Respect Celebrates Another Memorable Year

2024 proved a milestone year for Respect – proudly driven by the ongoing dedication and commitment shown by our team members to positively impact the lives of older Australians.

Here, we recognise just some of the many memorable highlights from across the year – across our aged care, home care and retirement living services – all thanks to our amazing staff and the communities we are so proud to support. 

January

The year kicked off memorably! Firstly, we officially welcomed Costa House in Lara, Victoria, after months of collaboration between Respect and previous owners genU. The following week, we announced two more Victorian homes in Moe and Sale – previously managed by Royal Freemasons – were joining our organisation. As part of the mergers, we asked each local community to help us rename the homes and, through a public vote, they chose Baw Baw Views and Wattleglen.

February

Our Respect Way lean leadership program provides our staff with the confidence, tools, and skills to improve the care we offer residents. And in early 2024 we were excited to expand Respect Way into our Victorian and New South Wales communities, meaning even more of our team could get involved and be inspired to drive operational change.

March 

Celebrated across our homes, Harmony Week gave us the opportunity to come together and acknowledge the cultural diversity and inclusion we are lucky (and proud) to enjoy across Respect and within our communities. We remain committed to promoting inclusivity within our organisation, and we know that by embracing – and celebrating – different cultures and backgrounds, we enrich our team’s collective knowledge and create a nurturing environment that benefits both our staff as well as residents and clients. 

April

Our support for older Australians through home care continued to grow, with Respect expanding its services into north-west Tasmania. The expansion enabled our team of dedicated care managers and home care assistants to bring Respect’s legacy of person-centred care to even more older Tasmanians across several local communities. In the coming months, through Respect’s merger with Lyndoch Living (see below), we were proud to also grow our home care support into southwest Victoria. 

May

Tongala Memorial opened its doors to the local community to celebrate its brand new, which included significant improvements across several of its wings, Memory Support Unit, and various communal spaces. Not only did the special morning tea commemorate the end of months of significant renovations but it gave our residents, staff and supporters an opportunity to recognise the positive impacts of the completed works, which were driven in part by community goodwill and support. 

June

We were excited to welcome Lyndoch Living to our family of aged care communities. Located in Warrnambool on Victoria’s south-west coast, Lyndoch Living comprises a 198-bed residential aged care home, retirement living units, and local home care services. When announcing the merger, our CEO Jason Binder said Lyndoch Living becoming part of Respect would ensure the longevity of the service’s support for local communities in south-west Victoria, which already exceeds several decades. 

July

Respect received a $7.6 million Government grant to redevelop Avonlea, our home in Nhill, Victoria. The ongoing, major project will progress into 2025 and will secure services and support for older people and their families across the surrounding communities for generations to come. When finished, it will increase Avonlea’s capacity and include modern rooms, additional rooms, new living, lounge, kitchen, dining and outdoor areas, gardens, and the installation of new furniture, equipment, and operational services.

August

Respect staff were recognised at the 2024 Tasmanian Palliative Care Awards. Suzette Long, a Personal Care Assistant at Peacehaven, was awarded the inaugural Ruth Andrews Memorial Award for Kindness, celebrating her dedication to compassionate care and the positive impact she has on her local community. Our team at Eliza Purton was also acknowledged as a finalist in the award category of ‘Outstanding team/service delivering palliative care’.

September

We partnered with fellow not-for-profit organisation, the Beacon Foundation, to give local Tasmanian students a first-hand glimpse into what a future career in aged care could like. Students from Ulverstone High School enjoyed the opportunity to tour our Coroneagh Park home in Penguin and hear directly from staff and members of our People and Culture team – to gain a better understanding of the range of roles that make up both an aged care home and national provider. 

October

Our Eliza Purton home turned 60 years old. To mark the milestone, our staff and residents, as well as guests from the community, united for a memorable morning tea. A chance to also hear from some of our leaders, including CEO Jason Binder, about the home’s history and connection with Respect’s own story, it was a fitting celebration to recognise the proud role Eliza Purton has played in the lives of so many across West Ulverstone and beyond

November

We completed our milestone redevelopment of St Ann’s in Hobart, Tasmania – our oldest home. Renovations expanded the home’s southern end (an addition of 12 new beds) and upgraded the home’s lower ground floor (including a new dining room and on-site laundry, as well as an updated staff room and nurses’ station). Last year, our beloved home celebrated a century of dedicated service and care for local families and, thanks to its historic upgrade, we’re excited to continue this great legacy for another 100 memorable years.

December

We welcomed Bupa Portland to Respect. Prior to being owned by Bupa, the 120-bed home was known as Glenelg Community Aged Care. We’re currently working with staff, residents, and the community to update the home’s identity through a name change competition and local survey, and we’re excited to embark together on the next chapter of the home’s growing history.