G2G: Caregivers NEED this to THRIVE.

GUIDE 2 GROWTH

Hi Friend, 

What a week it has been!

Road tripping back to the sham town! 

To say that we have been scooting across the countryside this week would be an utter understatement. 

Louis and I are from Horsham, you know that little town between Melbourne and Adelaide, near the giant koala with creepy red eyes? Yeah? That is where we grew up and where many of our family still live. 

Although it was a lovely visiting family, on the gruelling drive there and back we had time to think and chat about how more aged care services are truly needed in these areas. 

When I was working in Horsham as an Aged Care provider, amongst other responsibilities I did the scheduling. 

If anyone reading this has ever worked in scheduling you’ll know it’s no easy job. 

I was telling Louis how hard it is for people living in places like Japaret, or Rainbow just to get a caregiver to get them to take them to the supermarket at their nearest rural city. It can cost them hundreds of dollars of the Home Care Package funding which truly needs to be allocated to getting personal or domestic assistance. 

We were talking about how it calls for an Aged Care provider that can create a business model that can help serve these people in rural and remote areas to ensure that they have equal access to these essential services, no matter their location. 

Although, this would be no easy feat. The impact that this could have on countless lives would be incredible. 

So if anyone out there is reading this, get in touch with us if you’d like to learn more about the unique nuances of providing care in rural and remote areas. We would love to hear from you, to create change in this area is a part of our mission here at ACMAU. 

THINGS I HAVE LEARNT THIS WEEK

1. Standing Desks are a GAME CHANGER for mental clarity 

With the new office, we decided to splurge on a couple of desks that can rise and lower as needed!

I had a meeting this week with a new client that we have onboarded (exciting I know) and I could noticeably feel more comfortable, and less stressed, ideas were coming through and I was able to articulate them better.

HUGE WIN RIGHT?

So, if you’re in the market for a new desk, head down to Ikea and pick up a standing desk … I can 10000% guarantee that it won’t be an investment that you’d regret. 

Here is a pic of me whilst I write this article (don’t mind the activewear, I’m writing this on ANZAC Day - so Public Holiday = Activewear right?) 

Also important to know that Louis may have had a slight meltdown putting these suckers together.

1. Caregivers in the Aged Care industry NEED the following to thrive in their job…

I recently attended a Caregiver meeting to take some photos of the event, 

Whilst I was there I was eagerly listening to the entirety of the meeting - absorbing as much as I could as having this opportunity to learn the intricacies of the industry from a caregiver perspective is INVALUABLE.

Why?

If we understand the joys and pain points of caregivers we can create not only our advertising to talk to these problems and emotions but also provide an insight in how we can collectively improve the services that we provide. 

Caregivers all agreed that it was incredibly hard to do the best job that they could for their clients if they didn’t have up-to-date care plans. 

USP to be communicated: “We guarantee that we maintain up-to-date care plans for caregivers to provide the best possible care to our clients by having 3-month check-ins with all our case managers.”

This speaks not only to the potential caregivers who want to work with you but also to the clients as they can see that your business is actively ensuring premium care is provided to them. 

Caregivers struggle to be hired by a business that doesn’t manage their own HCP funding clients as it creates a HUGE barrier in their ability to give their clients care.

USP to be communicated: “We hire our caregivers and provide HCP management in-house - meaning we have a direct line of communication, without having to leap through hurdles to get the care you need”

This speaks to the caregivers as they will be able to know that if there's a problem or question they can call their direct employer and get it solved straight away. 

This speaks to the clients as they will be able to cancel shifts or make adjustments to their care plan through the line of their carer, directly to the source that can influence change. 

That's golden. 

What unique selling points does your business have? And is this being communicated through your marketing? 

Activity: Have a look at your website, and then have a look at your direct competitors. Write down how your service offering differentiates from theirs, after you’ve done this look at your website, brochures, and social media, and check whether this is reflected in your marketing. 

If not… get in touch with us. We are experts in communicating what makes your business unique.

3 AGED CARE MARKETING TIPS OF THE WEEK: 

Don’t underestimate the power of brand awareness. 

When expanding your business in areas I think a lot of aged care providers are relying solely on word of mouth and not investing in a suite of activities that can grow their brand awareness. Utilising social media, billboards, newspapers, radio, email marketing, hell, even sponsoring the local footy team SHOULD be in everyone's marketing mix. Start with a few, and I can guarantee you’ll start seeing results. 

Showcase the work that you do EVERY DAY

I am of a strong belief that aged care providers are missing out on a pivotal marketing tool that is right at the fingertips of the caregivers. Encourage your caregivers to get photos of the activities that they are doing with their clients. People want to see how they would be looked after, they want to FEEL that the provider that they chose truly cares for their clients. At your next caregiver meeting, encourage them to get photos with their clients and share them on your social media (with consent granted of course). Not only will it make your business an industry leader but also give you those warm fuzzies knowing that you are facilitating this incredible work. 

Showcase your business journey 

We currently work with a provider that celebrated 4 years of caring for their community. To showcase this we ran a campaign on social media and newsletters that are directly sent out to the clients. We showed the progress of the business from starting at a small team to now hiring over 50 staff members. What an incredible achievement! On social media, this went viral! We had over 100 comments from people in the community showing their gratitude for the work that they have done! Moral of the story: you’re a community-based business, so showcase that and allow for people to become invested in the journey! 

BUSINESS ADVICE I FOUND USEFUL

Last weekend, I caught up with a friend renowned for her serene disposition—the epitome of stress-free living. Curious, I asked her, "HOW DO YOU DO THIS?"—my voice tinged with desperation. She shared two tactics she uses daily that have transformed her approach to life's petty annoyances, like office disputes or distractions.

First, she keeps a small image taped to her computer: a tiny dot beside a vast world. Whenever irritation creeps in, a glance at this picture reminds her that these irritants are trivial in the grand scheme.

Second, she maintains her peace by disengaging from stressed individuals. At work, if someone's stress begins to affect her, she simply returns to her tasks without getting involved in the negativity.

Implementing these straightforward strategies has already brought significant changes to my life.

Try it out and see the difference for yourself.

Anyway, that's all from me this week.

Appreciate you always,

Olivia 

PS The office is still in aesthetic shambles, functional but not cute… so stay tuned for pictures! 

PPS this was made with love, not AI. <3