December 2025
Season’s Greetings from the Director of Nursing
As the year comes to a close, I want to thank our residents, families, and staff for making 2025 a memorable year. Our Christmas celebrations were a wonderful success, and your participation truly brought joy to our community.
This year, the new Aged Care Act, strengthened Quality Standards, and the Statement of Rights have guided us in continuing to provide safe, high-quality care. We support people receiving aged care, their families and supporters. We make sure older people’s rights are at the heart of their aged care.
I am grateful to our dedicated staff for their hard work and commitment in adapting to these changes and ensuring consistent, compassionate care.
With the summer heat, we have strengthened our heat wave management, ensuring extra fluids, air conditioning, and proactive plans to keep everyone safe and comfortable.
On behalf of our team, I wish all residents, families, and staff a safe, joyful, and restful Christmas, and a Happy New Year. Thank you for your support and for being part of our community.
Warm regards,
Nicole Zhang
Director of Nursing
Important Update
New laws to uphold your rights in aged care
Keeping residential aged care resident safe this festive season
Meet Our Whistleblower Officer
The Taxi Service
From the Company:
13 Cabs – 📞 132 227
Wheelchair-Accessible Taxi – ☎️ (02) 8332 0200
From Individual Service:
Ray Taxi – 📱 0420 505 275
Holiday Office Hours Notice
Please note that our office will operate with limited services from 25 December 2025 to 5 January 2026 due to the holiday period.
During this time, responses may take a little longer than usual. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your continued support. Normal office operations will resume from 6 January 2026.
Staff Spotlight
Our Care Manager: Ujina
This month, we are pleased to shine the spotlight on Ujina Khadji, our dedicated Care Manager at Garden View Aged Care.
Ujina joined Garden View Aged Care in 2021 and has been a valued member of our team ever since. She plays a vital role in overseeing clinical care and supporting our care team to deliver safe, high-quality, and person-centred care. Working closely with residents, families, nurses, and support staff, Ujina ensures care plans are regularly reviewed and residents’ needs, preferences, and wellbeing remain at the centre of everything we do.
Known for her calm approach, professionalism, and genuine compassion, Ujina is a trusted advocate for our residents and a supportive leader for staff. We thank Ujina for her ongoing commitment and the positive difference she makes every day.
Ongoing Staff Training and Education
At our service, resident safety and quality care are always our top priorities. We are pleased to share some updates on recent staff training and competencies that have been completed to further strengthen the care we provide.
At our facility, we are committed to providing safe, high-quality care where everyone—residents, families, and staff—feels comfortable raising concerns.
Whistleblowing allows anyone to report serious issues confidentially and without fear of retaliation.
This month, we are focusing our staff training on SIRS to strengthen awareness, reporting skills, and immediate response actions. Under SIRS, certain incidents must be reported to the Commission within strict timeframes, and all concerns are reviewed to prevent recurrence. At Garden View, we remain committed to keeping our residents safe by continually improving our practices and supporting our staff through ongoing education.
We also have training on Nutrition and Hydration to support staff in promoting residents’ health, wellbeing, and adequate fluid and dietary intake.
Lifestyle and Wellbeing
December was a truly joyful and heart-warming month at Garden View, as we celebrated the festive season together with our residents, families, and staff. We would like to warmly greet all residents and families and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Your presence and support made this month especially meaningful and full of warmth.
Our Christmas party with families was a highlight of the month. Residents enjoyed lively concerts and a festive buffet, where music, delicious food, and togetherness created a wonderful Christmas atmosphere. Many residents shared how happy they felt celebrating alongside their loved ones.
The BBQ lunch in the dining room brought a relaxed summer feeling and encouraged conversation and connection. Residents also appreciated attending Catholic Mass, followed by a special outing to the RSL for lunch, supporting both spiritual wellbeing and community connection.
Residents felt refreshed and confident after haircut sessions, and our “Festive Cheer” theme party filled the home with colour, laughter, and joy. The month was further enriched by volunteer performances, which brought music, smiles, and positive energy.
Thank you to our families, volunteers, and dedicated staff for your continued care and support. We wish everyone a safe, joyful Christmas and a healthy, happy New Year ahead. 🌟
Upcoming Events
22/12/2025
Christmas Carol
24/12/2025
Theme Party
27/12/2025
Volunteer Performance
13/01/2025
Pet Therapy
Resident Rights, Complaints Process & Whistleblower Protections
Whistleblower protections
What whistleblower protections do
Workers may be afraid of personal and financial risks by sharing information and disclosures with us. The new Act gives workers rights and protections when they make disclosures that qualify (meet the requirements) for whistleblower protection.
The rights under the new Act for disclosures include:
- Not being subject to retaliation or punishment
- Not being subject to consequences such as civil, criminal or administrative actions (legal actions) that may come up
- Choosing to be anonymous
- Confidentiality
- Being able to take legal action through the courts for compensation if you experience retaliation, punishment or consequences because you made a disclosure.
If something should happen as a result of you making a disclosure, such as being punished for speaking up, we recommend getting independent legal advice or contacting your union to understand how whistleblower protections may apply to you.
Statement of Rights
The new Aged Care Act includes a Statement of Rights, outlining the rights that older people have when accessing aged care services. The rights help to ensure that older people and their needs are at the centre of the new aged care system.
The rights outlined in the Act help to ensure that older people and their needs are at the centre of the new aged care system.
The Statement of Rights include the right for every individual to have:
- independence, autonomy, empowerment and freedom of choice
- equitable access
- quality and safe funded aged care services
- respect for privacy and information
- person-centred communication and the ability to raise issues without reprisal
- advocates, significant persons and social connections.
Providers have to ensure that their actions are consistent with the Statement of Rights. This includes ensuring that their aged care services are delivered by aged care workers who have appropriate qualifications, skills and experience.
Reminder of Consumer Rights and Service
• Senior rights service provides the legal advice, advocacy service and community engagement, for free and confident advice call, 02 9281 3600. Brochures and poster available near the small kitchenette.
• Free advocacy groups available to provide information. Pamphlet are distributing to consumer and available near the dining room information station for consumers and representatives. OPAN poster and contact details 1800 700 600 displayed on the notice board. The video of What Can OPAN help is played during the meeting. Brochures and poster available near the small kitchenette.
• Care plans are readily available for consumers.
• Reminder residents and family to seek consent from residents who have no cognitive impairment and from person responsible for those residents who are unable to give consent before taking photos and/or uploading photo to media.
Reminder of complaints process
• Consumers were reminded with the complaint and compliment process and encouraged consumers to voice for themselves.
• Reminded residents and relative the Open-Door policy of the DON.
• If you need an interpreter to speak with us, call the Translation and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
• If you cannot resolve your concern with the service provider or any serious concern, you can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822. If you need an interpreter to speak with them, call the Translation and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
• Consumer and family are aware if they have any concerns and do not wish to speak to the Management team at site level, can directly email or handwrite letters, and someone can assist them in emailing the board@gardenview.org.au
• The Board holds a monthly gathering in the Central Garden to meet and greet residents and seek feedback and suggestions. It is usually held on the second Sunday of the month, starting at 9 a.m.
• Garden View provide protections for whistleblowers to allow reporting without fear of reprisal Whistleblower@gardenview.org.au
• Reminded consumers that OPAN is available for consumers and family, poster available on notice board.
• Consumer advisory body (CAB) member Ming He and John (Jack) Galbraith (Consumer), David Pearce, Craig Austin and Winne Steo (Representative) can be liaison representatives for consumers and relatives for any concerns or issues if they do not wish to speak to management directly. The photograph of the CAB resident members and contact details are displayed on the noticeboard. Garden View is always welcome resident and/or relative to involve and partner the care and/or committee.
Farewell December, Welcome 2026
As we come to the end of December and farewell another wonderful year, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our residents, families, and staff for their ongoing trust, support, and kindness. December has been a month filled with joy, celebration, and togetherness, and we look forward to welcoming a bright, healthy, and meaningful 2026 with our Garden View community.