ACCA featured in Sydney Morning Herald 11/08/2023

The Australian Chinese Community Association is succeeding by not taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

In recent years the aged care sector has been under the spotlight, which has prompted providers to reassess and re-evaluate their services. After regulatory changes and a royal commission, there has been a considered shift towards highly tailored options for those seeking aged care assistance.

As with many healthcare sectors, a onesize-fits-all approach fails to cover the nuances of aged care, which is why services run by ACCA (Australian Chinese Community Association) are having great success.

ACCA was established by volunteers in 1974 to provide specialised welfare services to the NSW Chinese community. What began as a community service has grown to include home care packages, respite care centres, meals services, language school and disability services (NDIS) among others.

The aged care services have grown significantly , and it now serves members of the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community, including people of Middle Eastern , Vietnamese, Filipino and Anglo-Australian backgrounds.

ACCA service manager Sharyn DiNatale says its specialised care means it’s able to help vulnerable people through a multifaceted approach across a number of programs , services and care packages.

“ACCA operates social support group activities in various locations across Sydney, providing a range of different services to enable the elderly and vulnerable community members to live the fullest of their lives,” she says.

In order to provide the highest level of specialised care, ACCA has adopted a digital transformation strategy and invested significant resources in staff training. This has resulted in the provision of highly efficient , cost effective and quality care services.

Recently, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission conducted a quality audit at three of ACCA’s home-care service centres. It achieved outstanding results by having satisfied all the required quality standards. The assessment team commended “the high quality of governance and a highly committed and dedicated management team, committed to a quality and consumer-focused services delivery” .

These audit results have not only bolstered internal morale but are being keenly felt in the wider community. This positive step forward for the industry has been a welcome one for ACCA president Tim Feng.

“ACCA is a well-managed company with strong corporate governance and with highly satisfied staff and clients,” he says.

In a sector facing an acute shortage of registered nurses, it is commendable that ACCA manages to retain seven registered nurses to provide clinical care to its clients.

When speaking to ACCA staff they say that, despite the industry shortages, they are finding fulfilment in giving back to communities in need.

“Working in aged care is very rewarding,” says ACCA clinical adviser Amy Ly. ‘‘ Caring for the elderly allows me to build a strong professional relationship with them and their families.’’

This approach has been paramount in ACCA’s success in becoming one of the top providers in NSW. As it continues to grow, the future of its operations will focus on optimising its services, expanding its talent pool and maximising stakeholder value.

In an industry that has seen many providers fail to offer clients the level of care they deserve, ACCA is showing highly specialised services can make all the difference.