Metlifecare redefines aged care with a new philosophy

Deciding on an aged-care home for your parent, family member or friend can be difficult. With an array of choices available, you need to be sure the principles of the home align with the things you value.

Being treated as an individual and with dignity is important to most people exploring aged care options. Retirement village and residential care company Metlifecare has thrown away the rulebook for aged care and replaced it with a menu of choices, meaning people have freedom and independence to influence how they live.

Designed to challenge conventional aged-care delivery, Metlifecare’s new philosophy builds on three years of market research and study into the sector, including a pilot scheme conducted in partnership with Massey University, and has influenced the design of Metlifcare’s two new care homes opening in 2017.

With a home-like design compared to traditional institutional care facilities, two new Metlifecare care homes will open later this year; a new care home at Greenwich Gardens on Auckland’s North Shore opening July and at Somervale in the Bay of Plenty opening late 2017.

To create a supportive environment where residents feel truly at home, Metlifecare has changed the way it designs and manages its care homes, as well as the way staff are trained to work with residents and their families.

“This boutique care home, with its friendlier layout, creates a much more intimate and personalised environment for the residents and their families,” says Metlifecare’s Clinical Nurse Director Tanya Bish. “It is also creating excitement among our staff, who are embracing the new approach.”

Residents will live in smaller ‘pods’ of 10-16, where each pod has its own kitchen, dining room and lounge area reflecting a modern family home environment. Residents’ meals are finished in the pod kitchen and served in the dining rooms, to reflect family dining.

These home-like care homes, with a friendly layout, create a much more intimate and personalised environment for residents and their families and allow for greater integration with the wider retirement village including dining at the village café. This philosophy empowers residents by providing them with independence and freedom. From meal selection to shared activities – the choice is firmly in residents’ hands.

Chief Executive Glen Sowry said that with New Zealand’s ageing population driving increased demand for aged care, and the baby boomer generation having different expectations, Metlifecare felt strongly that residential care homes needed to provide a service that not only looked after health but also placed emphasis on the whole person – emotionally, socially and psychologically.

“Our new model is much more than just bricks and mortar. It covers everything from providing welcoming environments people can call home to having individualised care the way they want it.”

Guiding Principles of Metlifecare’s Care Model:

1. We support and enable residents’ independence, by getting to know each resident and their loved ones, and what matters to them as an individual.
2. We honour and enable resident choice and preferences, helping them maintain control over the things they care about.
3. We have welcoming environments our residents are proud to call home.
4. We actively support and facilitate integration and connections with our immediate and wider communities.
5. Our teams provide professional and compassionate care to our residents.

If you would like to get in touch with Metlifecare to find out more information regarding their retirement villages or care homes visit https://www.metlifecare.co.nz/ or call 0800 909 303.