Arcare Aged Care Glenhaven - Glenhaven, New South Wales

JS

Interesting! Firstly, there are some lovely and caring people at Arcare Glenhaven - Elissa, Michelle, Sandra, Nat, Stella - and the shearer:)

However, first you must get past the lovely Tina – and be able to come up with the sizeable cash to supply her demands, which do become time critical. The issue we faced involved Arcare's insistence that Caveats be placed on real estate, or 15% RAD had to be paid – within days. This is not in their information, website, nor is it in their contract but verbally foisted upon you once your loved one has settled - ‘You have been accepted by us. Do you want to pay Daily, or upfront? If Daily, we need a Caveat on a property, what address?’

We accepted a daily fee charge as a matter of course while we came up with demanded cash, but the requirement was for a hundred plus thousand in 7 days. I offered half the cash that day, the rest within a couple of months, even offered quarterly in advance. That was unacceptable and became ‘cash within 7 days - or your loved one will be sent to hospital as there will be health issues we cannot deal with!’

The Caveat is ‘for our (Arcare) security’ - paying quarterly in advance is not enough security. The best advice I have is placing Caveats on property is a questionable practice in NSW if the debt is not directly related to that property. Caveats create difficulties if a property is sold. That’s one point.

The other is that Tina has been at Arcare for a number of years. As soon as we mentioned the 'process' to people we know in the area we were asked ’Which place?’ What we then heard about Arcare isn’t printable but we were told ‘they do back down when Court dates approach!’ This is unusual feedback to hear.

Aside from key staff members, most staff appear to be new/short term. We asked our private carer to shower and wash our family member as Arcare hadn’t managed to have them shower in two weeks. That Arcare staff were so grateful our private carer was immediately offered a job is indicative of problems I believe lie at the heart of this company. Discussions with various senior staff members at Arcare made me believe the aggression we saw, is a general trait. Bullying personalities are corrosive, that they permeate company wide is eye opening. If Arcare is happy to treat customers as we were, bullying staff with little recourse would be a walk in the park.

Various employment review sites mention: ‘incredibly high staff turnover’; ‘care about nothing but profits’; ‘don’t listen to staff’; ‘management doesn’t care’; ‘no support from management’; ‘Would you put your own loved one in our hands - honestly?’; ’The company’s values is (sic) everything BUT what they put on display’.

In the facility we since found I have yet to find anyone that hasn’t been employed at the same place for under 4 years, some more than 20 and all are quick to laugh. Laughs were rare at Arcare.

In order to achieve a reasonable outcome we contacted the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. While accepting that Arcare’s conduct was ‘probably’ immoral and ‘skated the edge of ethical behaviour’ it was ‘legal’ (aside from the NSW caveat issue). Next question ‘What other operators behave like this?’ The answer ‘You can find one or two out there if you look’. In short, our experiences with Arcare were not unique to us, if you can be bullied as a customer, the lack of happy smiling faces amongst staff and the number of poor staff reviews on employment sites is very easy to understand. If this were my company I would be utterly appalled!

Famously ‘a fish rots from it’s head’. Aged care is a profitable field, but competition is always there and based on our experience and the experiences of others who spoke to us, I could only recommend an ‘Arcare’ experience as a last resort. If I were a management consultant, I would suggest it needs urgent change from the very top or it will face an uncertain future punctuated by increasing litigation from disgruntled customers. IMHO this is a company that is losing the reason it is in business – that's both complex and expensive to fix.

Rob Fitch

My sincere thanks to the Arcare staff at Glenhaven who made my mother's 100th birthday such a special day, she loved the attention. A heart felt thanks to Jess Gray who did a wonderful job of putting my mother's life story into the local magazine. Arcare nothing is beyond you for looking after the people under your care.

Melinda Fletcher

My 93 year old friend is staying at Arcare for respite. The facilities are superior. Meals excellent. The RN has been very helpful and caring as have all the care staff. The calendar provides a good selection of activities. The bus is a little small and outings are booked out 2 weeks ahead but the cafe helps provide an option for me to visit her to have coffee. Happy dresser is also good. I’m really impressed.

KATE “KM” MOODY

I was really disappointed that my grandma went to hospital twice because she had fall twice. I thought that place for staff or carer supposed look after old people include my grandma. Also, turns out one of the staff helped my grandma but accident dropped onto carpet floor in suite room and few bruises & cut on her arm. I was upset about my grandma was hurt twice. She was really scared to go back Arcare and decided to move out. I knew this Arcare didn't have enough unexperienced carer or not much staff there!!! Last year was good but now what's going on at Arcare staff? not happy. never come back to arcare again.

P.S I saw sign of Arcare at Glenhaven with five stars but why five stars

Terrance Jiang

My mother-in-law Ren-di LU has been lived in the Arcare Glenhaven for last three years. This aged care is under well-managed and all staff in the facility have provided to Mrs LU with excellent and friendly services and helps. My wife and I would like to express our many thanks to all of them working in this aged care.

clubagreenie

Cal.M

Divas Aryal