Residential Aged Care

The Janus Approach ensures that a comprehensive life history or “Life Story” is gathered for each resident in partnership with the resident and families who wish to be involved. From this life story and with resident and family collaboration, staff are able to determine what quality of life means to each resident. Life stories are taken by staff who have received specific training in this area of assessment and are generally conducted over several weeks as a relationship of trust is built with the individual resident (or family). Read more

The Janus Approach recognises that all individuals have spiritual needs which may not always be based on religious belief or lack of belief. The need for social and leisure programs form an integral part of daily living that have purpose, through enhancing and strengthening the physical and psycho-social capabilities of the resident and increasing self-esteem, self-worth, connection and meaning. Read More

The MESS (Making Eating Social and Sensational) recognises that there is more to meals than just nutrition alone, there are also significant positive social outcomes of sharing a meal or mid-meal snack, as well as those meals that are consumed being exciting for the senses. Read More

Mental health illness and disorders are as important as physical care needs and often have as great an impact on physical and social wellbeing. Some examples of mental health conditions experienced by residents within RSL Care SA are depression, anxiety and confusion. Read More

The Janus Approach recognises that the need for love, affection, physical closeness and contact continues throughout life, including for residents who are living within an aged care setting. People living in an aged care facility will often still have sexual desires and be capable of acting on those desires, as well as having a need to express themselves sexually, however, this may be difficult for residents to disclose as it has always been a topic kept private or only shared with people they trust. Read More

The Janus Approach adheres to the Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care (2005). This approach ensures that residents with life limiting illnesses are afforded quality of life throughout their journey within the residential aged care setting. This Janus Key affirms life and respects dying as a normal process. It neither hastens nor postpones death, but rather aims to enhance the quality of life whilst also positively influencing the course of the illness. Read More