Project Scaffold: Revising the approach to Care Services within the older population of South Africa
We are excited to share with you Project Scaffold. Work commenced last year to address the need to urgently explore a new approach to care services in South Africa. The development of Project Scaffold was a huge effort, involving several specialists.
What became clear is that especially frail care services require urgent restructuring. Never in our history has this sector been so close to total collapse, with reports of over 50% of available beds open and many facilities closing.
The sector must take the initiative to explore a lasting solution and cannot wait on Government for assistance. We believe that serving your own clients the best way possible, rests largely with you.
Project Scaffold has been developed as a voluntary pilot programme that will gather and test results from ten participating frail care facilities to pave the way towards a new dispensation. The main objective is to develop a home-like environment that is person-centred and more affordable. We, like many countries abroad, believe that hospital-like care needs to make way for person-focused care. Project Scaffold, although not a crisis management tool, hopes to facilitate the sharing of best practices within the sector throughout the duration of the project.
A Care Transformation Toolkit (CTT) has been compiled for the use of those care centres selected to participate in Project Scaffold.
Support is available on request from the following participants:
1. Syd Eckley (Consult Age), a gerontologist and social worker who will mainly be responsible for assessing compliance in terms of Act 13/06.
2. Rob Jones (Shire), an experienced consultant on retirement living and associated services, including care.
3. Magda Pienaar & Yolandé Brand (true2you), specialising in facilitating the creation and/or implementation of person-directed care and organisational cultures.
Please note that all participants in Project Scaffold undertake to share findings with the team leaders and other participating organisations. This is very important because the information gathered will ultimately be used to lobby the Department of Social Development for amendment of existing norms and standards.
It is our belief that true transformation of the care sector must come from ground level upwards. Operation Scaffold will seek to simultaneously promote and enhance self-regulation and also to help open new forms of care service, ensuring quality and affordable care for as many people as possible.
Once you have embraced and adopted the programme, you and your team take full ownership and are able to drive it forward either independently (in terms of completing the various steps and maintaining your own identity and intellectual property), and/or to make use of the Project Scaffold team’s services – at your own discretion.
Should you have any questions feel free to contact any of the team members. See full contact details below.
Hope to see you soon as part of the Project Scaffold adventure!
Greetings
Project Scaffold Team
- Project Scaffold Admin: Anneke Liebenberg – projectscaffold2021@gmail.com / (072) 349 8395
- Consult Age: Syd Eckley – sydlynne@telkomsa.net
- Shire Retirement Properties (Pty) Ltd.: Rob Jones – rob@shireprop.com / (082) 658-1402
- true2you (Pty) Ltd.: Yolandé Brand – yolande@true2you.co.za / (084) 940-8777
- Magda Pienaar- magda@true2you.co.za / (062) 863-649
Click here for the Project Scaffold Guide
Click here for the Application Form