News

This publication is the first release of data from the 2015 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC).

It presents key information about disability prevalence in Australia as well as data about older Australians (those aged 65 years and over). Data is also included about people with disability who reported that they had experienced discrimination.

Older Australians – In 2015:

– There were 3.5 million older Australians (those aged 65 years and over), that’s nearly one in seven people (15.1% of the total population).
– Around 1.8 million older Australians reported living with disability (7.7% of the total population).
– Some 654,600 older Australians had profound or severe disability (18.5% of older Australians).

Read more:

4430.0.10.001 – Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: First Results, 2015

Media Release: 23rd May 2016

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) spokesperson Beth Cameron is demanding Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reverse $3.1 billion of funding cuts his government has stripped from aged care.

The call comes after the inauguration of the first national board of a unified Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) peak body, replacing its former federated model.
“Our first item of business as a national board and a unified peak body is to seek a commitment from all political parties contesting the 2016 Federal Election to reverse funding cuts to aged care of $3.1 billion.”

Read more:

Media release: Reverse $3.1 billion funding cuts – fund the care seniors need and deserve (.pdf)

The 2016 Census will be conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on 9 August 2016.

Helping residents fill out forms

Where possible, care recipients should complete Census forms in the same way as any member of the public.
If you have care recipients who cannot physically fill out their forms, or cannot get help from family members or representatives, you may be able to nominate a staff member to be recruited and paid by the ABS as a Special Field Officer to help. The Special Field Officer can assist care recipients by interview or use information from administrative records to complete the Census form.

Read more:

How to help residents complete the 2016 Census
2016 Census Field Officers

Message from Minister for Health, Aged Care and Sport, the Hon Sussan Ley MP

The Turnbull Government is committed to delivering a plan to create a consumer-driven market approach to aged care, one which can also protect special needs groups and work in geographic areas where it is not always practical for providers to be ‘on the ground’.

Through our integrated approach to reform, we are also committed to supporting a diverse range of providers to be responsive to the care needs of older Australians.

Read more:

Minister’s message (.pdf)

The Department of Health has released a new edition of its ‘Information for Aged Care Providers’ newsletter.

Read more:

Information for Aged Care Providers – Issue #2016/9 (.pdf)

The 2016-2017 Annual Service, Support & Upgrade Fees were sent out today for renewal for the coming financial year.

All annual fees currently expire on the 30th June 2016 so please ensure your accounts department has processed this prior to expiry to continue receiving support and all upgrades from 1 July 2016.

If you do not believe you received the invoice then please email accounts@manad.com.au to request another copy.

Happy Birthday to us!

Management Advantage has just had its 24th Birthday.

Media release – Friday 13 May, 2016

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA), the voice of aged care, says closer analysis of the Budget cuts to aged care show an additional $350 million will be removed from care services than the Government has projected, resulting in more than $2 billion in cuts expected over the next four years.

“We are appalled that the Government and Department have downplayed the total amount they are ripping from aged care services through changes to ACFI,” LASA spokesperson Beth Cameron said.

“Independent analysis by Ansell Strategic, commissioned by LASA for its members, has found that the changes to ACFI will see cuts of almost $350 million more than initially thought. Coupled with the reduction of $607 million announced last December, aged care providers will have to find about $2 billion from other sources to make up the shortfall and remain viable,” she said.

Read more:

Media release – Budget cuts to aged care $350 million more than Gov admitted
Ansell Strategic – “In a nutshell” The impact of budget cuts to aged care #2 – Budget Cuts Understated and Misdirected (.pdf)

The Department of Health has released a new edition of its ‘Information for Aged Care Providers’ newsletter.

Read more:

Information for Aged Care Providers – Issue #2016/8 (.pdf)

In the 2016–17 Budget it was outlined there will be changes to residential care funding arrangements. The changes will be implemented in two stages.

Part A – Changes effective from 1 July 2016
– Half indexation of CHC domain in 2016–17
– Changes to certain scores in the CHC scoring matrix from 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2016 – for new appraisals or reappraisals of existing residents

Part B – Changes effective from 1 January 2017
– New redesigned CHC scoring matrix from 1 January 2017.
– Changes to scores and eligibility requirements for certain Complex Health Care procedures in Question 12 of ACFI

Read more:

Changes to residential aged care funding arrangements (.pdf)