Aged care provider Bethanie Group has come a long way since it was founded in 1954 as Churches of Christ, with just seven residents. Today the organisation provides care for 4500 customers and has a workforce of 1800 staff, 600 volunteers and 250 student placements. Its services include retirement villages, care facilities, social centres and affordable housing.
A pragmatic approach to innovation has been pivotal to Bethanie Group’s success. CEO Chris How explains: “The challenges facing aged care are the same as any other organisation in the services industry. We need to understand what our customers want and deliver a cost-effective service.
"The question we need to continually ask ourselves is why would someone choose Bethanie over another provider?”
Peace of mind
The recently launched Bethanie Wellness Hub is one example of how the organisation is innovating to attract new residents.
The Hub, accessed via a supplied tablet device, provides residents with social connections, entertainment, concierge services, health monitoring and education and emergency assistance. One vital function is its ability to monitor them via infra-red sensors. If the sensors detect any noticeable change in a resident’s daily routine the system will send a notification to a nominated contact.
"The Hub’s functionality allows residents to be more independent and remain connected to the world, while at the same time providing family and friends with peace of mind that their loved one is healthy and safe," says Chris.