Author: Jesse

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

All states and territories have released directions (links below) that set out specific requirements with regard to entry into and visitors to residential aged care facilities. These directions give effect within each jurisdiction to the decisions made by National Cabinet that were announced by the Prime Minister on 18 March 2020.

The state and territory directions set out specific requirements in relation to influenza vaccinations.

Specifically, the requirements set out that individuals must not enter or remain on the premises of a residential aged care facility if the person does not have an up-to-date (i.e. 2020) vaccination against influenza, if such a vaccination is available to the person.

Residential aged care providers should work to have all staff vaccinated prior to 1 May 2020. If staff are not able to be vaccinated before 1 May 2020, then in line with the state and territory directions, staff should seek to have an up-to-date vaccination against influenza, as soon as such a vaccination is available to them.

Read more:

Restrictions on Entry into Aged Care Facilities – Influenza Vaccinations

18 March 2020 – Update on coronavirus measures

The directions are published on state/territory government websites as follows:

• New South Wales
• Victoria
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Tasmania
• Australian Capital Territory
• Northern Territory

Aged care facilities should implement the following measures for restricting visits and visitors to reduce the risk of transmission to residents, including:

• Limiting visits to a short duration;
• Limiting visits to a maximum of two immediate social supports (family members, close friends) or professional service or advocacy at one time, per day;
• Visits should be conducted in a resident’s room, outdoors, or in a specific area designated by the aged care facility, rather than communal areas where the risk of transmission to residents is greater;
• No large group visits or gatherings, including social activities or entertainment, should be permitted at this time;
• No school groups of any size should be allowed to visit aged care facilities.
• Visitors should also be encouraged to practise social distancing practices where possible, including maintaining a distance of 1.5 metres.
• Children aged 16 years or less must be permitted only by exception, as they are generally unable to comply with hygiene measures. Exemptions can be assessed on a case-by-case basis, for example, where the resident is in a palliative care scenario.
• Measures such as phone or video calls must be accessible to all residents to enable more regular communication with family members. Family and friends should be encouraged to maintain contact with residents by phone and other social communication apps, as appropriate.

Read more:

UPDATE ON CORONAVIRUS MEASURES (.pdf)

Aged care providers will temporarily be able to offer more hours to international students to ensure the care of senior and vulnerable Australians, as part of the campaign to combat the impact of coronavirus.

Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge said international students would help fill critical staff shortages emerging in the sector.

“As more workers take leave to quarantine or because of health concerns, we need to make sure there are enough staff to look after our older Australians who are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus,” Mr Tudge said.

“Many international students already work in the aged care sector but are restricted to 40 hours a fortnight. We’re relaxing those limits to help fill the temporary staff shortages.

“This follows similar concessions to major supermarkets to keep shelves stocked with essential items.

“We will continue to listen to businesses as the coronavirus situation develops and may consider expanding these measures to assist other sectors if and when required. We will also consider providing flexibility with other temporary visas should the need arise.”

Read more:

International students ready to fill critical staff shortages in aged care

Published by: Dr Melanie Tan, Anita Courtney, Anthony Massaro, Libby Pallot, Solomon Miller, Donna Rayner

‘Whatever we do, we’ve got to do for at least 6 months. 6 months.’

This is what Scott Morrison said today in discussing the controversial issue of school closures. If that is the case, then restrictions he announced today for residential aged care facilities are also likely to apply for months from now. Immediate action and forward planning is crucial for all aged care providers, with residential aged care providers subject to particular urgency.

Less than a week ago (on the day the pandemic was announced by WHO) we released an Alert, ‘Aged care and the COVID-19 pandemic: 10 legal tips for residential aged care providers’. Since then, the situation has continued to rapidly evolve and we have been closely monitoring this.

Read more:

Just in – Aged Care COVID-19 Visitation Restrictions – Federal Government Announcement

Altura Learning has produced a training video which explains the virus and symptoms of the disease. This course also provides practical demonstrations of hand hygiene, application and removal of PPE and practical strategies to help prepare and mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

The course includes an interview with a Microbiologist, who educates in infection control, and will discuss the virus and its potential impact to adult social care, and steps that can be taken to protect people in our care as well as employees.

As part of our continued commitment to improving the quality of people’s lives, we are offering the course free of charge.

Read more:

Altura Learning – COVID-19