The UCH story – 1949 - 2009

The UCH story – 1949 - 2009

Celebrating

The UCH story 1949 – 2009

4 UCH Committed to caring since 1949 5

Message from Lindsay WolfeContents

Celebrating 60 years of caring

The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

I am extremely privileged to be associated with Uniting Church Homes during the year we celebrate 60 years of providing quality aged care across the state of Western Australia.

From a small beginning in 1949, the range of services and the number of people connected with UCH has increased significantly. Today over 1,300 staff provide care and support to more than 3,500 people residing in our facilities and also in their own homes. A small acorn has become a living and growing oak tree.

In providing this care, we are always conscious of our mission statement to journey in a Christian environment with people who require care and support services. Our core values of welcome, respect, compassion and hope are central to who we are and what we do. We are extremely proud of the contribution of our staff in ensuring that our vision of providing a good life to all our people continues to be maintained.

While our efforts during the past 60 years are the

focus for our celebrations during 2009, it is clear that

the demographics of the Australian population will

result in an almost rampant acceleration of demand

for aged care over the next 20 years, particularly for

care in private homes. The work to meet this demand

by UCH is already well advanced and plans to expand

our services are central to our strategic planning. In

undertaking this expansion of services to the aged

population, our commitment of providing quality care to

our new residents and clients will remain a top priority.

The Board and staff of UCH are committed to the

future but all of us will enjoy celebrating 60 years of

achievement this year. It is a track record of which all

those associated with UCH during this period can be

extremely proud.

Lindsay Wolfe, Chair, Uniting Church Homes

October 2009.

Message from Lindsay Wolfe


Recognising UCH’s roots

The first UCH site

UCH – caring for West Australians since 1949

A team of dedicated staff

Importance of volunteers to UCH

Celebrating 60 years… and acknowledging the

people who have supported us on our journey

Aged care today

Looking to the future

Message from Vaughan Harding

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6 UCH Committed to caring since 1949 7Celebrating 60 years of caring

The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009


The history of what is today Uniting Church Homes is as unique as it is interesting.

In 1949 Hardey Lodge was opened in Mount Lawley.

This was described as a ‘home for aged women’ and

had been converted from a property originally provided

by Miss Sarah Hardey, which first opened its doors as

a home for ‘wayward women’ in the early 1900s.

This, in effect, was the very first UCH aged care facility

and the first era for what would become UCH. It was

a time when both church-wide and individual parish

activity responded to the needs of the community –

and in effect paved the way for aged care.

So, when the Uniting Church in Australia was formed

in 1977, the new organisation inherited the aged

care activity which had been developed in numerous

separate operations. Each operation had its own

volunteer management committee and, to complicate

things further, each appointed their own administrator

or director of nursing – and some even had both.

To better manage and oversee the aged care activity

which was already up and running, the church created

an Aged Persons Homes Board. This was resourced

with an executive director and an assistant. However,

those early days remained challenging in terms of

planning, systems, communication, and also the

streamlining of many different services.

During the 1980s, the Federal government started to look

ahead to the needs of the Australian community and the

ageing population, and found that the range of service

models and the formal structures needed to change.

Soon after, it became increasingly difficult for small

‘stand alone’ facilities to keep pace with the changes to

rules and regulations laid down by government.

As a result, towards the end of the 1980’s the Uniting

Church came to a view that its structure was no

longer appropriate to meet the changing needs of the

community and the emerging regulatory framework.

At the meeting of the Uniting Church WA Synod in

1992, it was resolved that the 10 separate operations

would become one, and that the name of the

consolidated agency would be Uniting Church Homes.

The new entity would have one board which was

accountable to the church, through the Synod, and that

board would appoint a chief executive.

Fast-forward to December 1999 and Uniting Church

Homes became a body corporate. This final incarnation

effectively means that UCH has undergone three eras

since the days of Hardey Lodge: the era before union,

the period after union when there were the district

operations, and the time post 1992, when Uniting

Church Homes was formed.

Today, 60 years after Hardey Lodge opened its doors,

UCH is one of Perth’s largest aged care service

providers. However, our organisation remains a

charitable organisation and one that continues to

deliver high quality services in residential facilities and

in peoples’ homes across the state.

We look forward to the next 60 years and remain as

committed as ever to serving the West Australian

community and, with the assistance of our dedicated

staff and volunteers, to enabling individuals to maintain

full and independent lives.


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

The UCH story initially began within the Methodist Church.

The three denominations which formed the Uniting Church in Australia during 1977 were the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. And research tells us that each had a long history of initiatives, taken at local and state levels, in providing care for aged people.

Hardey Lodge, which was opened in 1949, in addition to Rowethorpe – the largest of the present UCH facilities – which was opened in 1961, and also Subiaco Memorial Hospital which opened it’s doors in 1965, were the first facilities to be initiated by the Methodist Church.

And in 1943, the Presbyterian Assembly opened a fund for the establishment of homes for the aged. Each year the Assembly reported on the funds which had been accumulated, as well as the number of properties inspected.

As a result, in May 1952 the first property was purchased and was officially dedicated to caring for older people later that year. This property was to be known as Braemar and, at the time of church union, the facility remained under the operation of the Continuing Presbyterian Church.

Furthermore Bethshan in Katanning and St David’s in Mount Lawley both opened in 1955 as Presbyterian sites and became facilities of the Uniting Church. For many years the people of the Katanning district had felt the need to establish a home for the elderly and the Silver Chain Committee had organised many fundraisers for the purpose. However, they continued to need more public support.

Eventually the Rev Jack Hutchinson called a public meeting on 26 August 1954 where this matter was thoroughly discussed. The Presbyterian Church of WA agreed to accept the sponsorship of the project and to be its guarantors. Consequently, by September 1955

a property had been purchased and was ready for occupation. It was officially opened on 14 October 1955.

Similarly, St David’s was purchased by the Presbyterian Church in 1955 at the instigation of ‘that progressive and indomitable James Guthrie Thrum’ and was subsequently converted to a home for aged people. The property was first built and occupied as a palatial home for a businessman, with servants and horse drawn carriages, prior to it becoming a maternity hospital some years later. However, alterations and renovations converted the property to a hostel with 26 beds which was opened on 17 December 1955.

In the early 1950s the Congregational Union also began to raise funds to provide a home for elderly people who needed a little supervision and no longer wished to live alone. In his autobiography the Rev John Bryant relates some of the stories of fundraising and the securing of an option on ‘a fine old home at East Fremantle’. During this time, it is recorded that

he personally approached well known people with

a connection to Congregationalism for substantial

donations. He also targeted the farming community.

As a result, Pilgrim House was opened (free of debt

we are told) on 6 October 1956.

Subsequently, Pilgrim House was the prelude to the

creation of Elimatta – ‘a colony for senior citizens’. The

first sod was turned in the creation of Elimatta in 1963.

The rest, as they say, is history. Archive material

records that, as needs were identified and funds made

available, different types of facilities were developed

by each of the denominations. As a result these

various initiatives form the basis for the variety of care

now provided by UCH.

Recognising UCH’s roots


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

Hardey Lodge – A home for aged ladiesWith redecoration and refurbishment, twelve aged women were able to move into Hardey lodge in 1949. This was reported to be:

“A most comfortable home... Matron Rickards saw that they were well fed and well cared for and the contributions of the residents met the cost of the upkeep of the Home.”

In 1950, Sister Florence (a Sister of the People associated with the Central Methodist Mission) wrote the following about Hardey Lodge:

“One aspect of Mission work which is ever present and ever urgent is that of old age with its pitiable helplessness and dependence. This problem, in post war years, has become considerably aggravated by the lack of accommodation which is everywhere badly felt.”

“So 12 months ago, Hardey Lodge was opened and put at the disposal of old ladies who were most in need of it, and a very good purpose it is serving too. But, as the number that can be accommodated there is very limited, it stands to reason that the situation is still very acute and pressing... this is a dreadful thing and one that concerns the Mission greatly. Some of these old ladies are in a desperate plight and when we remember that some of them must surely have been pioneers when the country was a lot younger, we should experience no lack of sympathy or desire to help.”

Good news followed however, in the early 1950s. The Rev. Ralph Sutton, who succeeded Mr Green as Superintendent in 1953, felt as committed to aged care as his predecessor. With meticulous care, Hardey Lodge was further extended to provide accommodation for 41 residents under his stewardship.

The new Hardey Lodge, with its hospital annexe, set a new standard in small homes for the aged in Western Australia, and the residents were able to live in what was termed ‘a warm, natural and normal atmosphere’.

In the 1940s and due to the ravages of WW II, it became apparent that there was an urgent need in Perth and the surrounding area for accommodation for ageing women.

This great need was documented by the Rev. Joseph Green, Superintendent of the Central Methodist Mission, who wrote in May 1946:

“The most urgent need is a Home for aged women, and we are determined to establish such this year. Naturally the cost will be great and the purpose of our Mission anniversary is to bring before the notice of our people both the work we are doing and our plans for the future; the financial objective is at least 100 pounds towards the cost of establishing the Home for Aged Women.”

Whether Mr Green received his hundred pounds or not, we’re not told. However, three and a half years later Hardey Lodge was officially opened by Dr J S Battye, State Librarian and noted historian. The date was 17 November 1949.

Origins of Hardey LodgeIn 1917 Miss Sarah Hardey donated to the Methodist Church a house in Mt Lawley which was first used for girls in difficulty.

Research revealed that Sarah Hardey was the fifth of Joseph Hardey’s six daughters, and was born on 2 August 1837. Joseph had arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1830 with his brother John and their wives. They sailed into Perth aboard The Tranby and came prepared to set up a farming enterprise. Initially the Hardey brothers were granted land on the Maylands Peninsula where Tranby House now stands.

Little is known of Sarah Hardey, other than that she devoted herself to the life of the church. In 1908 she helped to establish Methodist Ladies College and then the home for girls which was to become known as Hardey Lodge.

The first UCH site


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

November 1949

Opening of Hardey

Lodge

14 October

1955 Opening of Bethshan

17 December

1955Opening of St David’s

16 October

1956 Opening of Pilgrim

14 October

1961 Opening of Rowethorpe

27 November

1965 Opening

of Subiaco Memorial Hospital

April 1968

Opening of Elimatta

(which began in 1963)

9 October

1971 Opening

of Chrystal Halliday

21 September

1975 Opening of

Fraser House

March 1976

Opening of Euroka

May 1976 Opening of Mayflower

16 May 1982

Opening of Riverslea

3 December

1983 Opening

of Chyrstal Gardens

4 October

1986 Opening of

Hillcrest

16 November

1986 Opening of Bethavon

1 May 1993

Opening of RoseMount

29 June 1996

Opening of John Bryant

28 January

1999 Opening of St Andrew’s

23 November

2000 Opening of

Ella Williams

29 November

2001 Opening of Sarah Hardey

26 August 2005

Acquisition of The

Residency

UCH – caring for West Australians since 1949

Nursing Home name change is celebratedOn the 159th anniversary of the birth of Sarah Hardey,

staff and residents of Hardey Lodge gathered to

celebrate her life and work, and to launch the new

name of the nursing home. The home was re-named

Sarah Hardey Nursing Home. According to UCH’s

newsletter on 21 August 1996:

“The staff were elegantly attired in the period

costumes of Sarah Hardey’s day and, following a brief

formal gathering, they waited upon their residents and

invited guests, serving tea and coffee and a wonderful

assortment of tasty sandwiches, cakes and slices.

“The Director of Nursing, Marcelle Meyer spoke at

the launch event, and students from Wesley College

entertained the gathering with music on the oboe,

trumpet, violin and piano.”

The extended facility was officially opened by the Governor, Sir Charles Gairdner, on 17 October 1959, in the presence of nearly 2,000 people.

In the years that followed, Hardey Lodge became known as Sarah Hardey Lodge and continued to provide care for elderly people, under the management of the Central Methodist Mission and then Uniting Church Homes, until it was closed in 2001.

Happily however, Sarah Hardey’s name and fine reputation was transferred to the newly opened Sarah Hardey House in Kelmscott, which was opened in the same year – on Thursday 28 November. The 64 place residential care facility continues to provide both high and low-band care services as well as “a most comfortable home.”

Today, Rev Joseph Green’s vision and his work continues in providing the very best care for dozens of elderly ladies – and now gentleman – in Perth, under the banner of Uniting Church Homes.


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

Throughout our history, UCH has always prided itself on our ability to focus on the individual person and to provide the necessary support to ensure the right care needs are met.

The reason why our care services have become known for quality and excellence is because of our staff, who go out of their way and far beyond what is a normal paid role to support the people for whom we care, as well as their families.

The one most important factor that differentiates the aged care sector from other careers is that it offers meaningful and rewarding work which presents countless personal rewards. Certainly, the staff working at UCH are making a real difference to people’s lives, which is why, despite the labour shortage we have seen over the last decade, a large number of people have remained working with us for many years.

Over a 12 month period, it is common for us to receive many hundreds of letters, notes and responses from people who have been very grateful for the care their loved one has received. As the reproduced note on the previous page demonstrates, the overall message from relatives, carers and friends is that our staff are passionate about what they do and are totally committed to the people for whom they care.

There is no doubt that UCH’s committed staff take their roles to be far more than just a paid job. It’s a calling for them, that’s why our staff are exceptional.

A team of dedicated staff

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UCH Committed to caring since 1949 17Celebrating 60 years of caring

The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

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By examining the way in which aged care is funded, there is little doubt that all the needs of a person are not readily met within paid resources.

This means that some of those valuable, holistic things – the quality time spent with a person, supporting them to connect with their community and offering transport for an outing – are often undertaken by UCH’s incredible band of volunteers.

The truth is there are hundreds of resident and client activities which are undertaken every week by our volunteers, who help beyond measure to strengthen and support the services we offer. They enhance the lives of the people we care for, and there is no doubt that our organisation would not be held in such high regard, or be able to respond to individual needs in the way that we do, if it wasn’t for these unsung heroes of the community.

Many of our volunteers have been with us for many years. And indeed UCH has evolved into the organisation it is today as a result of the voluntary assistance it has received over the past 60 years.

When UCH looks to the future, we can’t see a time when volunteers will not be essential to sustain our services. These wonderful individuals continue to provide a vital service to the people for whom we care, and also in helping connect and maintain a healthy community.

Their contribution adds value to the life of individual people and to the life of our organisation and we are very appreciative.

Importance of volunteers to UCH

“Sincere appreciation and thanks to the very

caring and compassionate staff at Uniting

Community Care….who assisted Nina for

over a decade to live, as she wanted, for

as long as possible in her own home in

Victoria Park.”

Relative of Riverslea resident


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

UCH used the first of many celebrations during its 60th anniversary year to honour 60 individuals for their dedication to UCH, and to those for whom we care.

The anniversary event was held on Wednesday

24 June 2009 and paid tribute to the many West

Australians who have contributed to the success of

the organisation over the last six decades.

Chief Executive Vaughan Harding said in his speech

that the organisation’s milestone provided an important

opportunity to recognise the exceptional commitment

made by many West Australians who had contributed

to the lives of older people as a result of their

involvement with UCH.

“This, our 60th anniversary event, acknowledges

60 of the quiet achievers in the community,” Mr

Harding said.

“These are just a small number of the hundreds of

individuals who have spent many years of their life

making a real and very positive difference to the lives

of older people throughout our state, through their

involvement with UCH.

“We have come a long way and we are delighted to

have the opportunity to thank some of those involved

in the journey for their commitment to our organisation

and the people in our care.”

Chris Bibrlik

Dr John Blackwell

Ray Chadwick

Jim Cook

Bev Cordier

Pauline Crosby

Wendy Cunningham

Morva Davey

Betty Dickson

The late Ben Driscoll

Frank Fairclough

Betty Fairclough

Elaine Fairclough

Helen Flux

Brian Gates

Joy George

Brian Gluestein

Beryl Grant

Marilyn Hodgkins

Anne Hollis

Dorothy Kirk

Bea Lavery

Cheryl Lipari

Robyn Lloyd

Norm Lushey

Joy MacDonald

Michelle Madden

Helen McMillan

Marcelle Meyer

Keith Middleton

John Milne

Maxine Milne

David Parker

Deb Patterson

Grace Piercy

Barry Preece

Ros Price

Roy Pryor

Rev Les Renshaw

Lynne Reynolds

Lynne Robinson

Jess Russ

Di Russell-Taylor

Noel Ryan

Revd Dr John Smith

Maxine Smith

Henrietta Snowball

Tom Styles

Linda Torricella

Marj Tunstead

May Wancer

Gwen Wealand

Bill Wealand

Neryl Webb

Jan Wennekes

Thelma Wheatley

Dr Chris Whitaker

Shirley Whyte

Rev. Ken Williams

George Wittensleger

Celebrating 60 years… and acknowledging the people who have supported us on our journey

The 60 people who were given special recognition during our 60th year, were:


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

In the early days UCH was focused on residential services, which included nursing homes, hostels and independent living units. At that time, the need for community care or other support models like respite care had not been identified.

Today, UCH is far more focused on care in people’s homes, in fact that is where the major expansion in our services is occurring. That’s because society now recognises that increasing numbers of older Australians want to stay at home as they age and remain living in their community.

In addition, we are continuing to explore other models to continuously improve our services. For example, the more community care we provide, the more respite services we need to create. This is because we know very well that carers need a break from their caring responsibilities in order to sustain them.

So, it is clear that our focus has fundamentally changed since Hardey Lodge was founded in 1949.

The demographic group that we are focusing on at

the present time is the baby boomer cohort – the

people born between 1946 and 1964.

One of the challenging issues of the current time

is that it is very difficult to understand what this

generation will require in terms of aged care. This is

because, as a group, research shows that they are

essentially in denial about getting older, even though

most are on the brink of retirement, if indeed they

haven’t done so already.

However, what we do know about the baby boomer

demographic is that a great deal of how we have

operated previously won’t meet their aspirations or

their needs. Research shows that institutional, i.e.

residential care, is something this group of people

would only consider if absolutely necessary. This

of course has implications for a great deal of our

infrastructure, which will not be viewed as attractive

by the next generation.

It is for this reason that our current focus is on housing with universal design principals which do not bear any resemblance to institutional care. We know that this living environment will be more acceptable to the baby boomers. The work we are undertaking at many of our sites, including Rowethorpe in Bentley, is focused on creating more sustainable, self supporting communities where people can live independently for as long as possible.

Essentially, the current focus of service provision at UCH is on bridging the yawning gap between the past and the future, where we maintain quality services to our current residents and clients.

A snapshot of UCH’s current careIn 2009, UCH provides services to over 3,500 people, employs more than 1300 staff and receives support from 450 volunteers. The organisation offers aged care and support services in the Perth metropolitan region, as well as Katanning, Geraldton and Northam, in the following areas:

Community Care – including Community Aged ›Care Packages (CACPs), Extended Aged Care in Homes (EACH), Therapy Services and Home and Community Care (HACC) services.

Residential Care – Dementia specific, high care, low ›care and respite care.

Care Awaiting Placement ›

Independent living and serviced units, across Perth ›and in Northam

Aged care today


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

The reality for UCH is that our sector, like most industry groups, is tied to the wealth of the community and the direction in which the economy is heading.

As most people would know, the majority of our funding comes from Government, which in turn comes from taxes and other income streams, both of which are also related to economic growth.

Similarly, because of the way aged care is funded, the worth of the family home and a person’s ability to sell their property or release the investment in it is again an issue tied to our economy. Consequently a strong economic environment is an important factor for UCH’s future.

In many ways, our future will also hedge around what we discover, probably at the eleventh hour, about the requirements of the baby boomer demographic. Just as the baby boomers have shaped the consumer revolution in our western economies, this group will also shape and re-shape the service models that UCH will offer in the future.

We know that this demographic enjoy listening to

music from the 1960s, we also know the nature of the

food they enjoy and the environments in which they

like to live. But when it comes to what they want to

see and hear and relate to in terms of their aged care

requirements, what is currently on offer will need to be

re-worked.

UCH is very aware that, as a sector, we have quite a

challenging future and we have much to learn. Although

2009 has been a year in which we have celebrated our

achievements to date, it certainly hasn’t been a time to

rest on our laurels.

Certainly the coming years will be challenging

for government as they juggle the demands and

associated costs of the baby boomer generation and

in the process, ensure they do not bankrupt future

generations to meet the aspirations of this group as it

moves though the aged care system.

Looking to the future

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My mother moved to Riverslea in April

2007 and has just moved to care awaiting

placement as she now needs nursing home

care. I wanted to let you know what a

wonderful, caring hostel Riverslea has been.

I won’t name the staff because I might

overlook someone but would like to thank all

of them for the excellent care and regard they

have shown for my mother and for myself.

My first experience of aged care has been

very positive.

Relative of Riverslea resident


The UCH sto

ry 1949 - 2009

It has been my good fortune to serve as the Chief Executive for Uniting Church Homes for the last 20 years, during which time I have seen lots of change, both within the aged care sector and our organisation’s parent body Uniting Church.

I strongly believe that the move the church initiated over 20 years ago – when it brought all of the church–run aged care facilities under one organisation – was one of the best things it could have done. Certainly, the move has held us in good stead and enabled us to survive challenging times.

One of the things I am most proud of however is that UCH has never forgotten its roots. Yes, we have grown to become a large organisation, but we have remained true to our status as a church agency and a charity. We also closely follow our not-for-profit mandate, so we continue to work in areas where the work is difficult and often financially

challenging. Today, as with 60 years ago, we continue to target people who do not have choices, and this is something I am particularly pleased about.

Indeed, as we reflect upon our 60 year history and as we look to the years to come, I believe UCH will continue to renew and reinvent itself. We will remain flexible and we will respond to the different needs of the community regardless of the constraints that we will face.

As an organisation, we look forward to our future – probably with a different brand and in a somewhat different form – but the line of inheritance will be clear. UCH remains committed to caring in the Western Australian community for many future decades and generations to come.

Vaughan Harding, Chief ExecutiveOctober 2009

Message from Vaughan Harding

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313 Main Street, Balcatta WA 6021Telephone: (08) 9240 0313 Facsimile: (08) 9240 0329

Email: [email protected] Web: www.uchwa.com

UCH: A community benefit organisation and part of the Australia-wide network.

Documents

The UCH story – 1949 - 2009