Author: Jesse

In this issue, read a message from the Minister for Aged Care, learn about SIRS resources for home care, and check operational hours over the holiday period.

News about the reforms:

• A message from Minister for Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP
• Star Ratings for residential aged care are now live

Home care:

• SIRS resources for home care service providers
• HCP price capping legislation now available
• Respite care for HCP recipients
• Support to recruit home care workers for NSW/ACT providers
• Reforming in-home aged care webinar recording now available

Sector news:

• Operational hours over the holiday period
• Reporting back on the Provider Pulse Survey
• Grant Opportunity now open: Improving respite care for people with dementia and their carers
• Aged care research and innovation grants available
• Extension to registered nurses’ payment grant round
• Explore the OPAN self-advocacy toolkit
• Advisory body responsibilities for approved providers

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/32 (.pdf)

The Albanese Government has today released star ratings for residential aged care homes in an Australian first initiative that increases transparency and helps older people make informed choices.

As of this morning, Star Ratings can be found on the My Aged Care website using the ‘Find a provider’ tool.

Star Ratings were a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which highlighted the need for measurable information on aged care quality to support older Australians to compare residential aged care homes.

Residential aged care homes receive an overall Star Rating, from one to five, that is measured against four sub-categories: Compliance, Residents’ Experience, Staffing and Quality Measures.

With families coming together for the holiday period, Star Ratings will allow older Australians to better understand and compare residential aged care services.

Star Ratings also allow residential aged care providers the opportunity for continuous, measurable improvement.

The final percentages of Star Ratings for aged care homes are:

• 5 Star – 1%
• 4 Star – 36%
• 3 Star – 54%
• 2 Star – 8%
• 1 Star – 1%

Read more:

Star ratings deliver informed choice and transparency

In this edition:

• Commissioner’s message
• Aged care reform update
• A look back at the Governing for Reform program in 2022
• If you have a positive food story to tell, we want to hear it
• From the Chief Clinical Advisor – Summer alert
• New guiding principles to improve medication management in aged care
• National Dementia Action Plan public consultation now open
• OPAN launches new self-advocacy toolkit
• New and updated Commission resources

Read more:

Aged Care Quality Bulletin #48 – December 2022

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

Read more:

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care – Schedule from 1 January 2023 (.pdf)

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Pre-1 July 2014 Residential and Home Care Recipients – Schedule from 1 January 2023 (.pdf)

Home Care Packages Program Pricing Update – FAQs (.pdf)

Home Care Packages pricing update (.pdf)

Base interest rate (BIR) and maximum permissible interest rate (MPIR) for residential aged care (.pdf)

ROACA Summary 2021–22 (.pdf)

Key facts from the 2021–22 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 (.pdf)

Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities collection

AN-ACC resources

Guide to Combining Aged Care Services (.pdf)

Star Ratings FAQs for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Key points:

• Providers should be alert to the risks of heat and sun exposure when caring for older people and:
• look for signs of poor hydration, for example less frequent toileting
• look for signs of overheating, for example red skin or confusion.

The La Niña weather phenomenon may be easing but the effects of adverse weather events remain.

In addition, the current COVID-19 wave presents challenges across the country, especially as people come together over the holiday season.

With summer now upon us, it is time to reconsider the risks this season brings for older Australians.

As the weather heats up, please be alert to the risks of heat and sun exposure when caring for older people.

Aged care providers should clearly understand the inherent risks in their locations, spaces and their individual residents.

Read more:

Clinical Alerts: Keeping residents safe this summer

These resources about Star Ratings are to help residential aged care providers and older Australians understand how they are used to compare the quality of residential aged care.

Read more:

Star Ratings Provider Manual (.pdf)

Star Ratings fact sheet for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Star Ratings – Frequently asked questions for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Star Ratings fact sheet for older Australians (.pdf)

Star Ratings – Frequently asked questions for older Australians (.pdf)

Star Ratings ‘how to’ for Residential Aged Care (video)

Services Australia will be issuing January 2023 advance payments for residential care which will be calculated on 18 December 2022 and paid onwards from 20 December 2022.

Please submit your November 2022 claim to Services Australia no later than 12 December 2022 to allow for early processing of the January 2023 advance payment.

Read more:

Advance Payments for January 2023

As the Department of Health & Aged Care continue to release further details and documents on AN-ACC we will continue to update these here for you.

They have released updated and/or new guides on:

1. The Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding guide (.pdf)
2. Are AN-ACC assessments high quality? (.pdf)
3. How allied health care is supported under AN-ACC (.pdf)
4. What is the AN-ACC Transition Fund? (.pdf)
5. Subsidies and Supplements under AN-ACC (.pdf)
6. How is cognition assessed under AN-ACC? (.pdf)
7. Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN ACC) – Specialised status guide for residential aged care approved providers (.pdf)
8. Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) update – November 2022 (video)
9. AN-ACC assessments dashboard (.pdf)

Residential aged care services will receive a preview of their overall Star Rating and sub-category ratings by Monday 12 December 2022. Organisation Administrators nominated by providers in My Aged Care should have already received an initial email and will receive a provider preview for each residential aged care service they are linked to in My Aged Care.

If your service has not received a provider preview by Monday 12 December 2022, Organisation Administrators should contact the My Aged Care service provider and assessor helpline on 1800 836 799 and select option 4 ‘Star Ratings’.

If you’re uncertain about the overall Star Rating or sub-category ratings your service has received, please act by 17 December 2022.

Read more:

Star Ratings provider preview available

Key points:

• Providers should be alert to choking risks within your service
• Providers should ensure 24/7 onsite first aid capabilities
• All staff should understand how to manage a choking event
• Clinical staff should be able to access and use suction devices to remove food and liquid from the mouth and throat if required
• Suction devices should be checked regularly to ensure they are functioning properly
• All staff should be aware that an advance care directive not to resuscitate does not mean first aid shouldn’t be performed when needed e.g. during a choking episode.

The Commission is advising you as a residential aged care provider to be alert to choking risks and to ensure 24/7 onsite first aid capabilities within your service.

This alert comes after a South Australian coroner made recommendations in a recent report about managing a choking incident in a residential aged care service.

You should ensure there is onsite first aid capability at your service and that all staff within your service know how to access this at any time.

Read more:

Clinical Alerts: Ensuring first aid capabilities to manage choking risk in residential aged care