Aged care news highlights from the week ending 05 April 2020.

The information in the Weekly Wrap is aggregated from other news sources to provide you with news that is relevant to the aged care sector across Australia and worldwide. Each paragraph is a summary of the subject matter covered in the particular news article. The information does not necessarily reflect the views of CompliSpace and Critical Success Solutions.

Coronavirus/COVID-19 News

Unannounced visits to aged care facilities postponed indefinitely

According to Aged Care Guide, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, responsible for assessing and monitoring the quality of Australian aged care services, has postponed all unannounced visits to aged care facilities in response to the coronavirus crisis. While the unannounced visits will stop, other site visits will continue for particular circumstances and based on the level of assessed risk by the Commission. If a residential aged care service is coming up for reaccreditation, there are special provisions in place which will prevent the expiry of accreditation and will ensure the continuity of accreditation of that service.

17 aged care homes across Australia report cases of coronavirus – but other countries facing much worse situations

According to The Donaldson Sisters, there are now 41 residents and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 across 17 aged care homes in Australia as of yesterday, according to the Department of Health. The figures sound high – certainly the ideal number would be zero. But the homes affected still only represent 0.5% of all residential care in Australia. Australia’s aged care homes are in a much better position than those in other countries to deal with an outbreak of the virus.

Applications now open: Business Improvement Fund for residential aged care

(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, grant opportunities for the Business Improvement Fund for residential aged care are now open. Providers can apply for grant assistance to improve business operations, or support sale of facility to another provider, or closure where no other options are available. The Business Improvement Fund is designed to support small to medium sized providers:

• with limited access to other financial support
• facing significant financial pressures which may impact on care to residents or risk service closure.

Applications must be submitted via GrantConnect by 2:00pm AEST on 15 May 2020.

Older Australians to get targeted flu shot

According to Aged Care Insite, the first flu vaccine specifically aimed at people aged 65 and over will be available in Australia. Ahead of the flu season, where it is hoped early vaccination will ease pressure on a health system already stressed by the coronavirus, older Aussies will have access to a shot meant just for them. The vaccine named Fluad Quad is designed for older adults whose immune systems weaken with age. The listing comes after pharmacists said they have seen a huge surge in people getting flu shots, outpacing last season’s demand.

Influenza vaccinations - Restrictions on entry into aged care facilities

The Department of Health has released further information to assist residential aged care providers to understand the entry restrictions to aged care facilities that related to 2020 influenza vaccinations. The Frequently Asked Questions document can be found on the department's website.

Personal Protective Equipment Training

(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, a new eLearning training module is now available for Aged Care workers covering the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Standard precautions are always used in healthcare settings and must continue when caring for individuals with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Transmission-based precautions should be used in addition to standard precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When caring for residents or clients with COVID-19, this means:

• Contact and Droplet precautions, when entering the room, providing any direct care or support, or cleaning (gown, gloves, surgical face mask and eye protection), and
• Airborne precautions, when conducting aerosol-generating procedures or caring for individuals who are coughing excessively (P2/N95 Respirator)
• Staff working in residential care must change their PPE and perform hand hygiene after contact with any resident who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 or when moving from one room to another.

The new training covers in more detail the use of PPE and how to apply and remove PPE in the correct order.

Act on visitor restrictions: royal commissioner

According to Aged Care Insite, a royal commissioner has called for new aged care measures to minimise the unintended harm caused by interventions to protect older adults from the spread of COVID-19. Chair of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Tony Pagone on Friday issued a reminder that older adults are affected both by the potential to be contract the virus and by the “unintended consequences of the otherwise understandable and reasonable steps which have been taken to ensure for their safety”.

Wearing Eye Protection in Residential Aged Care Facilities

(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.)

There has been some uncertainty within the Aged Care sector about when workers should wear eye protection. The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) has provided advice specific to Residential Aged Care Facilities as follows:

• When caring for an asymptomatic resident in quarantine, contact and droplet precautions should be observed (PPE includes a gown, surgical mask, protective eyewear, and gloves), though eye protection is optional. Protective eyewear can be in the form of safety glasses, eye shield, face shield, or goggles.
• If the resident later becomes symptomatic/is a confirmed case of COVID-19, staff contacts not wearing eye protection should not be quarantined as close contacts if all other precautions had been observed and they remain well, unless direct contact with respiratory secretions had occurred (i.e. a splash injury to the face).

Training for aged care workers on the use and wearing of PPE is now available through the eLearning program.

COVID-19: How it happened

In this article, Aged Care Insite, takes a look at how the global pandemic began, how it spread, and how countries responded.

Streamlined Process to Increase Residential Respite Days

(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, to assist residential aged care providers respond to the increased demand for respite care as a result the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health has introduced a streamlined process for providers to apply to increase (or vary) the number of residential respite days at a service. As part of this simplified process, to apply to change the maximum number of residential respite days, providers can now make a request via e-mail to the Department’s State or Territory office in which the aged care service is located.

A request to increase the number of respite days can be made by email and accepted with the following information:

• Service name
• Total Number of respite days required
• Date of effect

Providers will then be notified of the outcome by email from the state/territory office. Please contact the relevant State or Territory via the appropriate email address below:
QLDPlaces@health.gov.au
NSWPlaces@health.gov.au (including applications from the ACT)
VICPlaces@health.gov.au
TASPlaces@health.gov.au
SAPlaces@health.gov.au
WAPlaces@health.gov.au
NTPlaces@health.gov.au

Government suggests further protective measures for older Australians

According to Aged Care Guide, the Federal Government announced further measures to protect older Australians from contracting the coronavirus, COVID-19, including strong advice for people over the age of 70 to self-isolate at home for as long as practicable. Other people who are recommended to self-isolate include people over 60 years of age and Indigenous Australians over the age of 50 with health conditions or comorbidities. Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison also recommended that these older groups should reduce their contact with others when they go outside.

Online Resources Available

(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, four modules are available for completion as part of the Department of Health’s new eLearning program for Aged Care workers. Modules are:

• Module 1: Personal Safety
• Module 2: Families and Visitors
• Part A: Residential Care Facilities
• Part B: In Home Care
• Module 3: COVID-19 and Aged Care
• Module 4: Outbreak Management

Average staff hours per home care client have reduced to “potentially unsustainable levels”, according to a key financial report.

According to Community Care Review, the latest StewartBrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey, released this month, shows that average hours have dropped to less than six hours per client over a week. StewartBrown says while the financial impact of COVID-19 hasn’t affected the December 2019 indicators, the pandemic will heavily influence the results for subsequent quarters until the virus stabilises and the economy returns to normal. The report notes the government’s announcement of additional funding for staff retention but warns it may not be enough to cover the additional operational and regulatory burden involved in protecting aged care recipients from coronavirus.

Govt halts funding trial, delays ACAR

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the government has announced that planned aged care measures will be put on hold to divert resources to the coronavirus response. The trial of a new aged care assessment tool and classification model and the 2020 funding round for residential aged care places are both postponed, Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck announced on Friday.

Australian ICUs will be at overcapacity by 5 April, says modelling study

According to Hospital and Healthcare, modelling published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) suggests that Australian hospitals do not currently have the capacity to accommodate possible demand and, as a result, the future mortality rate of COVID-19 may be much higher than expected. According to the preprint article — given that Australia currently has around 2200 ICU beds — ICU capacity will be exceeded once the nation reaches around 22,000 cases of COVID-19. The authors suggest that this will be sometime around 5 April 2020 if public health measures fail to curb the rate of growth.

Help us to help you, plead nurses and midwives

According to Hospital and Healthcare, Members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) have issued a simple message to their local communities throughout the state: help us to help you. NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said pressure is building on local health services as more cases of COVID-19 are confirmed across metropolitan and regional parts of NSW. “The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in regional NSW is increasing and nurses and midwives are doing everything they can to look after those who have been hospitalised,” Holmes said. “Please respect all nurses, midwives and other health workers as they go about their important work and also when they are travelling to and from work. Please do not treat nurses, midwives and other health workers like they are infectious. These trained professionals should be respected and must not be abused, spat on or assaulted as they move through our communities, to and from their workplaces.”

People with dementia and the coronavirus

According to Aged Care Guide, protecting people with dementia from the coronavirus will be difficult and there will be a number of challenges around maintaining basic personal hygiene and how to notice the symptoms of COVID-19.

Coronavirus crisis: Oryx Communities aged care home creates ‘Window of Love’ to help residents stay connected to families

According to The West Australian, a picture is worth a thousand words and, in this case, it’s also worth a thousand emotions. Richardson Aged Care residents Dolores and Jerry Donovan yesterday spoke to their loved ones face-to-face for the first time in weeks thanks to the Oryx Communities’ newest creation, the Window of Love. Elderly residents and their families can now lay eyes on each other while talking, despite restricted visitation measures. “I love it, it’s a wonderful thing. We cried the whole time talking to each other,” Mrs Donovan said. Husband Jerry admitted the “separation has been quite hard to take”. “It’s incredible they’ve done this.” The window, surrounding surfaces, and the bench are cleaned after each person’s visit.

Other News

No other news this week.

Legislation

Aged Care (Subsidy, Fees and Payments) Amendment (Workforce Continuity Funding) Determination 2020 (Cth) – commenced 1 March 2020

This instrument amends the Aged Care (Subsidy, Fees and Payments) Determination 2014 to implement temporary increases to the rates of aged care basic subsidy, viability supplement, and homeless supplement. The Amending Determination gives effect to measures announced on 20 March 2020 by the Prime Minister of temporary increases in additional funding for both residential and home care providers. The increased funding is to support continuity of the aged care workforce due to the impacts from COVID-19.

Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) (Subsidy and Other Measures) Amendment (Workforce Continuity Funding) Determination 2020 (Cth) – commenced 1 March 2020

This instrument amends the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) (Subsidy and Other Measures) Determination 2014 to implement temporary increases to the rates of aged care basic subsidy, viability supplement, and homeless supplement. The Amending Determination gives effect to measures announced on 20 March 2020 by the Prime Minister of temporary increases in additional funding for both residential and home care providers. The increased funding is to support continuity of the aged care workforce due to the impacts from COVID-19.

COVID-19 Emergency Response Bill 2020 (ACT) – introduced 02.04.20

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Bill 2020 will give urgent effect to Commonwealth agreements as well as ensure immediate operational requirements are able to come into effect to allow the Government to adapt to additional and extraordinary measures implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy objective of this bill is to make amendments required to support urgent and immediate operational responses which are necessary to respond to and prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Guardianship and Administration Amendment (Medical Research) Bill 2020 (WA) – introduced 1.4.20

The purpose of this Bill is to amend the Guardianship and Administration Act 1990 to provide the authorisation and appropriate safeguards to enable enduring guardians, guardians and next of kin to consent to medical research for people under legal incapacity.

Resources and Upcoming Events

Resources on diverse population groups are now available for aged care staff

According to The Department of Health, The End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) website helps you to care for older Australians at the end of life. Our new diversity resources can help health workers and aged care staff to care for:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Care leavers
• Carers
• Culturally and linguistically diverse people
• Financially or socially disadvantaged people
• People experiencing homelessness
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people
• People living in rural and remote areas
• People with spirituality and faith beliefs
• Veterans

How people think about death, dying and end of life is different for each person. Learning about these differences can help you to provide good palliative care. Access these resources on the Diverse Population Groups page of the ELDAC website.

Medication Management in Home Care – Webinar - Tue., 31 March 2020, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm AEDT

Lorraine Poulos and associates are hosting al Medication Management Webinar will provide you with information and guidance about the principles for medication management in the community and will include Craig Harris from Webstercare who is an expert in Medication Management in Aged Care. We will provide an overview about what is contemporary practice in medication management in the home.

Calculating residential accommodation payments in a leap year

This year is a leap year, with 366 days instead of 365. The Department of Health has received queries from approved providers of residential care seeking advice on how to calculate a daily accommodation payment (DAP) in a leap year. The calculators specified in the Fees and Payments Principles 2014 (No. 2) (the Principles) refer to 365 days for working out:

• the DAP (or contribution) equivalent to a refundable accommodation deposit (RAD) (or contribution)
• the amount of interest on a RAD (or contribution) balance or accommodation bond balance.

Even though 2020 is a leap year, residential care providers should continue to use 365 days when calculating DAP amounts and the interest payable on refunds of lump sum deposits. But please be aware that daily payments and daily contributions are payable for 366 days in 2020.

What Matters Most – New person centred care resources

According to The Department of Health, Palliative Care Australia, through a Dementia and Aged Care Services Fund grant, has launched a suite of resources to encourage early conversations about What Matters Most to older people, their care and their end of life preferences.

Quality Indicators (QIs) pilot – specific service types invited to participate

The Department of Health has engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to assist in the development and pilot to trial the new QIs relating to:

• medication management
• falls and fractures.

To ensure the pilot captures the views and experiences of residential aged care services nationally, the department would like to strongly encourage the following services to take part:

• Services operating in Queensland or remote areas
• Smaller services (less than 50 residential aged care places)
• Previous QI Program pilot participants
• Private (for profit) or State Government services.

Participation in the pilot is an opportunity for your service to trial and provide feedback on these indicators ahead of the implementation of the additional QIs from 1 July 2021. The pilot will commence in February 2020, please register your interest by 27 January 2020.

NATSIFAC Program Bi-Annual One-off Grant Opportunity – Second Approach now open

According to The Department of Health, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) Program 2019-2020 Bi-Annual One-off Grant Opportunity – Second Approach is a targeted, competitive application process. NATSIFAC Program service providers can apply for grant funding to address a clearly identified need that supports the delivery of aged care services. Service providers in remote and very remote Australia (geographical locations defined as Modified Monash Model 6 and 7) will be prioritised. The Grant Opportunity opened on Thursday 16 January 2020. All applications must be received by the department by 2:00pm, Thursday 12 March 2020.

6 steps for safe prescribing antipsychotics and benzodiazepines in residential aged care

Issued by the Department of Health, this infographic outlines the 6 steps for safe prescribing antipsychotics and benzodiazepines in residential aged care.

Aged care video alert: Dignity of risk

According to Lexology, the concept of dignity of risk is not entirely new, however it now has a position of prominence in aged care with the Aged Care Quality Standards. In this video update, senior associate Dr Melanie Tan explains:

• What does dignity of risk mean?
• Where and when does dignity of risk apply?
• What is the duty of care within dignity of risk?

Financial Transformation in Aged Care Conference – 29-30 April 2020, Sydney

Criterion Conferences is hosting a Financial Transformation in Aged Care Conference. Developed in partnership with COTA Australia and ACSA, this event is your opportunity to voice your concerns, strategise with leading providers, and actively engage in dialogue that will build a stronger, sustainable future for your organisation and the industry.

2018-19 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997

According to the Department of Health, the 2018-19 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 is now available from the GEN Aged Care Data website. The report details the operation of Australia’s aged care system during the 2018–19 financial year and provides a snapshot of the system as a whole. It is delivered to Parliament each year by the Minister in accordance with section 63-2 of the Aged Care Act 1997.

2^nd Governance in Aged Care Conference – 20-21 May 2020, Doltone House Hyde Park Sydney

According to Criterion Conferences, the 2nd Governance in Aged Care conference has been developed in partnership with COTA Australia and ACSA to support you to effectively lead and govern your aged care service into the future. You will walk away with a deeper understanding of what good governance structures and culture looks like in practice, and how you could apply this to your own organisation.