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Home care program flagging
LASA boss says further investigation and investment needed to improve HCP activation rate.
More work needs to be done on the rollout of the government’ s Increasing Choice in Home Care program, Leading Age Services Australia( LASA) says.
Announced in the 2015 – 16 Budget and commenced on 27 February 2017, the ICHC reforms aimed to improve the way home care services are delivered to older Australians.
Sean Rooney, chief executive of LASA, said the peak body’ s research has revealed a number of aspects of the rollout that it wants to work with government to address.
The Second Home Care Provider Survey found while available home care packages increased by 14 per cent from 79,000 to 90,000, there was a much smaller increase in consumer activation of packages( 4.7 per cent).
LASA said this increase appears lower than what would be expected.
“ Extrapolated to a system-wide level, a 4.7 per cent increase translates to nearly 7000 less HCPs than what should be activated if all consumers were to activate their assigned package. This suggests further investigation and investment is required to improve the rate with which consumers activate HCPs once they are assigned to them,” the report said.
It also found that premature residential care admissions due to a shortage of high level home care packages occurred at a rate of 2.7 per cent of all packages, and the extent of accumulated unspent home care package funds is estimated to be $ 200 – 350 million system-wide.
LASA added the number of package upgrades for existing home care consumers to a higher level home care package increased significantly across the six months, and said this highlights the effectiveness of the My Aged Care system in facilitating consumer upgrades consistent with demand.
The home care package rollout is being challenged by the implementation of significant system changes that support greater consumer choice while the system is also straining to keep up with growing demand, Rooney said.
“ In the short term, more work needs to be done to ensure that available packages are reaching those who need them most.” ■
$ 25m for older adult advocacy network
Minister launches advocacy network to provide free support to older people who need help navigating their aged care rights.
Aged & Community Services Australia( ACSA) has welcomed the launch of a strengthened support network for older Australians accessing aged care services. Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt launched the Older Persons Advocacy Network( OPAN) recently and said it would immediately provide strong local voices for individuals in need.
Wyatt said the network supports all elder Australians, including those with varied needs who might be living with a disability or dementia, are care leavers, or are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“ Through OPAN’ s network of nine service delivery organisations – one in each state and the ACT, and two in the Northern Territory, in Darwin and Alice Springs – we are now providing a nationally consistent model of independent advocacy.”
ACSA chief executive Pat Sparrow said the provision of a nationally consistent network of independent advocacy and support services represents a vital resource that will help to empower older people using aged care services.
“ Supporting older Australians to know their rights is a key dynamic for the healthy functioning of the aged care industry,” Sparrow said, adding OPAN is a welcome service providing for positive engagement between aged care providers, consumers and support services.
Sparrow said access to free, confidential advocacy and support will help facilitate an overall positive engagement between older Australians and aged care providers.
The government has provided $ 25.7 million over the next three years for OPAN to deliver the new National Aged Care Advocacy Program.
Wyatt said help was now at hand for people aged 55 and over who encountered serious frustrations or needed guidance in navigating their aged care rights.
“ People needing help should see the OPAN website or dial the freecall number and they will be linked to a local service offering personal support.
“ The aim of the service is simple – providing the free, independent and confidential advocacy support and information our elder Australians deserve.” ■
2 agedcareinsite. com. au