Staff Archives - Capecare

Capecare strengthens palliative care through national initiative

February 9, 2026/in Community, News, Organisational news, Residential, Staff

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.

Award for Clinical Coordinator Alvin Dube demonstrates Capecare values

November 25, 2025/in Dunsborough, News, Residential, Staff

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.

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

Celebrating our Capecare Champions

August 7, 2025/in News, Staff

We celebrate our incredible team every day — but Aged Care Employee Day is a special opportunity to shine an even brighter light on the people who make aged care truly meaningful.

Our employees bring compassion, professionalism and tireless commitment to their roles every day, caring for our residents in ways that go far beyond routine. Whether it’s through clinical expertise, personal support, meaningful conversation or simply offering a warm smile, they contribute to the wellbeing, dignity and comfort of older people in our community — and make a lasting difference in their lives.

We are incredibly fortunate to have a team at Capecare that embraces our values and works together to help people thrive as they age. From care staff and nurses to lifestyle coordinators, hospitality workers, volunteers and support staff — every person plays a vital role in creating a warm, supportive and respectful environment for our residents.

Thank you for your unwavering dedication, your compassion, and for bringing heart into every part of your work.

Happy Aged Care Employee Day — we are so grateful for you.

Capecare Carer Dee makes a huge impact

July 9, 2025/in News, Residential, Staff

Dee Naikidi joined Capecare as part of our first intake of Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme carers back in 2022.

She has made a huge impact in that time. Our residents and staff adore her, and she won a HealthX Carer of the Year award in 2023 for her reliability, work ethic, mentorship, and flexibility.

Most significantly, Dee has been able to build her family in Fiji a home.

When Tropical Cyclone Yasa struck Fiji in December 2020, Dee’s family lost everything — their home was destroyed, forcing them to relocate to a makeshift camp. Determined to give her family a better life, Dee joined the PALM scheme, securing a job with Capecare as a carer.

In just seven months, her earnings enabled her to build a four-bedroom house for her parents and daughter, replacing the emergency shelter her family had lived in since the cyclone.

Here’s her story, filmed recently in Busselton and Fiji by the PALM Scheme.

Lady in a wheelchair being hugged by a friendly nurse

Capecare

Celebrating Our Capecare Nurses | International Nurses Day

May 9, 2025/in Community, News, Residential, Staff

At Capecare, we are proud to shine a light on the incredible work of our dedicated nursing team who care for clients and residents across Busselton, Dunsborough, and the wider South West community.

This International Nurses Day (12 May), we recognise and celebrate the compassion, expertise, and commitment our nurses bring to their roles every single day.

In the video linked below, we profile three of our amazing nurses, offering a glimpse into their day-to-day work and the meaningful relationships they build with those they support.

While we’re grateful for our nurses every day, 12 May — Florence Nightingale’s birthday — is a special reminder to honour the nurses in our lives.

Take a moment today to say thank you, check in, and show your appreciation.

With heartfelt thanks, From all of us at Capecare

Capecare International Nurses Day video

Capecare thanks local emergency services

March 25, 2025/in Dunsborough, Independent Living, News, Organisational news, Residential, Staff

Capecare Dunsborough’s management fired up the BBQs at their Naturaliste Terrace facility last Thursday to thank local fire brigades and emergency services personnel.

Capecare CEO Tim Nayton acknowledged both the emergency services personnel for protecting residents and facilities during the recent Dunsborough fires, and also his staff who were working on the day.

Tim was at Capecare Dunsborough at the time of the fires and said, while obviously concerned about what was happening on the reserve across the road from the facility, it was reassuring to see the services in action.

“To watch the emergency services teams and know that there was that level of support was amazing to experience, and to witness the confident way, what became quite a threatening fire, was managed,” Tim said.

The BBQ was attended by DFES Area Officer Andy Thompson, Mayor Phill Cronin, Ben Small, Liberal representative for Forrest and a number of professional and volunteer firefighters, Capecare staff who worked on the day of the fire, and Armstrong Village residents and their families.

Andy Thompson also thanked volunteers and said the incident response ran like clockwork thanks to practical exercises carried out with Capecare.

“To our volunteers, thank you. They’ve had a busy past couple of months, including turning out to Windy Harbour and various other fires.

“The accolades also go out to Capecare staff and management. Thanks to pre-planning and on-site training and evacuation drills carried out last year, it went like clockwork.

“Staff knew we were going to ‘protect in place’, which we had planned. We had the resources here, which the volunteers are trained for, and working with Capecare staff and management was faultless. It couldn’t have gone any better.

“It goes to show the strength of all of us working together in the community and the number of volunteers that we have… Fire, Search and Rescue, SES, St John Ambulance… it was a fantastic response and hats off to everybody.”

Mayor Phill Cronin, who was a volunteer firefighter on the day, reiterated the community response.

“As I’m driving down the road, I see a big billow of smoke in the distance. The radio’s chattering. The sirens are going off. The Dunsborough guys were having a bit of trouble at their own fire station. Then I’m hearing: ‘Capecare, get down there’. We get down to Cape Nat, and there’s smoke everywhere.

“We had 125 firefighters. We had 50 units down there. We had two helicopters. The whole point was how we all came together. The DFES guys, they were protecting the structures, we were doing the bush. There were queues of St John Ambulance people down there. DFES were setting up an incident support group. It was all done professionally. We also had a lot of the City (of Busselton) involved.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t lose any properties. There were no injuries. there was no loss of life.

“Everybody here, you all played a part, you made people feel safe. The Capecare guys were out there as well, getting wet and smoky. but we all did a great job and look, I really want to say thank you. Thank you for this event to recognise this and bring us all together.

“The next thing that we are doing is getting the reserve back to how it was. We instantly go into recovery mode. One thing we’ve learned is recovery is the quickest thing that we can get on top of rather than leaving it weeks down the line,” Mayor Cronin said.

Tim concluded by praising the amazing community spirit, also demonstrated by the generosity of wineries and breweries approached for the event. Special thanks to Shelter Brewing, Eagle Bay Brewing, Baileys Brewing, Skigh Wines, the Highbury Project and Cape Cellars.

4 older ladies sitting at a table making pom poms with an aged care facility helper

Capecare

Crafting at Capecare Busselton

March 6, 2025/in Busselton, News, Residential, Staff

Capecare Busselton residents recently participated in some fun craft activities inspired by Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand. Maori poi balls, or pom poms, made of wool provided a colourful activity for Silvia, Rae, Uta and Norma with help from Lifestyle Coordinator Katrina Spillman. The balls will be joined together for decorations and for dancing props. As a member of the Lifestyle team, Katrina coordinates a range of daily activities for residents that might include gentle gym, crafts, beach and garden walks, music shows and concerts.

Fire fighters managing a fire in Dunsborough

Wallcliffe Volunteer Fire Brigade

Thank you to our emergency services personnel

February 17, 2025/in Community, News, Residential, Staff, Volunteers

Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the many volunteer and professional firefighters, police and emergency service personnel who kept our Dunsborough residents, staff and property safe yesterday. This photo shared by the Wallcliffe Volunteer Fire Brigade shows just how close the fire came, and also how much care was taken by the responders in making sure we were ok.

We’re grateful also for our wonderful staff who looked after Capecare residents so well throughout this emergency.

And many thanks to community members and families who were in contact throughout the afternoon and evening to check on our beautiful residents. 🙏

Merry Christmas from Capecare

January 4, 2025/in News, Residential, Staff, Volunteers

From everyone at Capecare, we hope you had a wonderful Christmas day and celebrated with with loved ones.

Throughout the month of December, our team worked hard to bring the Christmas cheer for our residents.

Our Community and Wellness teams were busy little elves decorating every nook and cranny to create a truly festive space and delight our clients bringing joy to everyone who visits. The Community Team also worked hard to collect Christmas gifts for local families in need which have been donated to the Salvation Army.

Our fantastic Volunteer Team have also held a Christmas raffle to raise funds.

In the final lead up to Christmas Day, both our Dunsborough and Busselton residents enjoyed an early Christmas lunch at each location. They were joined by staff, family and friends!

Capecare Dunsborough invites new residential care residents

September 24, 2024/in Dunsborough, News, Residential, Staff

Expressions of interest are now open for the 41 remaining beds at Capecare Dunsborough’s deluxe residential care facility, located just a short stroll to the beach and town centre.

Capecare Dunsborough is the town’s first and only residential aged care facility, opened in late 2021. Its residents enjoy premium accommodation, state-of-the-art facilities and high quality, personalised care.

Capecare CEO Tim Nayton said the rooms being released have not previously been used. “Capecare delayed opening the whole facility until we were confident it could be consistently, fully staffed with an exceptional care team.

“When Capecare Dunsborough opened two and a half years ago, we only released rooms in the two ground floor wings in a staged process,” he said.

“A stabilisation of staffing across both our Dunsborough and Busselton facilities has allowed us to move forward to release the remaining 40 rooms, which were designed with residents in mind.

“Much care was taken in the planning of bedrooms, bathrooms, living, dining and outdoor facilities to ensure the best quality of life for our Dunsborough residents.

“We hope to welcome new first-floor residents to this beautiful facility from November 2024 to early 2025 and look forward to operating at our full capacity.”

Capecare Dunsborough’s residential facility features plenty of natural light, fresh air and stimulating outlooks. Rooms are positioned around central courtyards, and many have bay windows.

Jon Farr, whose father was a resident of Capecare Dunsborough and Aunt Janet is a current resident, said he and his family’s experience with the facility had been nothing but positive.

“My Aunt moved into Capecare in June 2022 to be closer to Dad who lived in Busselton. After getting to know the facility my dad said he thought he might need to go into residential care, and when a room came up he also moved into Capecare in Dunsborough. About a year later another of my aunties moved in, so it was a family affair!”

“From the time we first connected with Capecare through to ongoing relationships with the whole team, the main thing is that they really make you feel welcome. And nothing ever seems to be too difficult,” he said.

“When my father passed away, we witnessed a very caring team of people who had cared for my dad, were caring for my aunties, and cared for us as a family as well.”

Capecare Dunsborough comprises a premium 82-bed residential care facility for people with high physical needs in a dementia-enabling environment, respite care, lifestyle and allied health services (occupational therapy, podiatry and physiotherapy), a cinema room, hairdresser, café and landscaped gardens with BBQ area.

The complex also features 21 independent living apartments and the new HQ for the Dunsborough Country Women’s Association (CWA).

To find out more about Capecare Dunsborough visit our Dunsborough residential page . To enquire about the rooms release and receive an information kit, contact the Capecare admissions team on 08 9750 2000 or email dunsadmissions@capecare.com.au.