The Mission and Values of James Barker House Aged Care Centre

James Barker House Aged Care Centre (“James Barker House”), located in Melbourne’s Footscray, caters for 120 residents. It’s one of The Salvation Army Aged Care’s specialised centres in that it supports a diverse cohort of residents. Some of them may have been homeless or at risk of homelessness, as well as those with alcohol or drug dependency.

Josephine Escano started working at James Barker House in 2017 as the Quality Coordinator and has since moved into the Clinical Care Manager role. Before joining James Barker House, she worked as a Facility Manager and Director of Nursing in a for-profit, mainstream organisation. “You can see the contrast,” she says of the residents she supports and her work with the Centre.

“The main difference with my current role is that I am the advocate for the residents,” Josephine explains. “Many people at James Barker House do not have next of kin, a third party or a support person to liaise for their care. So, I find myself in a position where I primarily advocate for their care so that the care or service can be provided; if it's not internally, then externally.”

Some of the residents at James Barker House also have mental health concerns, and Josephine says that it’s essential that the staff are trained to handle those issues. Other residents may have been institutionalised, which poses a challenge because they may be withdrawn or isolated. “These are things you don’t often see at mainstream aged care facilities,” she says.

The Centre has a Lifestyle program which caters to resident interest. “Upon admission, the Lifestyle staff sit with the residents and discuss their interests,” Josephine says, and there have been some success stories. One resident used to be a landscaper and now helps with the garden; another resident who was a journalist assists with the newsletter.

“It’s not always a one size fits all kind of thing,” Josephine states. “You can’t always gather the residents in one group or activity.” Jazz Kallychurn, the Lifestyle Coordinator at the Centre, agrees. “We did have a couple of residents that were quite depressed, and through Lifestyle, we engage them through taking care of our pets as well as meaningful tasks for them to attend regularly. That took them out of the depression and brought them back to whom they used to be,” he says.

“I really love the residents that I work with,” says Lifestyle Assistant Pat Calvaresi. “I love putting a smile on their face. I love talking to them and having a laugh with them. We’re more than just activity assistants; we are their social workers, friends, and family. Many people don’t have family here.”  

“I’ve been allowed to serve through James Barker House, and I believe in the mission and values of The Salvation Army”, Josephine concludes. “Homelessness is not only a social responsibility but, more importantly, is a hallmark of a just society. In this premise, James Barker House offers this small contribution to ending homelessness in Australia.”