
• Time management and batch cooking
• Practical cookery presentation

“Upon completing the Home Care Cookery sessions, our care workers will have gained valuable culinary skills and knowledge to provide nutritious and personalised meals for their customers,” Andrew said.

“This workshop content will upskill our home care workers, allowing them to improve the wellbeing of those in their care through the preparation of freshly cooked and satisfying meals.”

Recipes including beef casserole, vegetable soup, and scrambled eggs with bacon and mushrooms are given to participants as part of the course along with information on nutrition.

Home care worker Brenda was among one of the first groups to take part in the information sessions and said she found the presentation informative.

“First of all, I didn’t know how to cook mushrooms and now I do,” Brenda said. “It was great having the chef explain the benefits of different cooking processes and techniques and knowing when something is working or not working.

“Every customer has different dietary needs, so as care workers it is good for us to have this extra knowledge about nutrition and what additional ingredients are needed in a dish.”

The development of Home Care Cookery sessions followed the reintroduction of AnglicareSA’s Community Aged Care Customer Advisory structure in 2023 which included customer experience phone surveys.

A total of seven separate focus groups attended by customers also met throughout the year with topics covered including staff training and skills development, cooking and meal planning, customer journey, workforce optimisation, and staff recruitment and retention.

The Customer Advisory Body will continue to meet throughout 2024.

From the moment you enter the home of AnglicareSA home care customer Antonia, you are welcomed with open arms and treated like family.

On this particular day however, Antonia was even more thrilled to throw open her front door as it was a visit from her favourite AnglicareSA volunteer, Cielo.

Antonia, who moved to Australia from Malta 72 years ago, and Cielo, who has been in Australia for four years since relocating from Colombia, formed an instantaneous bond and connection through culture and caring for others.

“I love her,” Antonia beams with pride sitting around the table in the home she and her late husband built.

“She is like family to me and when she visits me, I feel alive and we just talk – I really appreciate what she is doing for me.

“She isn’t here as a carer. It means a lot to me that she comes and we spend time together.”

Cielo sought out volunteering opportunities after arriving in Australia as a way to help her forge her new life in a new country and community.

Initially filling roles in administration, she knew she had so much more to offer and asked if there was a way of visiting someone’s home to spend time with them.

“Coming to visit Antonia is just different,” Cielo said. “Every time is different. You learn a lot and you leave here with so much energy – just incredible.

“It’s about a connection and it does just as much for me as it does for Antonia, our bond helps us both.”

AnglicareSA volunteer coordinator Sadie Sandery also enjoys gathering at Antonia’s house with Cielo for a cup of tea and great conversation.

She said the social impact of volunteers complemented the services and care provided by the home care teams.

“It just speaks to the heart and core of all of AnglicareSA’s values what we stand for, and to be part of that is just incredible.”

For Antonia, who dedicated much of her life volunteering for various organisations, clubs, and associations in Adelaide, it’s simply nice to help people.

“It doesn’t matter what culture, where you come from, or what language you speak, we are all the same and there should be love and respect and we should be helping people.

“If you can help someone then just do it.” 

At AnglicareSA, we’re proud to have around 300 volunteers who give their time to support people in need. Volunteers are an integral part of our support services — their generosity and commitment enable us to deliver a broad range of services to the South Australian community.

You can Register Your Interest online here, or alternatively view our current volunteer opportunities here.

Every Thursday from 10am–2pm, you’ll find Don hanging out with his new friends at AnglicareSA’s Men’s Group.

Whether it’s a day at the beach, a game of bowling, an afternoon spent with each other, or an outing of their choice, Don doesn’t mind – he’s just happy to be a part of the group.  

“They’re a good bunch of people and I love going on outings with them,” Don said.

Don is new to the northern suburbs of Adelaide, having moved there from the Yorke Peninsula where he lived with his wife until her passing a few years ago.

Now living with his son, Don decided to join one of AnglicareSA’s northern social groups to make new friends in the community.  

Tash Burczyk, AnglicareSA Social Activities Coordinator, said the group had changed Don’s life for the better.

“His grief has lessened and he’s getting out of the house,” she said.  

“Being a part of the social group means that Don gets to interact with other men his age and build a life for himself outside of his family which also boosts his independence.”

In addition to the Men’s Group, Don also attends a Salt Therapy group run by AnglicareSA.  

Tash said the groups provided an opportunity for attendees to build stronger social connections with others.

“The groups give people who have been isolated and lonely the opportunity to thrive and make friends,” she said.

“Social wellbeing affects every area of our lives. When people are attending social groups, they’re walking, eating, staying hydrated, chatting with others, and stimulating their brains.

“It’s more than just a fun day out.”

All AnglicareSA social groups are available for people aged over 65 with a Home Care Package (HCP).

They are offered across metro Adelaide and cater to various interests including arts and crafts, gardening, cooking, sewing, and music.

For more information about the HCP, please visit our website.  

At AnglicareSA, we’re proud to have a team of hospitality workers who work tirelessly to prepare and cook nearly 2,000 fresh and appetising meals every day for the 600 residents across our six residential aged care sites.

Today on Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day, we celebrate the dedication and passion our hospitality team demonstrates every day.

One team member making a difference in the lives of our residents one meal at a time is Constance Amaechi.

Since joining the Westbourne Park hospitality team more than a year ago, Constance has completed her commercial cookery placement and has been cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

Cooking for older adults has always been a passion for Constance – a passion she hopes will lead her to one day becoming a Head Chef in residential aged care.

“I have always loved everything that has to do with cooking and food. I am in my happy place when I am in the kitchen,” Constance said.

“What attracted me to work here was the opportunity to immerse myself in hospitality and care for older people.

“To be able to give back and make a difference for older people using my love for food and my culinary skills has been rewarding.”

Every day, Constance and the other members of the Westbourne Park hospitality team prepare more than 250 meals for their 90 residents.

Constance said cooking in residential aged care is unlike cooking in a restaurant.

“Cooking in aged care is more focused – you might be catering for people who have a modified diet, requiring extensive changes or additions to a menu. In a restaurant, you might be cooking for a small number of people with a fixed menu that does not allow for variation.

“It is vital that our residents are getting what they need with every dish. Meals must be individualised to ensure that each resident’s meal has the correct texture and taste for them. We respect and cater to their different dietary preferences, requirements, and cultural needs.”

While the menu rotates frequently and dishes come and go, Constance said there was a standout meal that the residents can’t seem to get enough of.

“The residents love the crumbed lamb cutlet served with vegetables and potato bake and always request it.”

Constance said it showed that cooking in aged care was beyond just feeding people – what might seem like a simple meal also has the power to increase a resident’s food intake and enhance their quality of life.

Meet Bob. He’s a keen footy fan, an experienced scuba diver, and a retired banker.

While he jokes that if he gets any busier he will need a personal assistant, Bob volunteers his time every Thursday at our Grange residential aged care site running the Men’s Shed.

The Men’s Shed gives residents the opportunity to help craft items such as mosaics, birdhouses, and money boxes, or try their hand at painting.

“We will have brainstorming sessions where we all sit down and find little things that we can make that are within our skill sets,” Bob said. “It’s just a matter of having a go.”

Bob started the Men’s Shed four years ago as a way to spend time with his late father, who was a resident at the site.

“It started because I wanted to do something with my father. It was payback time, after everything my parents did for me, it was the least I could do.”

However, the group developed into more than just volunteering for Bob – it’s mateship – which is why he kept the group going, even after his father’s passing two years ago.

“It’s a sort of comradeship that we’ve developed over the years,” Bob said. “I feel as though having done it now for about four years, if I didn’t come, I’d be letting my mates down.”

Whether it’s a conversation about boats, a passionate discussion about footy or having a laugh, the group gives residents an opportunity to connect with others and make friends.

“Some days we sit there, and we hardly achieve anything but just talk. It’s something different for them and gets them out of their rooms.”

Bob might downplay his contribution to the health and wellbeing of the residents he calls mates, but the results are obvious.

Some residents experience health issues that can be challenging and isolating, but seeing Bob every week keeps them positive.

The playful jokes at each other’s expense, a good laugh, or just a simple ‘How are you going?’ are common themes in conversations with Bob, leaving residents with a smile that is palpable and infectious.

A firm believer in social connection and that learning from others can make a world of difference — Bob encourages everyone to give volunteering within aged care a go.

“I think it’s an opportunity to be involved with people, creating connections through activity that doesn’t cost me much other than a couple of hours once a week.

“If everyone in society showed a bit more interest in caring for other people the world would be a better place.”

At AnglicareSA, we’re proud to have around 300 volunteers who give their time to support people in need. Volunteers are an integral part of our support services — their generosity and commitment enable us to deliver a broad range of services to the South Australian community.

You can Register Your Interest online by clicking here, or alternatively view our current volunteer opportunities here.