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Information for the Aged Care Sector Issue 2020/22

Published

ALERT – My Aged Care scam

It has come to our attention that a client of an ACAT in WA has received a phone call from someone claiming to be from My Aged Care. The caller asked for $25 and bank details to register the client for My Aged Care.

We have asked that this incident be reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Please advise your clients of this event and to be aware that this is not how My Aged Care operates – there is no cost to register. You should also encourage your clients to report any suspicious activity to you so you can notify the department.

Information on scams and the process to report them is available at ‘Scamwatch’.

 

Reminder – Palliative Care Prognostic Tools survey

The department’s National Palliative Care Strategy 2018 prioritises the need for early planning and referral to palliative care for people affected by life-limiting illnesses.

The department is seeking information from all aged care providers to gain a better understanding of the use of palliative care prognostic (predictive) tools in aged care services.

The survey seeks to:

  • determine the types of tools used by aged care services to identify patients nearing end of life who may have a need for advance care planning discussions and referral for palliative care
  • determine the extent these tools are used within different settings
  • explore the facilitators and barriers for using the tools.

The department encourages all aged care services to complete the survey by 30 October 2020.

If you have any questions about the survey, please email

 

Reminder – access to Aged Care Online Claiming closing on 20 November

Services Australia will be closing access to Aged Care Online Claiming and Aged Care Online Services by 20 November 2020.

The new Aged Care Provider Portal (ACPP) replaces both systems. Services still using the old portals should finalise their last claims for September and October 2020 and then start using the ACPP.

Users of existing business-to-government (B2G) software will need to get ACPP access to continue to check the status of submitted events and claims. This is in addition to any third party software you currently use.

Services Australia has published education materials covering how to access and use the ACPP. More materials will be published soon.

For more information, visit the Services Australia website.

 

Survey on training and resources to support culturally appropriate aged care

The Centre for Cultural Diversity is a member of the PICAC Alliance (Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care). PICACs work across Australia promoting culturally inclusive practice. They support aged care providers through training, multilingual resources, practice guides, inclusive service standards and more.

The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing is using a survey to explore what further training and resources government funded aged care providers need to support consumers and carers from culturally diverse backgrounds.

The survey takes five minutes and closes on Friday 23 October 2020. The results will help target the PICAC efforts towards meeting the needs of providers. This will in turn help address the needs of consumers and carers from culturally diverse backgrounds across the sector.

To find a PICAC provider in your state or territory, visit the PICAC Alliance website.

 

New brochures available

Community Visitors Scheme (CVS)

A new brochure has been developed to highlight the diversity of the CVS program and activities that can be enjoyed with a CVS friend.

The CVS has been providing friendship to isolated older Australians for nearly 30 years. The program matches a volunteer visitor with older people across Australia, currently supporting over 15,000 visitors each year. With social distancing measures in place, the program also provides phone and virtual visits.

The CVS is free to anyone receiving government-subsidised residential aged care or a Home Care Package. This also includes people who are approved and on the waiting list for these types of care.

Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line

A brochure is now available to explain the new, free, Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line. The support line is available on 1800 171 866 to provide information and support to older people across Australia, as well as a listening ear for those who need a chat.

If you know of an older person who needs to talk about how COVID-19 is affecting them, you can use the brochure to explain the phone line and how it may help them.

Access to brochures

You can access the brochures by:

  • downloading from the My Aged Care website – CVS, Support Line
  • ordering quantities from National Mailing & Marketing by emailing  or phoning (02) 6269 1025.

The CVS brochure is currently being translated and will be available for download from the department’s website.

 

First aid training for CHSP providers

To help support vulnerable, older Australians, all CHSP service providers are responsible for ensuring staff and volunteers in direct care roles receive accredited first aid training and certification.

The department regards the cost of first aid training as a reasonable and necessary expense of safe and effective aged care service delivery. As such, CHSP providers should factor the cost of first aid training into their existing grant funding in the same way as rent, utilities, personal protective equipment and staff wages.

Direct care roles in which first aid training is mandatory include workers who have face to face interactions with clients delivering the following services:

  • Allied Health and therapy Services
  • Nursing
  • Personal Care
  • Social Support (Individual and Group)
  • Transport
  • Respite services
  • Meals (where regular social support is provided)
  • Other food services.

Workers across all other services are encouraged, but not required, to undertake first aid training.



Source:
Unknown Author, 2020, Department of Health

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