Supporting older people with home care
Our Home Care Packages ( HCP ) support older people with complex or changing care needs to live independently in their homes and community for longer .
This year our youngest consumer was aged 64 years and our oldest was aged 103 years .
Demand for HCPs continued to grow in 2023 . To meet demand , we grew and refined our team and systems to improve service delivery , made our offerings clearer , made our fee structure as competitive as possible .
We also prioritised meeting key milestones of the Aged Care Reforms . This included continuing to prepare for the July 2025 transition to the Support at Home program by improving consumer experiences through the delivery of essential care and services .
What did we achieve ? 6.2 % increase in HCPs managed
109 new Home Care Agreements signed and 367 people supported through our HCP
109 subcontractor arrangements in place
promoted consumer safety and eliminated risk
thorough annual compliance , subcontractor performance management and identifying and reporting of serious incidents under the Serious Incident Response Scheme ( SIRS )
Improving quality of life for people with Parkinson ’ s
An estimated four in every 1,000 Australians live with Parkinson ’ s disease , with the incidence increasing to one in 100 for peopled aged 60 +.
This year we launched a Parkinson ’ s Disease Group to support clients living with Parkinson ’ s disease to better manage their condition , improve their quality of life , and connect with peers for support and socialisation .
We co-designed the group with clients , and partnered with Carer
Gateway and Merri Health programs to organise guest speakers on common issues arising from Parkinson ’ s Disease .
The group runs over an 8-week period and takes a multi-disciplinary approach to education and exercise sessions .
What did we achieve ?
co-designed and launched a Parkinson ’ s Disease group
12 consumers supported through
3 group programs
24 sessions delivered including :
– exercise sessions for balance , co-ordination , and strength
– information sessions about maintaining nutrition , swallowing and speech difficulties , energy conservation , managing incontinence , preventing foot problems , and supporting carers
35 % increase reported in client knowledge about available support
meaningful improvement achieved in consumers ’ walking tolerance , balance , and overall confidence to manage their condition
all clients found the group beneficial and informative , and enjoyed the social connection
some clients wanted to continue with other Merri Health programs
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