Aged care news highlights from the week ending 30 March 2021, aggregated by CompliSpace.

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.

Aged Care Royal Commission 

Minister announces $20m for culturally tailored respite

According to Community Care Review, the government will provide almost $20 million of additional CHSP funding for tailored centre-based respite care for culturally and linguistically diverse older Australians. The announcement comes after the aged care royal commission said in its final report that the availability and quality of respite care is often lacking. Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck says the funding, amounting to $9.67 million a year for two years, will help senior Australians from culturally diverse communities live independently in their own homes by giving carers a break.

Coronavirus/COVID-19 News

Reminder: IPC lead training and reporting

(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, residential aged care facilities (including MPS and NATSIFACP services) are required to have Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) leads in each residential aged care facility.

As a part of this ongoing requirement, IPC leads must be appropriately trained. This includes completing:

our COVID-19 infection control online training modules, specifically:

• Infection Control Training – COVID-19
• all aged care modules, except 2.2 or 9.2 which relate to home care
• a suitable specialist IPC training course (if the IPC lead does not have suitable existing qualifications).

Providers are expected to support IPC leads to quickly complete this training, including through appropriate study leave.

Providers need to report all training information to the department. Residential and MPS providers should report through the My Aged Care provider portal and keep the information up to date. This means confirming completion of both the online modules by ticking ‘Yes’ and changing the completion status of the specialist training to ‘Completed’ once the IPC lead has submitted the coursework and assessments. NATSIFAC providers need to report using the IPC lead notification form.

For further information on IPC leads visit the department’s website.

Queensland update to Directions to Aged Care Providers

(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 Queensland Government has updated their advice to Aged Care Providers in Queensland (Aged Care Direction No. 25).

From 12pm 19 March 2021:

• There are no restricted Local Government Areas for aged care facilities.
• All visitors must not have any COVID-19 symptoms and must comply with all other restrictions of the aged care facility.

Aged Care Providers are reminded to continue to stay up to date with advice and Directions on the QLD Health website and to check for these updates regularly.

Pausing the vaccine rollout will claim, not protect, lives, says Professor

According to Hospital and Healthcare, countries that have opted to pause the AstraZeneca vaccine amid unsubstantiated blood clotting fears are actively choosing to end lives, according to Professor Bruce Thompson, from the School of Health Sciences at Swinburne University. The three categories of COVID-19 vaccine currently in circulation, globally, have claimed zero lives to date — despite upwards of 400 million doses having been administered. Meanwhile, the mortality rate for COVID-19 is sitting at around 3.4%. The decision to pause the vaccine rollout — taken by several European countries earlier this month — was based on an unsubstantiated belief that AstraZeneca’s vaccine may be linked to deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This was after several DVT cases emerged among the 90 million-strong vaccine recipient population.

Four in five residents at risk of worst outcomes of COVID-19

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, more than four in five aged care residents are at risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID-19 while half of residents are in higher danger due to having two or more risk factors, a University of South Australia study has found. Males, increasing age and people with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cancer are identified as more vulnerable to poor outcomes from COVID-19 and more than one of these conditions increases the risks.

Legislation

Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Financial Transparency) Bill 2020 [No. 2] [CTH] – REMOVED 23 March 2021

A Private Member's Bill to amend the Aged Care Act 1997 to require residential aged care providers to give an annual financial transparency report to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, who would then make them public. The Bill also amends the Corporations Act 2001 to ensure residential aged care providers include detailed financial information in their annual financial statements. This Bill was removed from Parliament and will not become law.

Resources and Upcoming Events

Governance in Aged Care: Beyond the Royal Commission – 2-day digital conference, 14 and 15 April 2021

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, with the imminent release of the Royal Commission into Quality and Safety in Aged Care, providers are at a critical turning point. Now is the time to carve out a new way forward to better support older Australians and their families, while ensuring a strong and sustainable industry.

Designed in partnership with COTA and ACSA, the Governance in Aged Care: Beyond the Royal Commission conference brings together experts, advocates and leaders from across Australia to unpack the Final Report and tackle the biggest issues for effective governance. The conference is taking place online, on 14th & 15th April 2021.

Flu vaccination poster

The Department of Health has issued this Flu Vaccination Poster. Residential aged care facilities may wish to display the attached poster at entrances, to alert anyone entering the facility of the flu vaccination requirements that came into effect on 1 May 2020.

Older Person’s COVID-19 Support Line

According to The Department of Health, a new Older Person’s COVID-19 Support Line has been set up to provide information, support and check on older Australians during the period of social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. COTA Australia, National Seniors, Dementia Australia and the Older Person’s Advocacy Network have banded together to deliver this service with support from the Australian Government.

Senior Australians, their families and carers can freecall 1800 171 866 if they:

• would like to talk with someone about what COVID-19 means for them or a loved one
• are feeling lonely or distressed
• are caring for a someone and need some information or a listening ear about what COVID-19 means for your circumstances
• are worried about COVID-19 means for their usual aged care service
• are worried about a friend or family member living with dementia.
• are unable to access information on the internet and would like up-to-date advice.

Home care services providers can also use the number and dial option 1 to refer home care clients who would like a call from an independent organisation to check on their wellbeing.

The service will include outbound and inbound calls to provide contact, reassurance and practical advice on connecting to services to maximise social engagement and wellbeing whilst at home.

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.

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.

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?