Your Aged Care Update # 29/24
Notable dates
Webinar: Data and digital for providers
1 August
Webinar: General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
6 August
In this issue
News about the reforms
One year of 24/7 registered nurses in residential aged care
It’s been just over a year since the introduction of the 24/7 Registered Nurse (RN) responsibility and RN’s are more available than ever to residents in aged care.
Great results reported include:
92% of homes have an RN onsite 24/7 — an increase of 6 percentage points since July 2023
on average, homes now have an RN on-site and on duty 24 hours a day, 99% of the time
the average time an RN is available is now 23 hours and 44 minutes
fewer rural and remote providers are seeking exemptions.
These impressive results show the strong support and commitment from the sector to improve care and dignity for older people.
For more information see the 24/7 RN coverage dashboard or read the media release: Australian Government ensuring more nurses in aged care homes.
Have your say on the Quality Indicators Program
We’re looking for volunteers to take part in one-hour online focus groups.
We want to hear your views on the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program.
We’ll discuss:
your experience of quality indicator reporting
the impact of data collection and reporting on quality indicators.
This work is part of a review of several programs that support our quality measures. Consultation will begin in September.
Submit your expression of interest by 27 August.
Sector news
Webinar: Research on mental health
Join Swinburne University's webinar on psychological and social programs for improving mental health for older people.
This webinar is for people working in aged care, as well as psychologists, social workers, counsellors and volunteers who work with older people.
When: Friday 9 August, 4:45 pm to 6:00 pm (AEST)
The webinar will discuss research on programs such as befriending, reminiscence and cognitive behavioural therapy for reducing depression and anxiety in older people.
Register now.
Residential care
Webinar: Monthly Care Statements
We are hosting a webinar for residential aged care providers on Monthly Care Statements.
Monthly Care Statements will give people in your care and their representatives a regular update on health and wellbeing. Giving statements voluntarily will improve communication and care planning before the statements become mandatory.
When: Thursday 29 August, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (AEST)
The webinar will cover:
what to include in a Monthly Care Statement
benefits for residents, workers and organisations
how Monthly Care Statements count towards care minutes
how to sign up to provide care statements.
Register now.
More information on Monthly Care Statements for residential aged care.
Star Ratings updated on My Aged Care website
Updated Star Ratings are available on the My Aged Care website via the ‘Find a Provider’ tool.
This update includes:
Staffing and Quality Measures ratings for January to March 2024
Residents’ Experience ratings for homes that have completed their annual survey between March and May 2024
Contemporary Compliance ratings.
Find more information on Star Ratings and access our resources.
You can also download the Star Ratings Improvement Manual for guidance on introducing changes to improve ratings.
In-home care
Prepare for the 3G network shutdown
Major telecommunication providers are switching off their 3G networks on 1 September. This will affect all 3G enabled devices including phones, medical and personal alarms.
Some Home Care Package (HCP) and Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) clients may still have 3G enabled Goods, Equipment and Assistive Technology devices. This could include personal medical or alert alarms.
HCP and CHSP providers should engage and have mitigation strategies in place with any impacted clients before 31 August.
To ensure service continuity check if devices will be affected and replace a client’s device where it is part of their care plan.
Learn more about the 3G network switch off, including how to check devices and frequently asked questions.
Workforce
New training in dementia respite care
We are excited to introduce DREAM. This new education program is designed to help aged care workers deliver high-quality, dementia-specific respite care.
DREAM is available Australia wide and is free for all aged care workers and organisations. It includes:
tailored, innovative education for respite care
an online forum to help connect with the dementia respite community
coaching sessions to ask questions and get support.
This government-funded education program was developed by the Wicking Dementia Centre at the University of Tasmania in collaboration with Dementia Support Australia.
Access DREAM course information and resources.
Translating and interpreting services
Providers and people working in aged care can access free translating and interpreting services to communicate with older people in different languages.
A good place to start for information about these services is the translating and interpreting webinar. You can watch the webinar recording, download the slides and read the questions and answers from the session.
More information and resources: