2025 Excellence in Residential Care

Devi Subramaniam

Anju (Devi) is an extraordinary gerontological registered nurse, and Director of Nursing with Hall and Prior Health and Aged Care Group where she coordinates clinical and hospitality services for 80 residents across 2 facilities. Devi is an expert human care navigator who creatively leads her team to new and varied approaches to care that are agile and individually responsive to each client’s choices and interests enabling individuals to socialise within the home and into the community. Through this, Devi has garnered a reputation as a very special person who is devoted to her profession, consistently reliable and trustworthy, and has expert knowledge of best practice for older people. As such, many General Practitioners from North Perth to Mandurah call Hall and Prior to enquire about home placements for their patients, specifically asking to “find a place in Devi’s home”. Devi is a terrific role model, teacher, and mentor to nurses of all levels, from students to Directors of Nursing. No matter how busy her role is, she always finds time to encourage undergraduate nurses in their journey and is known to be a persuasive advocate for enticing post graduate nurses into a career in health and aged care. Devi is a natural partner who easily forms partnerships with families, health professionals and external organisations. She believes in the strengths and mutual benefits of partners in care, readily forming bonds with residents and their families so a model of “caring together” can flourish. Devi understands the complex care needs of older people leading a collaborative team of Medical and Nurse Practitioners and Allied Health teams from the front, sometimes from behind, and most often at their side, to negotiate and advocate for the best care, for and with her residents. Devi’s proudest moment was being awarded the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Better Practice Commendation award in both 2014 and 2017 representing the hard work behind the years from registered nurse through to her current position as Director of Nursing. This hard work is also recognised in all the cards and letters of gratitude that adorn her office shelves which she humbly states “is not just me, it is my team that makes our home such a lovely place to live and such a good place to work.”

Helen Ainley

Helen is a Registered Nurse and Operations Manager for residential care at Amana Living ensuring sustainable operational performance across her portfolio which includes 5 services with approximately 415 staff and 354 residents and clients. Her dedication ensures compliance with accreditation standards and regulations, and an innovative and transformative working environment so residents experience high-quality care and services that enrich their lives. Helen is deeply passionate about placing residents at the centre of her work. She ensures their wellbeing, needs and preferences are respected and reflected in care plans, and engages with residents, families, and other staff members to ensure care is personalised, meaningful, and centred on dignity and respect. Helen exemplifies excellence in leadership. A notable example is the compassionate leadership and humility she displayed during the first experience of Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) at one Care Centre. Helen ensured the privacy of the client and that their wishes were respected. She empowered her team by giving them the choice to participate in the client’ care and facilitated access to resources such as VAD nurses and chaplaincy for those who needed it.  Helen leads by example and continuously inspires and empowers her colleagues, leveraging on their strengths, to pursue the highest standards of care and achieve exceptional outcomes, all while fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. Known for her accountability, strong work ethic, and proactive focus on professional growth and improvement, Helen mentors her team to reflect, learn, and excel as clinicians, encouraging a culture of continuous improvement. This commitment to advancing professional practice and improving care delivery is evident in the initiatives she implements which result in improved resident outcomes. Helen is a passionate advocate for resident-centred care and led the establishment of Australia’s first dedicated respite care centre by collaborating with the broader team to provide for the needs of respite clients. She is continuously touched by the residents in her care, the profound impact of her work, and the unique opportunity she has to provide comfort and meaning when residents at their most vulnerable.

Thi Ngoc Han Pham

Thi Ngoc Han (Han) is the Clinical Care Manager at RAAFA Vivian Bullwinkel Lodge overseeing all aspects of clinical and care related activities. Her passion for nursing was first ignited through caring for her grandmother, which inspired her towards her career path in aged care where she has maintained her foundational commitment to improving and enhancing the quality of life for the elderly through resident-centred care. Han is an able and respected leader who understands firsthand the challenges and aspirations of team members and uses a collaborative approach to unite the multidisciplinary care team to work towards shared goals and achieve the best outcomes for residents. Han fosters a positive workplace culture through nurturing, supervision and actively seeking and thoughtfully considering feedback from colleagues. She sets herself high personal academic standards which have inspired and influenced her team to pursue continuous learning and professional growth, and as a mentor to new nurses, she readily shares her knowledge and experiences across a diverse range of critical skills to help them develop their own skills and confidence. Han’s collaborative approach was clearly demonstrated through an initiative she spearheaded to address resident weight loss. Recognising this as a critical issue, she collaborated with and coordinated colleagues across health disciplines, from speech pathologists to assess chewing and swallowing difficulties to the chef developing resident specific menus, with the shared goal to develop and implement a comprehensive, resident-centred, personalised solution. Results obtained demonstrated success of the team-based approach to reduce resident weight loss, achieving meaningful improvements to resident’s health and overall quality of life.