A gift of music that lives on at Capecare

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When Ishbel Casselton visited her husband Bob at Capecare Dunsborough, there came a time when his ability to communicate with her began to decline.

Determined to continue reaching him on an emotional level, Ishbel searched for another way to connect.

Bob had always loved music — especially listening to Ishbel play the piano. When Ishbel mentioned this to family friend Jason Cavallaro during a visit from Perth, the conversation took an unexpected and generous turn.

“I told Jason I would love to get a piano for Capecare so I could play for Bob,” Ishbel said. “Without missing a beat, Jason replied, ‘You can have mine.’ I almost dropped on the spot.”

Soon after, Jason’s piano was delivered and given pride of place in the dining room of the Bunker Bay wing at Capecare Dunsborough.

The impact was immediate. When Ishbel began to play, Bob’s face lit up.

“Through the piano, we were able to continue using music as a connector right up until Bob’s passing,” she said.

Bob sadly passed away in January, but the gift of music continues.

Jason’s generous donation has touched not only Ishbel and Bob, but also residents, staff, and visiting family and friends throughout the Dunsborough community.

Capecare volunteer Barton Hatherley now plays the piano during his Tuesday morning visits, and residents especially enjoy singing along to much-loved old-time favourites.

And this is no ordinary piano. Ishbel shared that the instrument originally came from the Japanese Embassy in Perth.

The Ambassador’s daughters learned to play alongside Jason’s daughters, and when the Ambassador’s family returned to Japan, the piano was gifted to Jason — who has now generously passed it on to Capecare.

“It is a beautiful piano,” Ishbel said. “We are so lucky to have it.”

Capecare strengthens palliative care through national initiative

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Capecare is proud to be participating in the End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) initiative – a nationally recognised program designed to support aged care providers to improve palliative care, strengthen advanced care planning, and build stronger connections across health and community services.

The ELDAC project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and delivered through a partnership of three universities and national organisations representing aged care, palliative care and primary care.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a compassionate and supportive approach that aims to enhance quality of life for individuals living with a life-limiting illness, and for the families and carers supporting them.

It focuses on preventing and relieving suffering through early identification of needs, careful assessment, and effective management of pain and other concerns. This includes physical, psychological, emotional, cultural and spiritual support, ensuring each person’s care is respectful, individualised, and aligned with their values.

What is ELDAC?

The ELDAC model provides a practical framework for improving how aged care services respond to changing health needs and end-of-life care. It supports providers to strengthen:

  • Advance Care Planning
  • Assessing palliative care needs
  • Responding to deterioration
  • Working collaboratively with families, GPs and allied health professionals
  • Connecting with wider palliative care services

This approach can contribute to reduced hospital admissions, shorter hospital stays, and improved quality of life outcomes for older Australians receiving care in residential aged care and in the community.

Capecare’s ELDAC journey

Capecare commenced the ELDAC journey at our Dunsborough facility in November 2025. We will commence at our Busselton facility and in our Community care services in May 2026.

As part of ELDAC, we are focusing on raising awareness and strengthening our approach to palliative and end-of-life care through:

  • targeted meetings and planning activities
  • increased collaboration with GPs and allied health professionals
  • improved access to trusted, evidence-based resources and tools
  • building staff capability through education and training
  • supporting stronger communication and care planning with residents, clients and families

Staff across our Busselton and Dunsborough residential care facilities and community care will have access to a collection of free, evidence-based information, tools and resources developed through ELDAC and supported by trusted programs including palliAGED and Advance Care Planning Australia.

A key part of Capecare’s participation includes support from the Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA).

Benefits for Capecare and our community

Capecare’s involvement in ELDAC is expected to deliver wide-ranging benefits, including:

  • stronger support to provide palliative care through structured frameworks and planning
  • access to trusted evidence-based resources and online tools
  • increased education and training to build confidence and expertise
  • greater confidence for staff, volunteers, residents and families
  • a valuable learning opportunity across our entire organisation
  • cost efficiency through grant-funded training opportunities
  • strengthened networks with local palliative care services, GPs and allied health professionals

Capecare is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care that supports dignity, comfort and choice. The ELDAC initiative is an important step in strengthening our palliative approach and ensuring residents and clients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

We look forward to continuing this journey and sharing further updates as the program expands across our communities.

Invitation: Community information morning

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Join Capecare at our free information morning for local seniors and their families on Friday 20 February from 10.30am to 12pm.

We’ll provide information on:

  • Planning to access home support and funding;
  • How Capecare can support you at home, our community services classes and activities
  • Respite services; and
  • Volunteering

Meet some of our key community care team members and share a free morning tea provided by our lovely hospitality team.

The event will be held in our Social Centre in Busselton.

Register at community@capecare.com.au or call 9750 2097.

Capecare CEO Tim Nayton featured on Pioneers of Aged Care podcast

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Capecare CEO Tim Nayton has recently been featured on the Pioneers of Aged Care podcast, hosted by Anthony Nguyen, sharing insights into Capecare’s journey, values and future direction.

In the wide-ranging conversation, Tim reflects on Capecare’s 60+ year history as a community-based, not-for-profit aged care provider in the Busselton–Dunsborough region, and the organisation’s strong focus on giving back to the community it serves.

Tim speaks about the significant progress made over the past 12 months, including reaching full capacity at the Dunsborough residential aged care facility, expanding services at Busselton, and welcoming 100 new team members during a challenging period for the sector. He highlights the importance of purpose, culture and community connection in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce in regional aged care.

The podcast also explores how aged care is evolving — becoming increasingly complex, multidisciplinary and clinically skilled — and challenges outdated perceptions of the sector, particularly for allied health professionals.

Looking ahead, Tim outlines Capecare’s strategic priorities, including expanding Support at Home services, strengthening partnerships across the local health system, and progressing the long-term Busselton Master Plan — a generational opportunity to shape the future of the beachfront campus to meet the community’s needs over the coming decades.

The interview offers a thoughtful insight into Capecare’s role in the region and the people and purpose driving its future.

Watch or listen to the podcast here: YouTube or Spotify

Capecare is WA’s first regional Time to Think provider

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Capecare in Busselton will be the first regional location for the Western Australian Government’s Time to Think program.

Time to Think allows older people in the South West more time to plan their next steps following a hospital stay, and in turn, helps to free hospital beds and provide a dedicated support service.

In announcing Capecare’s involvement, WA’s Aged Care and Seniors Minister Simone McGurk said the introduction of the program’s first beds in the South West was a significant milestone in improving access for regional communities, meaning more older Western Australians can benefit from this valuable support.

18 beds at Capecare’s Busselton campus have been added to the program which now totals 87 short-term places across aged care homes in WA. The program launched in May this year.

Capecare CEO Tim Nayton said the organisation had already been successfully providing a hospital transition pilot program.

“We’re excited to expand our work in this important area and be part of the Time to Think program,” he said.

“We witnessed first-hand the importance and value of supporting local hospitals, and individuals while they plan longer-term care arrangements.

“Time to Think clients are supported by Capecare with reablement and placement coordination to ensure they can choose their appropriate future home which might be residential aged care or a return to their home in the community.

“It is an important program in the broader model of health management, helping to free up public hospital beds, particularly in the South West where they are at such a premium.

“As a regionally based aged care provider our philosophy is to support the community and we have been doing so for almost 65 years with aged care services, so this program is a natural extension of our work.”

“The priority for all of our aged care services is to ensure that older people, their carers and families, and our community continue to receive the support they need, when they need it,” he said.

Award for Clinical Coordinator Alvin Dube demonstrates Capecare values

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At Capecare, we’re committed to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals. By actively supporting nursing and care trainees through clinical placements with educational institutions across Australia, we’re investing in a future where dedicated, skilled staff provide exceptional care to our residents and strengthen our team.

We were delighted to learn last week that Capecare Clinical Coordinator Alvin Dube has been recognised with the Outstanding Preceptor Award through the Clinical Placements with Older People Program (CPOP). The award honours his excellence in mentorship and the positive impact he’s made on student nurses during their placements.

A mentor who makes a difference

The recognition came through a heartfelt nomination from a student nurse who experienced first-hand Alvin’s exceptional approach to teaching and care:

“Alvin brought a wealth of knowledge to every buddy shift I had with him and approached teaching with so much patience, clarity, and genuine care. He consistently emphasised that caring for the elderly involves not only the individual, but also their entire family – a perspective that has shaped my understanding of compassionate, person-centred care.

“From the very beginning, Alvin made me feel valued as a student. He took the time to ask, ‘What can I teach you?’ A simple question that had a lasting impact on me. It demonstrated his genuine commitment to my learning and made me feel safe asking questions while growing in confidence. Thanks to his support, my confidence has soared throughout this placement.

Alvin also made the effort to walk me through procedures step by step, never rushing, and always ensuring I understood the ‘why’ behind the ‘how.’ His dedication to both patient care and teaching is truly inspiring, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from such an amazing nurse.”

Building a legacy of care

CEO Tim Nayton said Alvin’s award reflected the values at the heart of Capecare – compassion, respect, partnership, and a commitment to person-centred care.

“His ability to inspire confidence in emerging nurses while maintaining the highest standards of resident care exemplifies the quality of our team,” Tim said.

“We are so lucky to have Alvin caring for our residents and being part of the Capecare family. Thank you, Alvin, for everything you do.”

The Clinical Placements with Older People Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and led by the University of Canberra in partnership with Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, the University of the Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland University, Southern Cross University, and the University of Tasmania.

Two men smiling with a certificate.

Clinical Coordinator Alvin Dube with Capecare CEO Tim Nayton and Alvin’s award , demonstrating Capecare values in action

Combatting loneliness at Capecare

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Loneliness is an increasingly documented issue and can strike seniors particularly hard, impacting mental and sometimes physical health.

Capecare actively strives to combat loneliness with a variety of lifestyle activities for our residents in Busselton and Dunsborough.

We recently signed up 8 of our Busselton residents to the Letters Against Isolation Program.

Operating across Australia, the UK, the USA and Canada, Letters Against Isolation connects letter writers to older people via an anonymous online portal.

The handwritten letters and cards are sent to our Lifestyle Team and distributed to residents who are suited to each letter.

This week, the postman arrived! Edie, Greg, and Sally received our first letters from the program.

The letters talked about family holidays to go fishing, childhood memories, and many different hobbies and pastimes.

Thank you, Letters in Isolation and your volunteer writers, for making a normal day just a little bit more special for our residents.

Remembering our servicemen and women

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Remembrance Day is an important occasion at Capecare when we stop to honour the courageous men and women who have served and died for our country.

Individual ceremonial events were held at each of our facilities and were well attended by residents and staff.

Special thanks to Volunteer Barton Hatherly for providing musical accompaniment, resident Bob Muirson for his recital of In Flanders Field, and resident Nikolaus Selheim for laying a wreath at the Dunsborough service.

Thanks also to Rev Graham Lawn for officiating in Busselton. He is a regular visitor to Capecare, providing our monthly Christian church service, and thanks also to resident Glenys Reynolds.

And special thanks also to our Lifestyle Coordinator Megan Snitch for organising these moving and important events and to our hospitality team for providing morning and afternoon tea.

Lest We Forget.

Capecare celebrates its home care clients each aged 100+

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Capecare celebrated the lives of four cherished home care clients last month with a combined 100th birthday party.

Coined as the inaugural ‘100 Club’, each of the four residents are still living in their own homes in Busselton with Capecare’s help.

CEO Tim Nayton said it was a huge achievement to reach the age of 100 and still be living independently.

“Our Community team recently noted we had four clients who had reached 100 years of age, and we couldn’t let it pass without celebrating and acknowledging these extraordinary people,” he said.

“We’ve created a ‘100 Club’ and plan to hold an annual celebration, bringing together our centenarian clients, their family members and our staff.

“Capecare is a genuine community-based organisation and an important part of our mission is to support the community in which we operate,” he said.

Capecare’s 2025 ‘100 Club’ members who attending the party at Capecare’s new Community Centre were:

  • Joan Harlow – 106
  • Hubert Davies – 104
  • George Ferris – 102
  • Violet Hayter – 100

A joy to celebrate lives well lived

Capecare Community Manager Lesley Cunningham said George, Joan, Hubert and Violet were remarkable people.

“They remind us that life is about resilience, family, friendship and the simple joys of everyday living.

“It is a joy to celebrate lives well lived, their wisdom and presence. Our community staff love spending time with each of these cherished clients and learn so much from them. In turn, our staff feel privileged to assist them to live well at home for as long as possible.”

Capecare provides a range of in-home care for older people in the south west including personal care, domestic assistance, gardening, home maintenance, nursing care and medication support, shopping and community transport. It also provides allied health services, a Community Centre in Busselton for day visits, and overnight respite care when carers need time for themselves.  A new Cottage Respite centre provides private suites, each with a bedroom, ensuite and living room, delicious meals and 24-hour nursing care. For  more information visit our Community Services page.

 

Pictured: Mayor Phill Cronin, Capecare Community Manager Lesley Cunningham, Libby Mettam MP and Hubert’s daughter Jennifer Anderson with Hubert, George, Joan and Violet

Support at Home program is Coming

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The Australian Government’s new Support at Home program will launch on 1 November 2025, bringing important changes to the way older Australians access and receive in home aged care services.

This new program is designed to simplify the current system, improve access to services, and provide more flexibility and choice for people who want to continue living independently at home. As a result, existing Home Care Packages and related services will transition into the new Support at Home model.

If you are currently receiving Capecare’s in home aged care services, or if you are exploring your care options for the future, it’s completely natural to have questions about what these changes mean for you, your services, and your ongoing support. You may be wondering how funding will work, whether your current care can continue, or what steps—if any—you need to take.

To help make this transition as smooth and stress-free as possible, we have created a practical and easy-to-understand guide. This guide explains what the Support at Home program is, what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and how you can continue to access the care and services you need to live safely, comfortably, and confidently at home.

View and download our Support at Home guide HERE.

You can also explore our Support at Home Packages, which outline the types of care, services, and support Capecare can provide under the new program.

View our Support at Home Packages HERE.

 

CAPECARE
BUSSELTON

20 Ray Ave
Busselton WA 6280
Ph: 08 9750 2000
Fax: 08 9755 4696

Community Care: 08 9750 2097

CAPECARE
DUNSBOROUGH

171 Naturaliste Tce
Dunsborough WA 6281
Ph: 08 9786 5555
Fax: 08 9786 5508

Community Care: 08 9750 2097

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