Month: May 2022

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new and updated resources.

Read more:

Outbreak management planning in aged care (.pdf)

News about the reforms:

• Webinar: Consumer Experience Interviews information session
• Counting residents against each AN-ACC classification

Other news:

• Important reminder about use of My Aged Care trade mark
• Register now for CALDWays Conference 2022
• Free translation service available for aged care providers
• Australian Dementia Research Forum 2022
• Webinar recording available: Early Diagnosis of Dementia … Why Bother?
• Webinar: Powers of Attorneys and understanding consent and capacity
• Celebrating National Volunteer Week 16-22 May
• FriendLine volunteers offer connection and conversation
• Webinar: Digital Transformation Tech Talk

For residential care providers:

• Information for providers yet to upgrade to Services Australia’s Aged Care Online web services

For home care providers:

• Have your say on supporting the home care workforce
• In-home aged care service list survey closes 24 May

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/09 (.pdf)

A list of new and updated resources – including apps, audio and video resources and other publications – about aged care.

Read more:

COVID-19 vaccination – winter doses for senior Australians (.pdf)

Instrument to determine the number of transition care places available for allocation in 2022-23 (.pdf)

AN-ACC Shadow Dashboard (.pdf)

Improving Home Care Pricing Information (.pdf)

In this edition:

• Leadership and Governance Webinar for RACFs
• State and territory directions
• Supporting Visitation in RACFs – resources

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update – 9 May 2022

Published by: Anita Courtney, Felicity Iredale, and Johanna Heaven

As aged care providers continue to grapple with balancing their duty of care and their obligation to respect their clients’ dignity of risk, some are asking clients to sign an acknowledgment which includes waivers/releases and indemnities as a way of mitigating the risks.

These acknowledgment forms can be used in a range of scenarios where the client wishes to engage in an activity that creates a risk to themselves or others. For example:

• A resident’s family wants the resident to use an electrical scooter despite the resident having difficulty controlling it
• A guardian wants the resident to be given food that presents a risk of choking
• A home care client wishes to engage a worker/service provider that is not part of their preferred supplier list.

A risk acknowledgment/waiver form can form a part of your dignity of risk processes in these sorts of situations. However it is important to understand the associated benefits and limitations.

Read more:

Aged Care Alert – Dignity of risk in aged care: benefits and limitations of waivers, releases and indemnities

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) continues to have personnel available in all jurisdictions to support residential aged care facilities impacted by workforce pressures due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Please note that in the event of any industrial action occurring in an aged care facility, including the proposed strikes in the week of 9 May 2022, the ADF is prohibited from being on-site during any industrial action.

Read more:

Strike Action and The Australian Defence Force

News about the reforms:

• Workforce Action Plan: Growing, skilling and enabling an aged care workforce
• Quarterly Financial Report and template

Other news:

• Celebrate International Nurses Day – 12 May
• Supporting bereaved family members with the Australian Death Notification Service
• Expansion of the Aged Care Transition to Practice Program
• My Aged Care: When did you last review your details?
• Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program (NSW)

For residential care providers:

• Specialist Dementia Care Program Grant Opportunity closing soon
• Assessment pathway changes for younger people in residential care
• Pilot: Monthly Care Statements

For home care providers:

• Survey open now: In-home care service list
• Report distribution of unspent funds on care recipient monthly statement

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update Newsletter – Issue #2022/08 (.pdf)

A list of new and updated resources – including apps, audio and video resources and other publications – about aged care.

Read more:

COVID-19 vaccination – Guidance for in-home and community aged care providers on reporting workforce COVID-19 vaccinations (.pdf)

COVID-19 vaccination – Guidance for residential aged care providers on reporting resident and workforce COVID-19 vaccinations (.pdf)

COVID-19 vaccination – Guidance for in-home and community aged care sub-contractors on mandatory reporting of the COVID-19 vaccination status of staff (.pdf)

Watch:

Upcoming changes to provider reporting on resident and workforce COVID-19 vaccination – 27 April 2022

Preparing your aged care service for winter – readiness – 13 April 2022

The Rural Locum Assistance Program (LAP) Aged Care provides staffing support services in rural and remote Australia for key personnel locum placements, which may include, but is not limited to registered nurses, enrolled nurses and facility managers.

The program helps providers to recruit aged care professionals or backfill staff on leave with suitable qualified and experienced locums.

Read more:

Aged Care Alert: Rural Locum Assistance Program (LAP) Aged Care

Rural Locum Assistance Program (LAP) Aged Care

Please join our webinar exploring medication safety in residential aged care and transition of care.

• DATE: Wednesday 4 May 2022
• TIME: 10 AM – 12 PM
• Register

Facilitated by Safety Care Victoria’s Manager Older People, Brett Morris, this session will cover medication safety in:

Residential aged care

• Goals and activities of the Strengthening Medication Safety in long-term care initiative that was launched by ISMP Canada to help address the inquiry recommendations
• Enablers of quality improvement in long-term care settings
• Three key findings of the Ontario Long-Term Care Public Inquiry Report.

Transitions of care

• Who is at risk for preventable harm during transitions of care
• Examples of how harm occurs at transitions of care
• Three strategies for improving medication safety at transitions of care.

Read more:

Clinical conversations: Residential aged care and transitions of care

Medication safety: Residential aged care and transitions of care