Bentleys’ CareFactor is working with ten teams, all on a mission to solve problems in aged care and give ageing Australians a better quality of life.

As Australia’s first aged care incubator program, we have insight into some exciting innovations that could be on the aged care market very soon. We spoke to our teams to find out more about what’s in the works.

Raise the BAR (Balance and Reputation)

Based in Brisbane, the Raise the BAR program is supported by Vaxa Group and QUT.

“In Raising the BAR (Balance and Reputation), our program will assist Aged Care providers to bridge the gap between the values of the organisation with the lived experience of their residents and home care customers,” the Raise the BAR team said.

“The program provides the necessary certifications, strategies, skills and techniques for Boards, CEOs, managers and service delivery staff to deliver exceptional customer experiences whilst exceeding the legislation requirements delivered by the Royal Commission.”

Raise the BAR was founded by Vaxa Associate, Dr Mark Harvey. With a PhD in Ethics and Integrity, Mark has real world experience working in organisations who are expected to deliver services with the utmost integrity, daily. Mark has led reviews of organisations including Interpol. This experience lends to his credentials in delivering Raise the BAR to Corporate, Government and NGO organisations. Mark is also a lecturer on these topics to CEOs and senior leaders at QUT.

The technical program is supported by Vaxa Tech’s highly qualified and sought after Software Engineer and Data Analytics Partner, Curtis West.

The commercialisation and communication is supported by Vaxa Group Partners Todd Crowley, Sarah Morgan and Greg Bourke, who have over 20 years’ experience working with companies, Governments and NGOs to identify communicate and capitalise on business and operational needs. They provide networks, ideas, strategies and solutions, which produce outcome driven results.

What is the product?

Raise the BAR – a QUT certified ethics and integrity program for Boards, CEOs and senior managers – ensures greater customer outcomes whilst increasing competitive advantages for organisations. The program consists of four focused components delivered through multiple streams including.

Raise the BAR is a Corporate Balance And Reputation program which will assist in transforming practices across the industry whilst providing better residential and in home outcomes and longer-term competitive advantages for providers.

“Section 8 of the Aged Care legislation specifically states that Boards and CEO’s are now individually accountable for poor residential and in home outcomes,” the team said.

Raise the BAR is delivered in four parcels:

1. An online “Health Check” provides responses to over 150 criteria using quantative and qualative analysis (developed through and supported by strong academic research and underpinned by legislation) which builds a profile of the enterprise strategic opportunities and risks. The best practice system then delivers a pathway to maximises the opportunities leading to enhanced culture, service delivery, and market share, and most importantly – a greater customer experience.

2. In person consultation. Sessions with Board, C Suite, Mangers and Staff to empower an organisation with the requisite systems, tools and processes to ensure services are delivered appropriately

3. Further education provided by QUT. Should an organisation require higher level strategic education, QUT’s Business School will deliver accredited ethics and integrity courses. Aside from enhancing service delivery, these courses provide organisations assurance and other commercial benefits.

“The Royal Commission into Aged Care has highlighted an opportunity for providers to bridge the gap between the values of the organisation and the lived experience of care recipients.”

What problem does it solve?

The recent Royal Commission into Aged Care has highlighted failings by certain organisations to deliver the level of care expected by residents, in home customers and loved ones. It highlighted unethical behaviours were the key driver in service failure.

Unethical business practices cost organisations globally over $600 BILLION per year!

Raise the BAR solves problems not only for families choosing the right provider of care, but organisations delivering the care including:

• Bridging the gap between organisational values and the true lived experience of residents and in home customers
• Heightened service delivery through improved culture, staff training and stakeholder engagement
• Improved corporate governance and risk mitigation for Boards and CEOs who are now personally accountable for service outcomes
• Provide a greater competitive advantage for organisations wanting to attract and retain customers, staff and key stakeholders
• Accreditation in Ethics and Integrity, leading to greater commercial outcomes
• Improved brand reputation
• Raises employee culture, which improves outcomes for the resident/customer and the organisation (lessens the likelihood of fraud, increased productivity)

Why is this a game-changer for the industry?

The Raise the BAR solution is three-fold

For families, choosing the right partner of care for loved ones in this emotional stage of life is difficult, and often distressing for the resident. We want to be 100% certain that they will be treated with love, care and dignity. How do we really know that the care provider we choose meets the mark?

Raise the BAR provides assurance to families that the care provided is delivered ethically and with the utmost integrity. Care providers who successfully attain the levels required of the program will possess the “Raise the BAR Certification”.

For organisations, the recent Royal Commission has highlighted failures in service delivery and meeting residents and their families expectations. Section 8 of new Aged Care Act and the ACQSC states that Aged Care providers are now more accountable. This means that Board Members and CEO’s can be held personally accountable for service failures.

Raise the BAR will change the way services are delivered for organisations who participate, improve Boards’ and CEOs’ risk profiles, and regain the trust and respect of residents and their families. This creates greater competitive advantage and longer term profitability.

For Governments, Raise the BAR provides assurance that organisations who have undertaken the QUT accredited training are delivering the best possible care to the most vulnerable, who in this time of their life feel like Stateless residents. This provides improved community and economic outcomes.

What stage is your innovation at, or how long might it be until we see it on the market?

Raise the BAR is currently being delivered to other industries through in person consultation and further education at QUT Gardens Point campus in a condensed format. The full program can be available to the Aged Care sector by early 2020.

Thirdphase Steps

Thirdphase Steps (TPS) is a sister company of Aged Care Steps and leverages off the expertise and experience that ACS has generated as the leading provider of aged care advice support into the financial services sector. Thirdphase Steps will focus more on direct consumer services to meet the needs of older Australians and their families.

TPS is led by founders Assyat David and Louise Biti, both based in Sydney. As an online accessible business, TPS will be able to support people living all over Australia.

What is your product or service?

TPS is an online interactive tool helping older Australians and their families to navigate their own aged care journeys. The aim is to empower them with knowledge that they can apply to their own situation so they can choose what is important to them and know what questions to ask when working with advisers or service providers.

The TPS tool will allow clients to take the first step towards understanding how aged care works – not just in a generic sense, but with application to their situation and needs. The ultimate purpose is three-fold:

• Give people a starting point to begin to understand what they need to know
• Create an action plan of the decisions to make and the steps to take, as well as how they can access help
• Empower people to ask the right questions to gain the right solution for them.

It is not our purpose to develop a tool that replaces the need for advice from planners or an aged care provider team, but rather one that enhances and supports these relationships and interactions. We believe that better informed clients should lead to better engagement and better choices, which will save time and costs. This will be achieved through an online decision-tree process with active checklists and action plans with links back to other tools such as MyAgedCare to allow people to more effectively interact with those tools.

This tool could be used by clients and families on their own, or could be used in a facilitated process by aged care teams, advisers or other service providers. The tool will ultimately be suitable for clients who are not only looking at residential care, but also home care and independent living communities, as well as older people at home who are just planning ahead.

What problem does it solve?

The core problem is that people only start planning and investigating aged care when a crisis occurs, and they have no idea where to start. The access to information is hard to find and is disjointed. It also often overlays the bias or limited experience of the source. This disempowers people to make their own informed choices.

Why is this a game-changer for the industry?

It will save time with admissions as well as ensure consumers are better engaged in the process and able to make more effective choices to play their role in transforming the quality of the aged care services.

What stage is your innovation at, or how long might it be until we see it on the market?

It is in development phase and we are trialing the concept with providers and users to co-design for greater effectiveness.