Other News

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Bulletin

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s latest Bulletin covers:

• infection prevention and control still a key focus
• visitor access survey report findings
• moving to ‘command and control’ leadership during an outbreak
• Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) update
• our current work on antimicrobial stewardship
• expanded quality indicator reporting obligations from 1 July
• prudential campaign – permitted uses of refundable accommodation deposits
• updated information about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout

ANMF calls for better aged care staffing

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has launched a multimedia campaign calling on the Government to prioritise aged care in the upcoming Federal Budget and improve aged care staffing. The “It’s Not Too Much” campaign, which launched on Monday, includes radio, television and online ads plus mobile billboards in key electorates that highlight the daily struggles of residents due to aged care staffing shortages such as inadequate pain relief or mealtime assistance.

Grattan Institute costs aged care reform at $10b a year

According to Community Care Review, public policy think tank Grattan Institute says the Federal Government needs to spend an additional $9.8 billion a year on recommended aged care reform measures. Grattan Institute released a report this month identifying the cost of key reforms in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report.

NDIS ‘provides benchmark’ for aged care funding

According to Community Care Review, people receiving aged care only get about a quarter of the funding available to NDIS participants, an analysis by industry peak LASA shows.

Ransomware attack a timely reminder for aged care providers

According to Inside Ageing, in this guest post, Jay Malone – Novigi Client Partner, Health Aged and Community Services – discusses the ongoing importance of cybersecurity protection in Australia’s aged care industry.

Aged care LGBTIQ+ resources

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to the Department of Health, the need to deliver safe and inclusive services to people with diverse needs and experiences is embedded in the Aged Care Quality Standards. Standard 1 highlights the need for aged care providers to provide a culture of inclusion and respect for all consumers. Effective use of the following narrative and poster could help demonstrate that you have a culture of inclusion and respect and support consumers to exercise choice and independence.

Rainbow Makers: This narrative traces the journey of Malloy, an older lesbian, as she navigates her way through an experience of discrimination by an aged care service provider. The aim of the narrative is to help aged care providers better understand how they can advocate for and provide appropriate and inclusive support services to LGBTIQ+ elders.

You are welcome here poster: An aged care poster featuring Malloy from the above narrative. Navigating the aged care system can be daunting for LGBTIQ+ communities, many who have experienced discrimination and stigma in their lifetime. Once your inclusive policies are in place and your staff are trained, this poster could be displayed in your foyer or in common areas so that anyone who enters your facility or organisation can be reminded of your commitment to inclusion. Visual cues such as this may also help consumers to feel confident sharing their identity and helps the workforce see them as a whole person.

Displaying visual cues for inclusion is a recommended step in moving forward to help consumers make informed choices, as stated in the LGBTI diversity action plan – a guide for providers.

For more information or for questions, contact Ageing.and.Diversity@health.gov.au

Webinar 4 May: Stay Connected in Your Community

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to the Department of Health: join some of the stars of Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds to share their stories with you and talk about how they've tackled social isolation and loneliness.

This webinar will cover:  

• social isolation and loneliness in community and residential aged care
• effects of social isolation on older people
• how community connections can transform older people lives.

Date and time: Tuesday 4 May 2021, 11:30am AEST

Panel members include:

• Aesh Rao, Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds, Season 2
• Farid Silwanis, Community Visitors Scheme Volunteer
• Craig Gear, OAM, CEO, Older Persons Advocacy Network
• Dr Stephanie Ward, Geriatrician, Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds, Seasons 1 and 2.

Register for the webinar online.

Free trial of PainChek® tool: four weeks left to sign up

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to the Department of Health, the Australian Government is funding a 12 month national trial of the PainChek® pain assessment tool for residential aged care providers. The tool aims to improve pain diagnosis and management in residents with dementia.

More than 1,000 Australian residential aged care facilities are already benefiting from the use of PainChek®, a medical device in the form of an App for smartphones. The App uses artificial intelligence to assess pain levels in residents who are unable to communicate, including those with dementia.

There are only four weeks left to sign up to the 12 month free trial. You can complete your expression of interest on the PainChek® website.

Residential care support supplement

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to the Department of Health, on 1 March 2021, the Australian Government announced it would make an immediate investment for residential care providers to provide stability and maintain services while it considers the recommendations of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

This includes the residential care support supplement to approved residential care providers.

The supplement is based on occupancy in residential care services during February 2021, with different payment rates for metropolitan (Modified Monash Model (MMM) 1) services and non-metropolitan (MMM 2-7) services.

Details of the payment will be shown on relevant payment statements issued by Services Australia.

For further information about this payment, contact Services Australia by:

• calling 1800 195 206
• emailing care.liaison@servicesaustralia.gov.au

National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) is changing

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to the Department of Health, from 1 July 2021, residential aged care providers will be required to collect and report on five quality indicators:

• pressure injuries
• use of physical restraint
• unplanned weight loss
• falls and major injury
• medication management

Data collection for the new quality indicators begins in the 1 July to 30 September 2021 quarter, and must be reported in the 1 October and 21 October 2021 submission period.

Collection of the quality indicators must continue in the 1 April to 30 June 2021 quarter, and will be reported in the 1 July and 21 July 2021 submission period.

Find more information about the QI Program on the department’s website. New quality indicator guidance materials will be available on the website from May 2021.

South Australian flu vaccination requirements

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to the Department of Health, the South Australian government has directed that all staff and visitors to a residential aged care facility must be vaccinated against 2021 seasonal influenza by 1 June 2021.

In addition, the Australian COVID-19 vaccination program is currently underway in RACFs. COVID-19 vaccination is voluntary, but strongly encouraged for both residents and staff.

Providers are advised that if a residential aged care facility is unable to access an adequate supply of the influenza vaccine by 1 June 2021, or an employee or contractor is unable to receive the influenza vaccination by 1 June 2021 due to the timing of their COVID-19 vaccination:

The facility must notify the Department for Health and Wellbeing within two business days of 1 June 2021 to advise that staff have not been able to be vaccinated due to the above reasons (include the timing of COVID-19 vaccinations being offered to staff, where applicable).

This notification should be made by email to officeforageingwell@sa.gov.au.

The facility must take all reasonable steps to ensure that all staff are vaccinated as soon as reasonably practicable after 1 June 2021, or following the preferred minimum interval of 14 days between administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and the influenza vaccine.

Attached to this newsletter is a letter about the influenza vaccination and a reporting template seeking 2021 vaccination information for South Australian providers.

Australia: a nation ready for end-of-life choices

According to Hospital and Healthcare, Australia is at a tipping point when it comes to end-of-life choices and euthanasia laws. Repeated opinion polls reveal that more than 70%, and up to 90%, of Australians support voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in situations where a person is in the final stages of an untreatable or terminal illness and is experiencing suffering that cannot be relieved. Despite this, only three states have passed legislation to provide their constituents with this end-of-life choice: Victoria, Western Australia and, most recently, Tasmania. So, what is happening in the country’s remaining states and territories?

Updated: The Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice – invitation to join consultations

According to Inside Ageing, the Aged Care Workforce Industry Council (ACWIC) is pleased to invite you to the Jurisdictional Consultations for the ‘The Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice (the Code)’. The purpose of the Jurisdictional Consultations is to enable the sector to help shape and refine the processes around implementation of the Code. We want to hear the views of the workforce, providers and consumers about the implementation, monitoring, and governance of the Code.