Nick McDonald Prestige Inhome Care Interview

Nick McDonald Prestige Inhome Care Interview

Nick McDonald, Registered Nurse, Founder & CEO Prestige Inhome Care

With more than 20 years' experience and a B. Nursing, a Grad Dip. in Children's Nursing and a Masters of Business Administration, Nick McDonald is Founder and CEO of one of Australia's premium private home care providers, Prestige Inhome Care.

Managing more than 300 staff, Nick offered his expertise as President of the Association of Private Nursing Services for three consecutive years,

Nick is also an avid sportsman training up to 20 hours a week for triathlons.


With more people living longer, the issue of how to care for elderly parents and loved ones is becoming a common concern for many Australian's across the country. Here, Nick McDonald, CEO of Prestige InHome Care, discusses what options are available and how to identify signs that those closest to you are not coping as well alone as they may have you believe.


Question: What inspired you to become the Founder & CEO of Prestige Inhome Care?

Nick McDonald: I originally started my career as a qualified nurse. It wasn't a glamorous choice, especially as at the time it was a profession with few men but I felt drawn to it. During my training, I was exposed to all areas of the practise but most enjoyed working with the elderly.

Over time, I became frustrated by the lack of inhome services that were available to the elderly and often led to them being placed in a nursing home prematurely. I realised that many of these people, with a little extra assistance, would be able to stay in their own homes, retain their independence and enjoy the familiarity of their surroundings for longer. That's why I founded Prestige.


Question: What does Prestige Inhome Care provide that you believe was previously lacking in this area?

Nick McDonald: There were previously little or no providers committed to delivering exceptionally high quality, consumer focused care in people's homes. The simpler option would have been to uproot those needing additional care and put them in a home. But this can be detrimental to those who are not quite at this stage, as the perceived loss of independence can have a great impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.

Prestige was created to provide a new, more flexible level of care where patients were able to pay for carers to come in on a weekly, daily or hourly basis to suit their needs – something that the industry previously lacked. This flexibility also allows us to provide bespoke solutions for each client.


Question: What types of aged care does Prestige Inhome Care provide?

Nick McDonald: Our services are all designed to be provided in peoples own homes in an attempt to keep them in familiar surroundings for longer. However, in some cases we do work with people that are in nursing facilities or a retirement villages.

We provide all manner of technical nursing from wound care and medications to non-technical nursing including [insert brochure info]. Again, the important thing to remember is that the service is tailored to each individual's needs. For some this may comprise of traditional personal care or help with household chores. For others, it may be taking them out for coffee or taking their dog for a walk – it all depends on the needs of the client.


Question: How should our older population protect themselves in the hotter months?

Nick McDonald: There are five steps that we suggest that can help elderly people and their loved ones protect themselves in hotter months. These are:
Air flow – make sure the home is fully equipped with an air conditioner or electric fan with adequate cross ventilation
Keep cool – if a person's temperature feels high offer a wet towel or washer to cool them down
Check in – check on them frequently, either by phone or in person to look for signs of heat stress or exhaustion
Stay hydrated – ensure your loved one has plenty of water and fluid to stay hydrated throughout the heat wave
Be alert – remember that an elderly or impaired person may not be able to communicate when he or she is feeling hot or ill


Question: And on the flip side, how should the older population protect themselves in the cooler months?

Nick McDonald: People can undertake small to medium sized modifications to homes that can help them throughout the cooler months. Things like not waiting until it gets cooler to have your heating serviced or to get heating installed or even to make your home more efficient (i.e. additional insulation). It may sound simple, but an elderly person exposed to insufficient heating during cooler months for any period of time, can really affect their health.

When outside wear loose fitting layered clothes with hats and gloves to stay warm. Eating well is also important along with drinking warm drinks.

Over the years we've seen an increase in the rise of cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression and other mental illnesses often attributed to isolation. You can combat this by ensuring that elderly people have regular contact with others, this can have a massive impact on their wellbeing.


Question: What are the most common health risks in the elderly (physical and mental)?
Nick McDonald: There are obviously conditions that are made worse with age; dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, cancers etc.

But simple things like falls can result in situations where elderly people can lose their independence, something that most are fiercely protective of. This lack of independence can leave them feeling vulnerable and can stop them socialising which can, in turn, lead to the onset of mental disorders such as depression.

Whilst the effects of physical illness can be great, these can be combatted by a positive mental attitude. However, if a person loses their mental health it often triggers physical symptoms and can lead to the condition of patients deteriorating rapidly.


Question: And, what is the most common cause of injury in the elderly?

Nick McDonald: Falls are undoubtedly the most common cause of injury for the elderly. Any injury at advanced ages can lead to complications that can seriously impact on the quality of life for individuals. Simple things can be done in the home to make it safer and avoid injuries:
Wear shoes that fit well and are comfortable. Ill-fitting shoes can often lead to trips, slips and falls.
Exercise. I'm not saying the person needs to be able to run a marathon but by taking part in one or two classes a week (like Tai Chi); this can help elderly people stay fit and supple.
Ensure homes have adequate lighting and easy to reach outlets.
Replace worn carpets as frayed areas and holes are a hazard. Make sure to secure mats and rugs as well, as over time the edges of both can curl and cause a tripping hazard.
Install grab rails – often towel rails in bathrooms will not be enough to support a person's weight. By installing grab rails in the bathroom and throughout a home, it gives the user a little more stability and a guide in blackouts.


Question: What are the main signs and symptoms that we should be aware of when spending time with the elderly?

Nick McDonald: There are seven that we at Prestige try to encourage loved ones to look out for. They are:
Wandering – Wandering can include meandering disorientated up and down the street, or ending up in another suburb. The risk of injury from wandering is high – from getting hit by a car or becoming lost, to dehydration and falls from the intense walking.
Skipping meals and medication - The signs of this can include weight loss, out-of-date food left in the fridge and medication left in the pill dispenser. Aggression - Aggressive behaviour is a common symptom of dementia and it can be in the form of verbal, physical and sexual. The biggest issue with this is that family members often are at the receiving end of the aggression, leaving them frightened or resentful.
Unexplained bruises – This could be from minor falls around the house, which may be remedied by the installation of handrails or ramps. However, this could also be a sign of a symptom of something more serious like a stroke, blood pressure issues or memory problems.
Financial discrepancies – The elderly are commonly targeted for phishing scams, which can lead to significant financial loss. Unfortunately the embarrassment of losing money can lead to many of those affected not to ask or seek help, making identifying this tricky for other family members.
Refusal to bathe or change clothes – This can be a sign that the they can no longer physically complete these everyday tasks and the stubbornness is often down to the loss of pride. This loss of mobility can lead to depression, making this a serious issue for both their physical and mental health.
Drastic personality changes – This can be in the form of sudden aggression or anger, paranoia that someone is out to get them, or even purchasing and hoarding unusual objects.

By noticing one or several of these signs early, you can get your loved ones the care they need quickly which can stem any further deterioration in their condition.


Question: How did it feel to be nominated for a Pride of Australia media in the Care and Compassion Category?

Nick McDonald: It-s always flattering to be acknowledged for the hard work you do by your peers, especially when you are so passionate about a cause. I think everyone loves getting positive feedback and probably as a CEO this comes less frequently so it is wonderful to hear that you are doing a good job and making a difference in people's lives. Awards are obviously attributable to entire organisations not just one person, but I would be lying if I said that such positive feedback for my team and I wasn't flattering.


Question: What's a typical day life, for you?

Nick McDonald: I don't know if there is such a thing as a typical day as every day is totally different, which is fantastic. I must admit, as the company grows I do find myself doing more administrative work and less of the operational things that I used to take great pleasure in. However, I think that is inherent with growth and I have a great operational team. I believe you need to find things every day that excite you. My day starts with exercise most mornings then I head to the office. There, it's a mixture of administration work, meetings, visiting referral networks, planning strategies, developing our team and where we can we like to have a little fun.

Then once I get home my attention is divided between a 6 month old boy and a 3 year old girl, and all the fun that entails.


Interview by Brooke Hunter