Asthma in older people
Australia has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world1. Recently, the Australian Government Department of Health announced funding for a national asthma strategy. This new strategy will attempt to improve asthma treatment for all Australians, with a particular focus on treatments for older people. Up to one in seven Australians aged 65 years […]
Read MoreUnderstanding the Rights of the Child
Today is Universal Children’s Day, celebrated in Australia on October 28 as part of Children’s Week, Selmar looks at the Rights of the Child. The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child was written in November 1989 and lists all the rights of every child in the world. Almost every country in […]
Read MoreCelebrating Children’s Week in Early Childhood Education
Children’s Week on October 24th to November 1st celebrates the rights of children to enjoy childhood and feel safe and valued. Held from October 24 to November 1, the annual event also provides an opportunity for children to demonstrate their talents, skills and abilities. The Children’s Week Council of Australia works to encourage, support, guide activities […]
Read MoreHow the National Register be useful to me?
The National Quality Standards set seven Quality Areas, which guide early childhood education and care providers. Assessments against the NQS occurs for all centres. This process encourages continuous improvement by centres and provides members of the public information about the quality of different centres. Each centre is given a rating for each of the seven […]
Read More5 top tips for customer service
There is a well-known adage in sales that it costs you five times as much to win a new customer than to keep an existing one. How you treat your customers determines the likelihood of them returning. Customer service tends to be focused on external customers, and generally around securing and maintaining business. Whilst external […]
Read MoreLeading by innovation
Innovation means being creative, thinking outside the box, to discover new ways of doing things. Creativity and innovation in the workplace can be vital to the success of a business because they allow for better processes, more engaged staff and ultimately happier customers. So how can you cultivate creativity and innovation in the workplace? The […]
Read MorePutting Spring in your step with Walktober
Walking during October in Australia can be beautiful. With the colourful sights and scents of spring flowers, it’s a great time to be outside enjoying the weather before it gets too hot. Breathe in the fresh air and feel the sunshine on your skin this October with Walktober. On the website, you can join a […]
Read MoreLet’s Talk About Sex
Last month in Melbourne, the inaugural Let’s Talk About Sex, Relationships and Intimacy as We Age conference encouraged the aged care industry to talk about intimacy and sex and ageing. Organised by Alzheimer’s Australia Vic and COTA Victoria, the conference was held on 8 and 9 September 2015. The conference challenged assumptions, taboos and stereotypes […]
Read MoreAlzheimer’s and Dementia in Aged Care
More than half of all people in permanent residential aged care have dementia, according to a report released last month by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). This highlights the importance of understanding the impact Alzheimer’s and dementia in aged care. Both the Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) and Certificate IV in […]
Read MoreDifferent learning styles
Every individual learns differently and it can be really useful to understand different learning styles. Visual, auditory and kinesthetic (VAK) learning styles theory focuses on these three main cognitive learning styles. Proposed by Neil Fleming in 1992, it can help you understand how you learn and what methods of learning suit you. Understanding your particular […]
Read MoreUnderstanding social media in aged care
Using social media in aged care is a fast and effective way to communicate to your customers, clients and potential staff. It’s your chance to put your digital footprint on an online world and communicate with like-minded people. Studies show social media can also help with feelings of isolation, particularly in older people, with multiple […]
Read MoreRecycling fun with art and craft
Australians are willing recyclers with 91% of us agreeing it is the right thing to do according to Planet Ark, a not-for-profit environmental foundation. Employees also appreciate the recycling habits of their workplace with 78% of people saying they feel good that their employer provides recycling services, Planet Ark states. As well as helping […]
Read MoreMaking the most of your time
Good time management skills help you make the most of each day whether you’re juggling work and family, work and study or all three. Here are some handy time management hints to help you work at your best even when there are not enough hours in the day. Prioritise Decide which task is most important […]
Read MoreJoin the global social media movement for World Arthritis Day
Today is World Arthritis Day or WAD. Established in 1996 by Arthritis and Rheumatism International, WAD is a global initiative to raise awareness of issues affecting people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Celebrated every year on 12 October, WAD also aims to ensure people with RMDs and their caregivers are aware of support networks […]
Read MoreEarly childhood education trainers’ favourite stories
At Selmar Early Childhood Education Institute, all our trainers are experienced educators. We can’t even begin to calculate how many books they’ve each read in all their years on the floor! We asked our trainers for their favourite books in child care centres, and have compiled a list of the top picks. The clear winner was The Very […]
Read MoreAged care trainer’s favourite activities
Aged care trainer’s favourite activities At Selmar Aged Care Education Institute, all of our trainers are experienced aged care workers. We chatted to two of our trainers about their favourite activities in aged care facilities from their experience working. Sally I was a night shift worker and for those night owl residents we regularly hosted “ice-cream […]
Read MoreCelebrating Literacy and Numeracy across Australia
The 17th National Literacy and Numeracy Week was celebrated across the education industry last month. From the 31st of August to the 6th September 2015, children all around Australia participated in activities and initiatives to encourage skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. The Australian Government launched a new Learning Potential mobile app as part of […]
Read MoreTips to take your aged care career to the next level
Once you are ready to take your career to the next level, it’s important to know how to effectively promote yourself. There are three main steps in achieve your career goals – your CV, a customised cover letter and the interview. In the first of Selmar’s three part series on career advancement, here are some […]
Read MoreFlexible study through workplace training
Maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging, and adding study to the equation can be even tougher. Our flexible workplace training aims to ensure your training doesn’t require extra schedules, babysitting or transport. So what is workplace training? It is a delivery mode available to students who currently work within the industry that they want to […]
Read MoreAdd more value to your studies with engaged placement
After extensive consultation with industry leaders about what industries need in training and graduates, the Australian Industry and Skills Committee endorsed the CHC Community Services & HLT Health Training Packages. As part of this, work placement is a compulsory part of completing an aged care qualification. Given Aged Care is hands on work, learning by doing makes sense! […]
Read MoreBenefits of an engaged work placement
While everyone undertaking a child care course or an aged care course has to undertake work placement, there are ways to really make the most of this experience. When on work placement, it is important to be actively engaged with your environment to ensure you truly learn from experienced educators at your placement centre. When searching […]
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