Just Better Care - Local News Sunshine Coast | Ten years caring on the Sunshine Coast

Today marks a significant milestone for Just Better Care, as we celebrate 10 years since our journey began on Valentine’s Day 2013. It is a privilege to reflect on the achievements and accomplishments that we have made in the past decade.

Recently I joined a webinar with people across the Just Better Care Australia network and we were talking about why we got into this industry. Many of us had the same vision – we wanted to make a difference. Just Better Care was born from my experience as a frontline care worker, and my belief that there was a better way to care for those most vulnerable in our community.

Looking back, I am filled with pride at what we have achieved. We originally begun with six staff and now we have over 200 staff from Caloundra all the way north to Bundaberg. We have expanded into Supported Independent Living, introduced new services including NDIS Plan Management through becoming a registered NDIS provider when the scheme was rolled out on the Sunshine Coast in 2019, and continued to provide care with compassion and respect to thousands of those who need it most. Our team of talented professionals have made a real difference in the lives of seniors and those living with disability, and I am grateful for the dedication and care that they bring with a smile every day.

We’re passionate about making the community a better place to live not only in our line of work.Through Just Better Care, we’ve been proud to give back to many leading local charities. In our 10 years, we’ve raised money for the improvement of local health services including Wishlist (Sunshine Coast Health Foundation), 92.7 MIX FM’s Give Me 5 appeal, Compass Inc, YouTurn, Jeans for Genes, Teens Take Control and The Board Meeting (Surf Charity).

We’ve also given a helping hand to the ‘3 Blind Mice': three blind participants who are incredibly talented triathletes. Through covering entry fees and training equipment, it’s been a joy to watch their inspiring journey.

A major highlight was directing $25,000 to cover the training costs of Sandy the assistance dog from Compass Inc. For families with a loved one living with disability, therapy dogs can change an entire person's life. After two intense years of training, Compass gift these dogs to local families in need, who have a disabled child. Sandy, who is a Labrador, came to visit the team on a couple of occasions and she completely stole all of our hearts.

We’ve enjoyed an enduring partnership with Wishlist. From providing the merchandise for The House the Coast Built project in 2015 to sponsoring the Teddy Bears Picnic, jumping on board as a yearly business ‘matcher’ on Wishlist Giving Day and supporting sick kids through Give Me 5. In short, the work Wishlist does in our public hospitals is extraordinary – through the generous local community, they are able to fund extra therapy services like Clown Doctors, Music Therapy, Therapy Dogs – which can lighten the load for patients and families experiencing a health crisis.

Our brand promise is “Just Better Care”. It is not just our business name but synonymous with how we service the Sunshine Coast community. What we are communicating to our customers with this statement is that we can provide a quality care solution that is focused on their needs and goals.

As we look into the future, with a rapidly growing region and ageing population, we know how important our services will be to families who wish to support their loved ones in the choice to live at home independently for longer. That being largely possible right now through Home Care Packages and the NDIS. And with our army of field staff and office team – we are ready to step up.