Aged Care Legislated Review – Anonymous 5
Table of Contents
1.Tell us about you
1.1What is your full name?
1.2What stakeholder category do you most identify with?
1.3Are you providing a submission as an individual or on behalf of an organisation?
1.4Do you identify with any special needs groups?
1.5What is your organisation’s name?
1.6Which category does your organisation most identify with?
1.7Do we have your permission to publish parts of your response that are not personally identifiable?
2.Response to Criteria in the Legislation
2.1Whether unmet demand for residential and home care places has been reduced
2.2Whether the number and mix of places for residential care and home care should continue to be controlled
2.3Whether further steps could be taken to change key aged care services from a supply driven model to a consumer demand driven model
2.4The effectiveness of means testing arrangements for aged care services, including an assessment of the alignment of charges across residential care and home care services
2.5The effectiveness of arrangements for regulating prices for aged care accommodation
2.6The effectiveness of arrangements for protecting equity of access to aged care services for different population groups
2.7The effectiveness of workforce strategies in aged care services, including strategies for the education, recruitment, retention and funding of aged care workers
2.8The effectiveness of arrangements for protecting refundable deposits and accommodation bonds
2.9The effectiveness of arrangements for facilitating access to aged care services
3.Other comments
1.Tell us about you
1.1What is your full name?
-
1.2What stakeholder category do you most identify with?
Carer - relative
1.3Are you providing a submission as an individual or on behalf of an organisation?
Individual
1.4Do you identify with any special needs groups?
Relative who is a centenarian.
1.5What is your organisation’s name?
-
1.6Which category does your organisation most identify with?
-
1.7Do we have your permission to publish parts of your response that are not personally identifiable?
Yes, publish all parts of my response except my name and email address
2.Response to Criteria in the Legislation
2.1Whether unmet demand for residential and home care places has been reduced
Refers to Section 4(2)(a) in the Act
In this context, unmet demand means:
•a person who needs aged care services is unable to access the service they are eligible for
e.g. a person with an Aged Care Assessment Team / Service (ACAT or ACAS ) approval for residential care is unable to find an available place; or
•a person who needs home care services is able to access care, but not the level of care they need
e.g. the person is eligible for a level 4 package but can only access a level 2package.
Response provided:
Access to an aged care service is hampered due to the individual’s personal choices. Even the opportunity to find a respite place can be blocked, due to unavailable places at the most local, aged care facility of the person’s choice.
Their first choice is to remain independent and live in their own home.
If rehabilitation facilities were available at the aged care service facility of the client’s choice, after an age related illness, then this may aid recovery towards independent living or respite care in the future.
There is a new short -term stay (preventative) that allows a frail elderly person to access nursing support within a care facility that encourages those who want to recover and be independent. The elderly person may not want to be treated as if they are incapable, knowing that they still have their “marbles” but are prone to be anxious.
This elderly person has had no trouble accessing a Home Care package at the assessed level. She did not accept the offer.
This elderly person insists on value for money. Home care was deemed as too expensive. This elderly person does not want assistance from a carer manager.
2.2Whether the number and mix of places for residential care and home care should continue to be controlled
Refers to Section 4(2)(b) in the Act
In this context:
•the number and mix of packages and places refers to the number and location of residential aged care places and the number and level of home care packages allocated by Government; and
•controlled means the process by which the government sets the number of residential care places or home care packages available.
Response provided:
Our local council aged care services can be customised to suit the aged person who remains fiercely independent.
There may be an individual who may prefer a customised approach that allows them to recover from an aged related illness over six months, be assessed as a level one –two, and then return to independent living with support from family and friends.
2.3Whether further steps could be taken to change key aged care services from a supply driven model to a consumer demand driven model
Refers to Section 4(2)(c) in the Act
In this context:
•a supply driven model refers to the current system where the government controls the number, funding level and location of residential aged care places and the number and level of home care packages;
•a consumer demand driven model refers to a model where once a consumer is assessed as needing care, they will receive appropriate funding, and can choose services from a provider of their choice and also choose how, where and what services will be delivered.
Response provided:
Yes, I think I was alluding to that consumer driven model in my last point for the previous section. Aged Care Assessor’s may find that they have to respect the fact that the individual aged person has their point of view on why they want to live independently.
2.4The effectiveness of means testing arrangements for aged care services, including an assessment of the alignment of charges across residential care and home care services
Refers to Section 4(2)(d) in the Act
In this context:
•means testing arrangements means the assessment process where:
- the capacity of a person to contribute to their care or accommodation is assessed (their assessable income and assets are determined); and
- the contribution that they should make to their care or accommodation is decided (their means or income tested care fee, and any accommodation payment or contribution is determined).
Response provided:
The individual person may deem the available aged care service as “too expensive” even with government subsidies, after the means test. Aligning charges across residential/ home care and local council may work but possibly being able to customise home care plans so that the more independent persons can be assisted without having a (non- relative) carer managing a program of care. For example, the doctor contacts the patient’s chemist and deliveries are made regularly that reflect changes to medications. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs has a similar idea in place for Australian veterans. Can this be extended to British veterans?
2.5The effectiveness of arrangements for regulating prices for aged care accommodation
Refers to Section 4(2)(e) in the Act
In this context:
•regulating prices for aged care accommodation means the legislation that controls how a residential aged care provider advertises their accommodation prices.
Response provided:
The current idea for aged care services to advertise their accommodation prices may have helped twenty years ago. There can be very personal reasons why an aged care person requires control of the equity wrapped up in home ownership.
2.6The effectiveness of arrangements for protecting equity of access to aged care services for different population groups
Refers to Section 4(2)(f) in the Act
In this contextequity of access means that regardless of cultural or linguistic background, sexuality, life circumstance or location, consumers can access the care and support they need.
In this context different population groups could include:
•people from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities;
•people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds;
•people who live in rural or remote areas;
•people who are financially or socially disadvantaged;
•people who are veterans of the Australian Defence Force or an allied defence force including the spouse, widow or widower of a veteran;
•people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless;
•people who are care leavers (which includes Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and Stolen Generations);
•parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal; and/or
•people from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans/transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities.
Response provided:
Please be inclusive, particularly for allied defence force personnel.
2.7The effectiveness of workforce strategies in aged care services, including strategies for the education, recruitment, retention and funding of aged care workers
Refers to Section 4(2)(g) in the Act
In this contextaged care workers could include:
•paid direct-care workers including nurses personal care or community care workers, and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists; and
•paid non-direct care workers including: managers who work in administration or ancillary workers who provide catering, cleaning, laundry, maintenance and gardening.
Response provided:
These aged care workers some direct and non-direct require pay scales that are equivalent to the teaching profession and a promotional structure that allows for fair pay for fair work. Physiotherapists deserve parity with doctors’ salaries. An ageing population means we need more teams of staff that can rotate with other teams to help them stay healthy and resilient.
2.8The effectiveness of arrangements for protecting refundable deposits and accommodation bonds
Refers to Section 4(2)(h) in the Act
In this context:
•arrangements for protecting refundable deposits and accommodation bonds means the operation of the Aged Care Accommodation Bond Guarantee Scheme.
Response provided:
If the arrangements can be strengthened for refundable bonds, please do propose stronger legislation.
2.9The effectiveness of arrangements for facilitating access to aged care services
Refers to Section 4(2)(i) in the Act
In this contextaccess to aged care services means:
•how aged care information is accessed; and
•how consumers access aged care services through the aged care assessment process.
Response provided:
I am able to help my one hundred and one year old Mum with the My Aged Care website. A profile for my Mum has been set up under my name. Communication with Mum’s assessor remains positive and helpful.
3.Other comments
Response provided:
Immediate help to access aged care service without an assessment if a client has been assessed at age one hundred may help to reduce anxiety for the client. In fact, if this is deemed exceptional, then include others who are ninety-five and older.
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