Last week, Home Care Support Workers, along with residential, hospital, and clinical teams, came together at Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital for our 2025 Home Care Support Worker Conference, celebrating The Art of Exquisite Care and the important role staff play in delivering outstanding care.

The conference, made possible through a generous bequest from the late Ruth Marcella Parnell, continues to empower Calvary’s frontline carers with the skills, empathy, and confidence to deliver person-centred care.

Ruth’s gift, made in gratitude for the exceptional care she received, has now funded both the 2024 and 2025 conferences, creating a lasting legacy that honours her experience and supports the next generation of carers.

The presentations covered frailty and ageing, communication and empathy, and dementia de-escalation.

Speakers

The conference featured a range of expert speakers who shared their insights on compassionate, person-centred care. Dr Tony Hobbs, Geriatrician and Frailty Specialist, explored the concept of Frailty and Ageing and the role Support Workers play in recognising and responding to changing care needs.

Susanne Schmidt, National Pastoral Care Educator, and Naomi Pryde, Manager – Mission, Pastoral and Spiritual Services, provided practical guidance on Effective and Empathetic Communication, emphasising the importance of caring for self while caring for others. Christine Dunbar, Dementia Facilitator at Dementia Australia, offered strategies for supporting clients living with dementia and highlighted valuable resources to enhance knowledge and care within the community.

Before the presentations, staff were able to meet with community partners to trial and view new products while also connecting with state and local council resources designed to help people stay well at home.

Calvary teams offered great opportunities for experiential learning through interactive activities to increase awareness of client needs and the importance of co-design models. At the sensory experience table, staff tried on goggles, gloves, and earmuffs to better understand the challenges faced by clients with reduced senses.

The PEARS Model of Care tents gave participants a personal experience of deep listening, with iPads and headphones allowing them to hear directly from clients about what matters most.

Jessica Scaife, General Manager, Home Care NSW/ACT, added:

“It has been such a pleasure to connect with our Home Care and other Calvary colleagues today, and we look forward to continuing to grow our ‘Great Connected Care’ vision through events like this in the future. We are delighted to have hosted over 100 people at this event, with 60 teams and staff live-streaming the presentations nationally throughout Calvary services. Attendees had an opportunity to engage and strengthen bonds with colleagues and left the conference with a sense of purpose and practical skills in their toolbox to deliver thoughtful and compassionate care.”

“This event definitely gave us more information we needed about our care recipients. I really enjoyed it and loved the chance to see everyone,” said Elliot Cox, Support Worker.

“Having the privilege to participate in this event has been incredibly rewarding,” said Rebecca Deveraux, Clinical Care Coordinator.

This is the second year the conference has run, and following its success, it is set to become an annual gathering, continuing Calvary’s commitment to supporting staff and strengthening care in the community.

A lasting legacy

The Art of Exquisite Care Home Care Support Worker Conference was made possible through a generous bequest from the late Ruth Marcella Parnell, who wished to support home care services in recognition of the exceptional care she received from Calvary.

Ruth was remembered with deep gratitude, and the event’s success was made even more special by the presence of her family, whose attendance highlighted the profound impact of the care Ruth received and the legacy she wished to leave.

Ruth’s gift has now funded both the 2024 and 2025 conferences; a lasting legacy that honours the care she experienced and equips the next generation to care with the same compassion. It’s truly a gift that keeps on giving.