Better Practice in Aged Care Award for Aldersgate
Aldersgate Aged Care Facility in Felixstow has received a Better Practice in Aged Care award in recognition of its leading-edge art therapy program.
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10 December 2010
Aldersgate Aged Care Facility in Felixstow has received a Better Practice in Aged Care award in recognition of its leading-edge art therapy program.
Congratulating the aged care home during a visit today, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler said the award recognised better practice in aged care.
“The award, from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency, promotes high quality care and encourages the industry to improve service quality,” he said.
“Aldersgate Aged Care Facility has received the award for its art therapy program, which has received both Australian and international recognition.
“Art therapy is a therapeutic process which improves the lives of people with dementia by providing a medium for communication and individual expression through artwork.
“Not only can it stimulate imagination and creativity and help with the expression of feelings that are difficult or impossible to discuss, it can help change the perception that people with dementia are solely defined by their condition.”
Aldersgate introduced the program in 2005 under the direction of art therapist Katherine Tumes. Since then, the program has received international recognition with Ms Tumes being invited to address a conference in Canada and to exhibit residents’ artwork at an associated art exhibition.
Mr Butler congratulated UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide, operators of Aldersgate, and the management and staff of the facility for the support they have provided for the program.
“The Gillard Labor Government is pleased to encourage programs such as this one which improve the quality of care for aged Australians,” he said.
“They complement the work the Labor Government is undertaking to provide a cutting-edge health and aged care system through our new National Health and Hospitals Network (NHHN).
“Under the NHHN the Australian Government will take full policy and funding responsibility for aged care, and become the sole funder of a nationally unified aged care system covering basic home care through to nursing homes.”
For more information, please contact Mr Butler’s office on 02 6277 7280
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