Month: February 2020

Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck said the provision of services for senior Australians remained a priority and investment in the My Aged Care website remained key to delivering care to those who need it most.

Minister Colbeck said myagedcare.gov.au and its helpline remained a vital link for loved ones and their families.

“The contact centre has a strong record of answering calls quickly,” Minister Colbeck said.

“The average time to answer a call is less than 30 seconds.

“In the first half of 2019-20 the proportion of calls that went unanswered fell to less than two per cent.”

In addition to the contact centre and website, My Aged Care supports assessors, advocates, system navigators and health professionals to provide face-to-face information and guidance to older people and their families to help them access aged care services.

For example:

• $7.4 million has been invested in system navigator trials to understand how we can better help people access aged care services. We remain focused as the important work of the Royal Commission continues and anticipate its final recommendations on November 12.
• A further $10 million has been committed for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) system navigator services.
• In 2018-19, the assessment workforce completed over 440,000 face-to-face assessments to support older Australians seeking aged care services.

Read more:

Ensuring senior Australians can access the support they need

In this issue:

• Revised webinar date: Update on new aged care assessment arrangements
• Aged Care Website Update – ACFI fact sheets
• National trial of PainChek

Read more:

Information for the Aged Care Sector – Issue 2020/2 (.pdf)

The department is seeking information from all aged care providers to help understand and project the demand for, and supply of, palliative care services in the future.

This information will support the department’s analysis of Australia’s palliative care workforce and guide future planning for palliative care services.

The survey seeks to identify:

• the profile of palliative care services within aged care
• the types of palliative care services delivered by aged care services
• details of the workforce at each service by discipline
• issues relating to workforce recruitment for staff delivering palliative care.
• The department encourages all palliative care providers to complete the anonymous survey.

To complete the survey, please access the links below. The survey closes on 13 March 2020.

Read more:

Palliative care workforce survey

Palliative Care Services Survey

Updated factsheets are available for aged care staff, residents and families with the latest advice on measures to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019 nCoV).

The fact sheet for residents and families is also available in simplified Chinese and English.

Advice sent to you on 31 January 2020 has also been updated. The Australian Government is now advising any person who has left, or transited through, mainland China on, or after, 1 February 2020 to isolate themselves at their home until 14 days after leaving China.

Read more:

Latest information on Novel Coronavirus – updated fact sheets for aged care workers, residents and families

Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for residents of residential care services and family members (.pdf)

The webinar planned for 12 February 2020 on the development of new aged care assessment arrangements has been rescheduled to Wednesday 11 March 2020 from 2:00pm-3:00pm.

The webinar will provide an update on recent consultations on hospital assessment arrangements and will address common themes arising from stakeholder questions during the first webinar on 11 December 2019.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about the new arrangements from representatives from the Department of Health.

Read more:

Revised webinar date: Update on new aged care assessment arrangements

Link – Webinar 2: Update on the new aged care assessment arrangements

This year is a leap year, with 366 days instead of 365. The department has received queries from approved providers of residential care seeking advice on how to calculate a daily accommodation payment (DAP) in a leap year.

The calculators specified in the Fees and Payments Principles 2014 (No. 2) (the Principles) refer to 365 days for working out:

• the DAP (or contribution) equivalent to a refundable accommodation deposit (RAD) (or contribution)
• the amount of interest on a RAD (or contribution) balance or accommodation bond balance.

Even though 2020 is a leap year, residential care providers should continue to use 365 days when calculating DAP amounts and the interest payable on refunds of lump sum deposits. But please be aware that daily payments and daily contributions are payable for 366 days in 2020.

Read more:

Calculating residential accommodation payments in a leap year

As part of its responsibilities for protecting and enhancing the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of aged care consumers, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (the Commission) has identified and developed a range of best practice strategies and tools for providers of aged care to engage with consumers and their representatives.

This resource recognises that placing consumers at the centre of their care is fundamental to quality care outcomes. This means significantly deepening engagement and developing a mutual partnership with consumers in all aspects of the planning, delivery and evaluation of care and services.

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Working with aged care consumers – Resource (.pdf)

This webinar will provide an update on the development of new aged care assessment arrangements and address common themes arising from stakeholder questions during the December 2019 webinar.

The new arrangements will start from April 2021, providing a streamlined process for consumers to access aged care services.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about the new arrangements from representatives from the Department of Health.

Date: Wednesday 12 February 2020

Time: 2.00 pm to 3:00 pm (AEDT)

Read more:

Webinar: Update on new aged care assessment arrangements

The What Matters Most resources are for older people using aged care services.

They are designed to be used with health or aged care staff. They can help older people work out what would be right for them, if they were really sick or at the end of their life rather than waiting for a crisis to occur.

The resources can be used to help health and aged care workers and the older person to have these important discussions with the person’s family and friends.

Read more:

What Matters Most for Older Australians

Facilitator Guide (.pdf)

What Matters Most Discussion Starter (.pdf)