Month: March 2020

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is currently contacting all approved providers of residential aged care services by telephone to monitor and support them in their preparation for a COVID-19 outbreak.

This assessment contact will involve a regulatory official from the Commission contacting the provider to discuss their responsibilities under the Aged Care Quality Standards and to provide details about important guidance material that has been released including the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA) infection control guidelines and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) advice on visits to vulnerable groups including residential aged care services.

The telephone call is not an assessment of performance against the Standards. The call will take approximately 10 minutes and arrangements will be made to call back if the provider is busy at the time of the call.

In the coming days we will also be conducting a short online survey of all aged care residential services asking them key questions about their preparedness for COVID-19 based on the CDNA and AHPPC guidelines.

We will continue to adjust our regulatory response to the COVID-19 outbreak in line with the latest advice and guidance from the Department of Health and other health authorities.

We thank all approved providers for their ongoing efforts to protect older Australians at this critical time.

Read more:

Assessment contact on preparing for COVID-19

Assessment contact on preparing for COVID-19 – questions (.pdf)

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities (.pdf)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for public gatherings and visits to vulnerable groups – aged care facilities and visitors to residents

The National Cabinet today announced additional funding of $444.6 million for the aged care sector to ensure the continuity of the aged care workforce. The funding will be used to:

• Provide $234.9 million for a COVID-19 ‘retention bonus’ to ensure the continuity of the workforce for staff in both residential and home care.
• Provide $78.3 million in additional funding for residential care to support continuity of workforce supply.
• Provide $26.9 million to increase the residential and home care Viability Supplements and the Homeless Supplement (including increased viability payments for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers and Multi-Purpose Services).
• Deliver $92.2 million in additional support to home care providers and organisations which deliver the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, including for services such as meals on wheels.
• An extra $12.3 million to support the My Aged Care call centre to respond to the needs of older Australia.

Read more:

COVID-19: Supporting senior Australians and those who care for them

Measures to support Senior Australians and those who care for them (.pdf)

An update of the schedules for residential and home care fees and charges, as well as subsidies and supplements will take effect from 20 March 2020. This is in line with changes to the basic age pension and indexation rates.

The Services Australia quarterly review of fees and charges for all care recipients will be effective from 20 March 2020. Care recipients and providers will receive letters letting them know if there is a change to a care recipient’s fees and charges or if a refund may be due.

Read more:

Indexation rates for Residential Aged Care and Home Care Packages and changes to the Maximum Permissible Interest Rate (MPIR)

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care (.pdf)

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Pre-1 July 2014 Residential and Home Care Recipients (.pdf)

Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements for Aged Care (.pdf)

Today the National Cabinet agreed on temporary funding to support Aged Care providers, residents, staff and families.

Building on the package of measures announced last week, additional funding of $444.6 million is expected to strengthen the industry, with specific mechanisms to reinforce the aged care workforce.

It will include:

• $234.9 million for a COVID-19 ‘retention bonus’ to ensure the continuity of the workforce for aged care workers in both residential and home care.
• This will mean a payment of up to $800 after tax per quarter – paid for two quarters – for direct care workers.
• Two payments of up to $600 after tax per quarter – for two quarters – for those who provide care in the home.
• Payments will be delivered to providers to pay their workers and part-time workers will be paid a pro-rata rate.
• $78.3 million in additional funding for residential care to support continuity of workforce supply.
• $26.9 million for a temporary 30 per cent increase to the Residential and Home Care Viability Supplements and the Homeless Supplement. This includes equivalent viability funding increases for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers, Multi-Purpose Services and homeless providers.
• $92.2 million in additional support to home care providers and organisations which deliver the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, operating services including meals on wheels. This will include services for people in self-isolation such as shopping and meal delivery.
• $12.3 million to support the My Aged Care service to meet the surge in aged care specific COVID-19 enquiries, allowing for additional staff to minimise call wait times.

Read more:

Measures to support Senior Australians and those who care for them

Latest links to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information from the Department of Health.

Read more:

Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) coronavirus (COVID-19) statement on 17 March 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for public gatherings and visits to vulnerable groups

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines for outbreaks in residential care facilities (.pdf)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – frequently asked questions (.pdf)

Information for health care and residential care workers Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) (.pdf)

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

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – what you need to know (.pdf)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation guidance (.pdf)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Information on social distancing (.pdf)

Resources for health professionals, including pathology providers and healthcare managers

The Department has released the new 20 MAR 2020 Rates.

Some of the new key rates are:

Fee/Charge

• Residential Care: $52.25
• Home Care – Level 1 package: $9.63
• Home Care – Level 2 package: $10.19
• Home Care – Level 3 package: $10.48
• Home Care – Level 4 package: $10.75

Relevant rates and thresholds for refundable deposits and daily payments

• Maximum Permissible Interest Rate – 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020: 4.89%
• Base Interest Rate – 1 July 2019 to 31 May 2020: 3.00%
• Base Interest Rate – 1 June 2020: 2.50%

Read more:

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 20 March 2020 (.pdf)

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Pre 1 July 2014 residents and home care recipients: From 20 March 2020 (.pdf)

Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements for Aged Care (.pdf)

Aged care visits

There will also be new restrictions to aged care.

Anyone who has returned from overseas in the past two weeks will not be permitted to enter an aged care facility, the PM said.

Those who have been in contact with a confirmed coronavirus case, anyone with a fever or flu-like symptoms and those who haven’t been vaccinated against influenza after May 1 also won’t be allowed to visit loved ones.

Visits to aged care facilities will also be limited in time and a maximum of two visitors will be permitted at one time per day.

“These may be immediate social supports, family members, close friends or professional service or advocacy workers,” Morrison said.

“Visits should be conducted in a resident’s room, outdoors or in a specific area designated by the facility, rather than communal areas where the risk of transmission to other residents is greater.

“No school groups of any size should be allowed to visit aged care facilities.”

Morrison added all Australians should also practice social distancing when visiting.

Children under 16 are only allowed to visit by exception and those in palliative care will be considered differently.

“It is about protecting the residents at the end of the day,” Morrison said.

“In those cases, we all know how distressing that can be and so the aged care facilities will be asked to put in place sensible arrangements to facilitate those types of visits on a compassionate basis.”

Read more:

New rules for schools and aged care: PM announces coronavirus restrictions

Watch:

Aged Care Visits Restricted

The latest Sector Performance data is now live.

Covering the period October to December 2019, the comprehensive report highlights the sector’s regulatory and complaints performance for residential, home care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services.

It includes compliance trends across all compliance activities such as site audits, review audits and assessment contacts, and identifies the most frequent areas of non-compliance with the Quality Standards and most common areas of complaint about aged care services.

Residential care sector performance – Most frequent requirements of the Standards not met

1. 3b – High impact or high prevalence risks managed effectively
2. 3a – Safe and effective personal and clinical care
3. 8c – Effective organisation-wide governance systems
4. 2a – Safe and effective care and services
5. 2d – Communication of assessment and planning outcomes
6. 8e – Clinical governance framework
7. 5b – Safe, clean and well-maintained service environment
8. 7a – Number and mix of workforce
9. 8d – Risk management systems and practices
10. 2c – Planning in partnership with the consumer
11. 3d – Recognition and response to deterioration

Read more:

1 October – 31 December 2019 Sector Performance Data (.pdf)

Aged care facilities around Australia are now required to restrict visitation as the Federal Government continues to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Visits should be limited to two people per resident at one time each day, restricted to rooms, outdoor or specific areas designated by providers.

Children should not visit aged care centres at all.

Large group visits or gatherings, including social activities or entertainment should also be ruled out until further notice.

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Senator Richard Colbeck said the tough measures were the best way of protecting older and vulnerable Australians in care.

“None of this is easy, but we are facing an extraordinary health challenge and we need to work together to protect the Australians most vulnerable to COVID-19,” Minister Colbeck said.

Read more:

Strengthened guidelines to protect aged care residents

The Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, and Minister for Youth and Sport, Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck, has today released information on the restrictions to apply to visitors in residential aged care facilities to combat the spread of COVID⁠-⁠19.

Read more:

Residential Aged Care facilities new visitation restrictions

Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) coronavirus (COVID-19) statement on 17 March 2020

Strengthened guidelines to protect aged care residents