LASA Fusion Spring 2017

The voice of aged care Spring 2017 | www.lasa.asn.au

Aged Care in Australia…

Looking forward, looking back

• The Tune Report Analysed and Explained • Getting Back to Basics on Innovation • Retirement Living - Industry Focus on Future Planning

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CONTENTS The voice of aged care Spring 2017 | www.lasa.asn.au

OPINION 5 Chair National Update 8 CEO National Update NATIONAL UPDATE 10 LASA CEO Says Australia’s aged care system is delivering but there is more work to do

12 Incorrect package allocation tops list of Member concerns in 2017

16 Senate report ignores growing sector concern on workforce ‘Uberisation’

EDITOR Gerard Delaney Manager Corporate Affairs Leading Age Services Australia Ltd T: 02 6230 1676 E: gerardd@lasa.asn.au

18 Home Care software solutions:

ADDRESS

23 It’s cool, but so what? Getting

results of LASA Member survey

19 TUNE Review… hot buttons for providers back to basics on innovation

First Floor Andrew Arcade 42 Giles Street Kingston ACT 2604

24 Expo exhibitors welcome opportunity to showcase products: motivated customers flock to LASA aged care expo

ADBOURNE PUBLISHING PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160

Adbourne PUBLISHING

Advertising

Melbourne: Neil Muir (03) 9758 1433

Adelaide: Robert Spowart 0488 390 039

Production

Emily Wallis (03) 9758 1436

Administration Tarnia Hiosan (03) 9758 1436

AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE 27 Elder abuse report throws up practical challenges in rolling out recommendations

31 Preferred option emerging for residential aged care funding models

32 Let’s talk about complaints: my challenge to the industry

34 Data breach incident provides DISCLAIMER Fusion is the regular publication of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA). Unsolicited contributions are welcome but LASA reserves the right to edit, abridge, alter or reject material. Opinions expressed in Fusion are not necessarily those of LASA and no responsibility is accepted by the Association for statements of fact or opinions expressed in signed contributions. Fusion may be copied in whole for distributed amongst an organisation’s staff. No part of Fusion may be reproduced in any other form without written permission from the article’s author.

Cover photo: Lyndoch Homestead, Warrnambool Victoria Kindly supplied by Lyndoch Living

timely reminder to review privacy practices and policies

37 Crisis management: how aged care organisations need to shift from reactive to proactive

HOME CARE 41 LASA responds to government call for industry insights on reform processes

43 Data confirms LASA’s concerns on Home Care

45 Care Support Network brings the sharing economy model to aged care and disability support

46 Home Care reform implementation throws up unanticipated challenges

RETIREMENT LIVING 49 Retirement village roundtable moves industry focus to future planning

53 Examining rights, responsibilities and costs in retirement village contracts

OUT AND ABOUT 55 NSW/ACT 56 VIC/TAS 59 QLD 60 SA/NT 61 WA TECHNOLOGY 63 Fusing business intelligence with caring culture to deliver effective customer service

64 Transport robots in aged care: freeing up time for greater face-to-face interaction

66 Home care provider turns to Canadian company for clientfocused software solution

DESIGN 69 Creating community: a powerful way forward for the third age

72 Aged care design should be about more than just bricks and mortar

SUPPLY 74 Royal Freemasons honours 150-year legacy with six new services in regional Victoria

77 Bed licenses fluctuate as consolidation period ends

AGED CARE SUPPORT 78 Senior school students join with aged care residents to paint a Vivid picture

81 Nordic and Swiss elder care systems shed light on social innovations

84 LASA: offering business support in a time of change

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OPINION

DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE:

A MEMBERSHIP BODY THAT PRESENTS A STRONG NATIONAL VOICE

Dr Graeme Blackman OAM Chair Leading Age Services Australia

Leading Age Services Australia boosts Member support and services functions for a greater return.

L

ast year, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) made a promise to Members across Australia that a unified national organisation would be best placed to serve your needs.

This would be achieved by providing: stronger advocacy in a world of unprecedented change; access to support and services to all Members without any jurisdictional borders; and enhanced value for money in the way we provide advocacy, support and services.

One year later, it is clear that a unified national LASA has made great strides in delivering on this promise.

In this context, as the only truly national peak body representing and supporting providers of age services across residential aged care, home care and retirement living, LASA’s promise to our Members is simple.

As a LASA Member you have access to a strong and influential voice on issues of importance to you. That is, we actively seek your views on key policy issues; we engage you in designing solutions to policy and system issues, and we advocate your issues and solutions to governments on your behalf.

To achieve this LASA has increased our focus and expertise in our policy and advocacy capability, evidenced by the establishment of a dedicated, Canberra-based, policy and advocacy team and the appointment of three new senior principal advisors across home care, residential care and retirement living. These new staff members complement and enhance our existing staff’s industry expertise.

We also provide access to quality information, services and support that enables you to: • understand the challenges, opportunities and changes in our industry and interpret what they mean for you • m ake informed decisions as to how your organisation responds to these challenges and opportunities, and • successfully navigate industry/organisation change to ensure your ongoing performance and sustainability.

To ensure LASA Members receive this level of support we scaled up our Member support and services functions across the organisation. In practice, this sees Members in any state or territory receiving regular information on key issues, participating in a national program of events where leading thinkers and practitioners share knowledge and insights via conferences, seminars, workshops, and webinars. While we also convene Member-only advisory and working groups to discuss and design policy responses and solutions.

To further support our Members, a national helpline service was implemented to provide Members with a rapid response service to address issues arising and provide access to LASA’s knowledge and expertise. In addition, we also scaled up a range of other business support services such as: business consulting; employment relations; payroll and rostering; claims and billing; and a range of branded products/services that will be available to all Members at discounted rates.

In providing both our advocacy and support services efficiently and effectively, LASA provides you with enhanced value for money – and this gives you a greater return on your membership fee investment.

Continued page 6

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OPINION Continued from page 5

With our new organisational structure in place and through the recruitment of new expertise and industry specialists we believe that LASA has been able to actively respond to the changing and growing needs of our Members as well as providing a strong leadership role on tackling the many complex policy, regulatory and political debates that have consumed the industry.

Working with our Members, LASA has devoted a lot of time and energy into conference programming to ensure delegates received the most up-to-date industry information and practical insights which can be readily implemented into the care and services provided by our Members. We have been determined that these conferences provide maximum value and directly benefit our Members.

move away from demanding daily cycles and to network and share insights with one another. I look forward to engaging with the industry at the largest age services networking event in the southern hemisphere.

Over three days, the conference theme of Ahead of the Game: Age Services – Strong, Bold, Brave, will allow delegates to explore and discuss how our industry has been responding to systemic change underpinned by the principles of ageing in-place, consumer choice and market based competition. Importantly, it will be the first opportunity to hear from political and thought leaders about the implications of the Aged Care Legislated Review.

In addition, the success of these events would not be possible without the contributions and support from LASA’s affiliates, conference sponsors and exhibitors.

It is essential that our industry is ‘Ahead of the Game’ – accessing new ideas, business strategies and innovative care models. Congress is an event where industry leaders can share insights into company led initiatives, challenge the status quo and explore the possible.

LASA National Congress 2017, on the Gold Coast from 15– 18 October 2017, will provide a thought-provoking program and is another wonderful opportunity for our industry to

I am confident our unified member-focused LASA with national reach, scale and impact is providing a strong voice and a helping hand for all providers of age services. ■

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OPINION

A SYSTEM IN TRANSITION THE TUNE REPORT

Traditional planning mechanisms lack robustness required for new demands of consumer-centred aged care

T

he independent review of the Living Longer Living Better (LLLB) reforms, conducted by David Tune and released by government on 14 September 2017 (the Tune Report), is a significant milestone for both the aged care sector and the Australian Government on an issue of national importance.

The review was legislated to be conducted five years into the 10 year LLLB reform program. Critically, it provides the opportunity to reflect on how much progress has been made and provides government and our industry with the opportunity to consider what needs to change to meet the future needs and expectations of our ageing population.

In his report Mr Tune observes that aged care is in transition: “evolving into a system that better supports the wellbeing of older people and the delivery of care in ways that respect their dignity and support their independence. There is an increased focus on consumer choice and control.” At the same time, he says, “Australia’s population is ageing and both the proportion and number of people needing care are increasing. Planning for this growth is one of the main challenges of aged care policy.”

As we in the industry are well aware, aged care in Australia is at a critical point and effectively meeting the challenges of the future will require strong, evidence-based policy and stable income streams.

Aged care also requires further reform to become a more consumer-centred system. Mr Tune notes that several important recommendations from the Australian Government’s 2011 Productivity Commission Report Caring for Older Australians were not implemented but remain at the centre of aged care policy discussion. In particular, he noted the issues of ‘uncapping supply’ i.e the removal of regulatory restrictions on the number of aged care places and packages made available to the community, along with how consumers contribute to costs.

8

Sean Rooney Chief Executive Officer Leading Age Services Australia

Importantly, Mr Tune asserted that ‘current planning mechanisms will not deliver sufficient services in the long term and meeting projected demand will need additional investment by government beyond that currently planned’. As such, a fundamental issue for Australia is how projected increases in demand will be financed and the costs shared. A longerterm funding sustainability approach is required. Industry, consumers and government will need to work together on this, potentially through the new Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Taskforce that is looking at age care issues generally. There is also a question as to how much modelling Treasury has undertaken on the long-term sustainability of the sector.

In its initial response to the Tune Report, the government has ruled out changes to the means test involving the family home and has also ruled out abolishing annual and life time caps on fees. While Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) understands the sensitivities of any potential changes to consumer contributions for age services, the government’s approach risks shutting down much needed discussion on how to fund the system now and into the future.

A further key consideration for LASA is how the Tune recommendations integrate with the Aged Care Roadmap.

And linked to that is the issue of the sustainability of the sector, responding to demand and quality pressures, whilst facing an unsustainable funding equation and workforce supply issues.

The Tune Report should be read as an integrated suite of actions that supports progressing the reform agenda and ensuring Australia has a ‘fit for purpose’ aged care system.

On behalf of its Members, LASA looks forward to ongoing engagement with the review recommendations and working with providers, government and the wider community to ensure a system that delivers accessible, affordable, quality care and services for older Australians. ■

OPINION

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9

NATIONAL UPDATE

LASA CEO SAYS

AUSTRALIA’S AGED CARE SYSTEM IS DELIVERING BUT THERE IS MORE WORK TO DO

Sean Rooney Chief Executive Officer Leading Age Services Australia

Photo courtesy of LASA Member Goodwin.

L

ASA CEO Sean Rooney says providers of age services work hard to care and support older Australians and their families, during what can be very difficult times in their lives. By and large this is done with the compassion and professionalism you would expect in a world class age services system.

“The overwhelming majority of aged care providers in Australia are delivering excellent services, underpinned by dedicated and professional staff,” Mr Rooney said.

Mr Rooney acknowledges that no system is perfect and there are times when things do not go as planned.

“On occasion there are individual instances where the care and support provided has fallen short of expectations. However, the number of these instances must be balanced against the fact that over 1.3 million people receive aged care each year,” he said.

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“In 2016/17 there were 4,713 complaints received across 1.3million people supported by the aged care system, representing about 0.4%. Of these, early resolution was achieved for 4228 or 92% of finalised complaints.

“For the same period, there were 3,656 complaints for 200,000 people in residential care beds – a rate of 1.8%.”

Mr Rooney said despite the relatively low numbers, it is important to acknowledge issues when they arise, and it is equally important to recognise that these incidents are unfortunate and unacceptable, and are not indicative of our industry overall.

Despite not representing the reality of our industry, or the experience for the overwhelming majority of older people who receive care and services, our industry can sometimes be publicly reported in an unflattering way.

NATIONAL UPDATE

At its extreme, this can threaten our industry’s ‘social licence to operate’ (SLTO); that is, the informal contract that sets and manages reasonable expectations between providers, consumers and the wider community with regards to the: • behaviour of providers in conducting their business, in particular the levels of quality and service spanning care, accommodation, meals, etc reasonably expected by consumers • process and behaviour of providers in dealing with complaints and the ability and empathy of providers in addressing consumer concerns, and • levels of government subsidy paid to providers and the financial returns derived by providers from their operations.

Individual providers, and our industry as a whole, must value and manage our SLTO. When issues arise our response must be to: • listen with empathy and respect to the concerns and issues raised • bring evidence and balance to the discussion • refute erroneous claims if they arise, and • acknowledge examples of failure and agree/support appropriate remedial actions.

“At the heart of our industry is the fundamental relationship between those providing care and those receiving care. This relationship is where expectations are set and met. In most cases where problems arise they are appropriately managed at the local level. However, in the event this is not possible, as an industry we encourage consumers to speak up and seek support from the Independent Aged Care Complaints Commissioner,” Mr Rooney said.

Mr Rooney said older Australians and their families should be assured that the quality of care and service they are receiving meets stringent national standards of quality and safety.

“In addition to existing quality control and accreditation processes, LASA welcomes the Federal Government’s work to develop a Single Aged Care Quality Framework, informed by stakeholder input,” Mr Rooney said.

“This framework will include a single, rigorous set of aged care standards for all aged care services and is anticipated to be introduced on 1 July 2018.

“The upcoming independent Review of National Aged Care Quality Regulatory Processes will also provide an important opportunity to reflect on what works well in the system and where there are areas for improvement.”

Mr Rooney said the aged care system in Australia is a growing and changing sector.

“Currently, 1.3 million people receive aged care services in Australia. By 2050 this number will increase by over 250% to be around 3.5 million.

“The industry continues to work with government, consumer groups and other stakeholders to ensure a safe, fair and sustainable system is developed into the future. A focus on clear, quality outcomes and innovation to drive new models of care, along with adequate and stable funding, and workforce development strategies, are among the highest priorities.

“The system we have is one that is overwhelmingly delivering the care that older Australians need and deserve. But it is also a system that recognises there are challenges and is committed to continuous improvement,” Mr Rooney said. ■

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NATIONAL UPDATE

INCORRECT PACKAGE ALLOCATION TOPS LIST OF

MEMBER CONCERNS IN 2017 Leading Age Services Australia issues paper highlights consumer package activation support as a major risk

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nalysis of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) Member queries between February and July this year that have required elevation to Australian Government departments reveals concerns around incorrect allocation of packages, lifetime caps and means-test care fees (MTCF) that result in loss of revenue, and decreasing Home Care package level activation.

The LASA Members’ Advocate Committee escalated 58 queries in the period, with 85 per cent now having been addressed. A further 15 per cent remain open.

Apart from the top three trending issues, Members also had concerns about the level of training and additional services

they provide for consumers in the IT space to ensure allocated funding is commensurate with the level of package for consumers.

will assist with resolution of payment scheme issues and of the difficulties in interfacing with the My Aged Care (MAC) portal.

The Members Advocate Committee was established to ensure Members’ needs are heard and escalated to Medicare, the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

February 2017 saw the introduction of changes to home care packages under the Increasing Choice in Home Care (ICHC) reforms. The intent of these changes was to allow the consumer to choose who provides the services they receive in their home. In practice, there have been significant issues for providers and consumers in the roll out of these changes. Given this, LASA has committed to the following actions:

The committee meets monthly to assist in reducing the inertia within the system, and to reduce the financial risk for Members. It allows LASA to work towards collaborative solutions.

LASA has been influential in trialling templates for Member engagement with the various departments. This

This year’s Better Practice Award winners were announced at the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency’s Better Practice conference in Sydney on Thursday, 17 August 2017.

A total of 37 commendation award winners were announced by Quality Agency’s CEO Nick Ryan at a special Better Practice Awards reception event.

The event also included the announcement of the inaugural winners of the Quality Agency’s National Innovation and Excellence in Aged Care Awards by the Hon. Ken Wyatt Am, Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health and the Chairperson of the Quality Agency Advisory Council, Andrea Coote. These Awards are designed to celebrate those providers who are industry leaders in aged care and who are worthy of both national and international recognition in aged care practice.

We congratulate all our winners and for further information on the 2017 Better Practice Award winners, visit: www.aacqa.gov.au.

Australian Government Australian Government Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Australian Aged Care Quality Agency

12

1. LASA will conduct another survey of its home care provider Members to gain further detailed insight into the broader impacts that have emerged for providers because of the ICHC changes. It is anticipated this survey will be ready for completion by Members from mid-September 2017.

2. LASA is submitting an issues paper which outlines the government’s failures in managing the implementation of ICHC changes, and ongoing issues with the My Aged Care portal and the government’s payment system.

The issues paper has been prepared in conjunction with Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), and the Aged Care Guild. We are also anticipating National Aged Care Alliance support, including from consumer peak bodies.

The issues paper will be delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Health Minister, the Aged Care Minister, Continued page 15

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NATIONAL UPDATE Continued from page 12 Risk Matrix ICHC implementation issues

Operational Process

Issue

Risk Ranking

1. Entry level support assessments

1.1 RAS impartiality in CHSP referrals

Low

1.2 Incomplete support plans by RAS assessors

Low

2. HCP assessments

2.1 Delays in consumer access to ACAT assessments

High

3. HCP national queue

3.1 Lack of transparency about package assignment wait times

Low

4. Interim CHSP Support

4.1 Excessive CHSP activity levels

High

4.2 Perverse incentives for home care package activation

High

5. HCP assignment

5.1 Insufficient infrastructure for consumer activation of assigned home care packages

Extreme

5.2 Consumer correspondence errors

Medium

5.3 Presumptive provider home care package activations

Low

6.1 Low rates of home care package activations

Extreme

6.2 Incorrect home care package withdrawals

Medium

6.3 Inappropriate home care package regrades

Medium

6.4 Incorrect home care package movements

Medium

6.5 Inadequate MAC capability to respond to consumer and provider concerns

High

6.6 Inconsistent subsidy payments relative to home care package activity

High

7.1 Insufficient infrastructure to implement annual and life-time caps on consumer care fee contributions

Low

6. HCP activation & subsidy payment

7. Other non-ICHC issues

the Human Services Minister and relevant government departments. LASA will be calling on the Prime Minister to address the payment issues given the failings of the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services in managing the government’s aged care systems.

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It should be noted that the above action by LASA and the collaboration with other peak bodies, marks a significant shift in ‘activism’ level in the industry. This approach is not taken lightly. It reflects the frustration in our membership base with the ongoing obfuscation of responsibility by government in managing the aged care system.

Farewell

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It is with sadness we say goodbye to Victoria Boyd from the Members Advocate team, with whom many Members have engaged. Vicky was instrumental in setting up engagement systems to ensure Members’ needs are heard. We thank Vicky for her time, dedication and innovation in the various roles at LASA.

For further details please contact our Health Services Manager – Maureen Lumello on 1800 801 200 or professionalsupport@tlc.org.au

Nigel McGothigan has now been appointed to the role of Member Advocate. ■

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NATIONAL UPDATE

SENATE REPORT IGNORES GROWING SECTOR CONCERN ON

WORKFORCE ‘UBERISATION’

Leading Age Services Australia questions the lack of ‘real solutions’ to address employment issues.

T

he recruitment and retention of staff with the right skills and attitudes is a constant concern for aged care providers.

Providers’ continued disquiet about workforce problems has been receiving attention from the Australian Government and the Senate has conducted an inquiry into the future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce. As a result, there is to be an industry-led aged care workforce taskforce.

David Tune’s legislated review of the Living Longer Living Better reforms (Tune Report), tabled in September this year also deals with the aged care workforce.

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) made a submission and gave evidence at the Senate inquiry. Apart from recruitment and retention, LASA also raised the development of the workforce and how to overcome constraints on growing the workforce.

The Senate Committee’s report, Future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce was published in June this year. Much of the Senate inquiry’s report is devoted to identifying the key issues the aged care workforce taskforce should address when formulating the national aged care workforce strategy.

In its 2017–18 Budget, the Australian Government announced $1.9 million over two years from 1 July 2017 to establish and support this aged care taskforce, which will be industry-led.

Overall, however, the Future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce report contributes little that is not already known about the aged care workforce. The remedies the report proposes can be somewhat disappointing, offering no real solutions.

The report predicts a near-exponential growth in demand for aged care services which clearly calls for workable solutions to meeting aged peoples’ care needs. Instead, the report’s recommendations often take a strong regulatory approach such as legislating a minimum nursing requirement and a requirement to publish staff-client ratios.

LASA believes that these measures could be counterproductive to growing an efficient and responsive workforce.

Workforce planning best starts with good information about future workforce requirements. LASA supports the Senate inquiry’s recommendation that nationally-agreed standards for

16

workforce data should be developed. National data sets would support monitoring of the workforce across the sectors sharing the care workforce (aged care, disability, health care) as well as modelling of future workforce requirements.

LASA does not support the mandated carer-to-client ratios the Senate inquiry recommends. This issue has gained further coverage given that on 7 September 2017 Senator Derryn Hinch introduced the Aged Care Amendment (Ratio of Skilled Staff to Care Recipients Bill) into Federal Parliament.

The Bill proposes staff-to-care recipient ratio standards. LASA notes that the 2011 Productivity Commission report Caring for Older Australians did not support staff ratios.

The Productivity Commission noted: “While there are superficial attractions to mandatory staffing ratios, there are also downsides. An across-the-board staffing ratio is a fairly ‘blunt’ instrument for ensuring quality care because of the heterogeneous and ever changing care needs of aged care recipients – in the Commission’s view it is unlikely to be an efficient way to improve the quality of care. Because the basis for deciding on staffing levels and skills mix should be the care needs of residents, it is important that these can be adjusted as the profile of care recipients changes (because of improvements/deteriorations in functionality and adverse events, etc). Imposing mandated staffing ratios could also eliminate incentives for providers to invest in innovative models of care, or adopt new technologies that could assist care recipients.”

LASA believes that the Productivity Commission analysis is a considered response on this issue.

LASA will monitor developments with this Bill closely, and the issue of staff ratios more generally. We will undertake the necessary analysis and advocacy on this issue. Further debate on this topic is likely, especially around the release of the Carnell Report (end of September 2017) and the Xenophon Report. These reports are driven by the issues at the Oakdon facility in South Australia. However, these reports will make recommendations on the quality of care more generally.

LASA also notes that if there was any move to such ratios, cost issues and availability of extra labour must be considered. Any move in this area would require a suitable transition period and

NATIONAL UPDATE

the Commonwealth should fund operators’ additional labour costs. Another factor may be the need to increase the pool of client contributions and there are recommendations on this in the Tune Report.

LASA does not support publishing staff-client ratios. We are concerned that this would result in confusion for consumers of aged care rather than giving them valuable information.

Providers’ models of care and the care needs of older people determine staffing numbers and are not easily comparable.

Overall, the Senate inquiry’s report falls disappointingly short of canvassing future developments in the sector and ignores major changes already underway in aged care. For example, the report focusses almost exclusively on the residential aged care workforce when future workforce demand is likely to also grow in community aged care. Also, the report considers the care-giving workforce only when aged care employs a wide array of workers.

Disconcertingly, the report ignores the impact of ‘uberisation’ of aged care with Ubercare already established in South Australia. Protections are needed to ensure that aged care industry and its sustainability is not undermined by the entry of unregulated staff and price setting that does not reflect the costs of regulation, employee entitlements and quality borne by our Members.

The Senate report also overlooked potential impacts of new technologies such as Internet-enabled monitoring devices and artificial intelligence on workplace roles.

The Tune Report also covers workforce and these different streams of activity need to be brought together by the work of the new taskforce, along with other evidence and consideration of the full range of levers for reform.

Any strategies also need to integrate with the vocational education and training, and tertiary education sectors so the education delivered is responsive to the needs of the aged care industry.

The Tune Report also takes the position that the workforce strategy should reflect that aged care providers have primary responsibility for the workforce. While the new taskforce should be industry-led, LASA considers that the aged care workforce to be one of the most important issues in aged care. It is essential that government facilitates key reforms to improve supply, ensure suitable training and skills development and greater workforce flexibility.

LASA is convening a Member workforce summit to explore how best to address the complex aged care workforce matters. ■

17

NATIONAL UPDATE

HOME CARE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS:

RESULTS OF LEADING AGE SERVICES AUSTRALIA MEMBER SURVEY Survey respondents indicate growing interest in digitising systems to support home care delivery.

D

uring July and August, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) conducted a survey of its Members to learn more about their needs and usage of software to support the delivery of home care services.

The survey had 30 valid responses with a total of 7,800 packages being delivered by the respondents. These figures represent approximately 8 per cent of the total number of providers of home care packages and the total number of packages in the national pool.

The survey began by asking home care providers if they were using software, with 12 per cent of respondents indicating they were currently not using software. However, all respondents indicated they were looking to upgrade in the future.

A somewhat concerning result was the number of respondents that indicated they didn’t know the cost of their current software solution. Since the consumer directed care (CDC) pilot commenced it has become imperative to know the costs of delivering services to clients and this includes back office costs.

For those who did know the cost, there was a variety of responses which is fitting given that many respondents indicated that the costs were variable depending on the number of clients being supported. The maximum monthly fee reported was $8,000, while the minimum was $350. This converts to an average monthly fee per client of between $2.16 and $32 indicating a very broad price spectrum and an opportunity for some operators to find a better deal.

Internal resourcing of the software support revealed roughly 50/50 of respondents having a human resource to support implementation and compliance. There was a minor difference in the average number of packages delivered with those answering ‘no’ having an average of 270 packages, while those who answered ‘yes’ having an average of 425 packages.

Analysis of a trend line for the number of packages managed by the two categories shows no discernible connection between a certain number of packages being managed and the need for a staff resource.

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Satisfaction with the respondents’ software again revealed a variety of views, particularly when compared with the comments that were made about why they rated satisfaction as they did. Respondents clearly have different pain thresholds!

Overwhelmingly, respondents were satisfied with their software. However, comments reflected that in some cases the solution in place was ‘inadequate’, ‘needs work arounds’, ‘had to develop our own solution to integration issues’, ‘need several systems’, ‘falls short of CDC requirements’, ‘meeting requirements but with some very manual processes’.

The responses also revealed a very human trait to not cut losses and continue with something because of a considerable first-up investment, then throwing more resources at it in the hope it will work one day. Responses such as, ‘more training required’, and ‘too much invested to step away’ reflect this trend. This is known as the ‘Sunk Cost Fallacy’.

LASA has considered hosting a Cloud-based software solution through its business support services in order to make available a high quality software solution that may otherwise be priced out of the reach of many operators. The ability to group home care package providers under the one licence would result in significantly cheaper monthly costs than if a Member were to enter into an agreement on their own.

In assessing interest in considering such an option, respondents indicated the most important factor was performance – ‘seamless integration between finance, rostering, client information management/budgets’, ‘functionality to support full CDC compliance’ and ‘integrates/ interfaces with ERP’. Other factors influencing consideration of this included: price, accessibility and design.

The results of the survey were not conclusive enough for LASA to justify an investment in a software solution at this stage. If you are interested in having a further discussion about this, please contact Brendan Moore, LASA General Manager Business Support Services on 1800 111 636. ■

NATIONAL UPDATE

TUNE REVIEW…

HOT BUTTONS FOR PROVIDERS The Tune Review represents a significant milestone in the direction of aged care policy in Australia.

LASA’s Policy and Advocacy team has considered the Review recommendations closely. A consultation process is underway to ensure the voice of LASA’s Members is strongly represented in our detailed responses back to Government.

T

he recruitment and retention of staff with the right skills and attitudes is a constant concern for aged care providers.

This column notes some of the more significant among the recommendations, with initial analysis of potential impacts for aged care providers.

Key among directions proposed is a strong recommendation that the government discontinues the Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) for residential care places as soon as possible and instead assign places directly to consumers within the residential care cap. Changes would take effect two years after announcement by government.

While this recommendation is aligned to the reforms’ desire to improve both access and competition in Australia’s aged care system, its impact needs to be carefully considered and modelled. Market reform like this must be done with great care and in consultation with industry stakeholders. For consumers and providers alike, key considerations include, fully understanding the likely impacts of such a move on individual providers of residential aged care services, as well as ensuring continuing supply of residential care services in areas where there is limited choice and competition, such as among rural or regional communities where viability could be threatened.

The call by Mr Tune to re-balance the distribution of home care packages by increasing the proportion that are high care packages, without a change in the overall home care ratio, is welcome. But given the nature of the demand, overall supply also needs to be significantly improved.

The Government’s recent release of the Home Care Packages Program Data Report, six months after the implementation of the Increasing Choice Home Care (ICHC) reforms, shows there are over 50,000 older Australians awaiting a home care package, with an additional 35,000 people receiving services below their assessed level of need.

The data also reveals that the almost one in five older Australians waiting for a home care package have been waiting

longer than 12 months. The government’s recent injection of 6,000 places is helpful but only a partial and initial solution.

Ongoing transparent and timely data is particularly important for sound functioning of the home care system.

Tune Recommendation 6, that the government further increase access to high level home care packages by allowing temporary allocation of a home care package where there is a residential care place not being used, is well intentioned, but there are questions on practical implementation. As noted above, this will only be a partial solution and a more sustainable response to unmet demand is required.

Mr Tune has recommended that following a review of the ACFI (Aged Care Funding Instrument), the government should integrate the residential aged care funding assessment with the combined RAS and ACAT functions, independent of aged care providers.

While this recommendation aligns with the Aged Care Sector Roadmap supporting the establishment of an integrated assessment workforce in the medium term, any integration of RAS/ACAT teams should not include a move to introduce external needs assessment into residential aged care.

At this stage, it is vital that assessments be carried out by the professionals directly providing care and support to the older Australians in their care.

Aged care providers can ill afford another levy, so the Review’s recommendation 20 calling to maintain the Bond Guarantee Scheme but reform it to ensure that providers make contributions where the benefits outweigh the costs, is of concern.

Why should age care providers be sharing the risk of providers defaulting with government, and being charged a levy to recoup such defaults? This amounts to punishing all providers for the faults of the few.

The recommendation by Mr Tune to revise the naming and structure of fees around homecare to simplify and help create a more level playing field looks to be a constructive measure.

Continued page 20

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NATIONAL UPDATE Continued from page 19

David Tune AO PSM with Department of Health Deputy Secretary Margo McCarthy and MC Tracey Spicer at LASA’s 2016 National Congress.

However, monitoring and enforcement of these changes may create some challenges.

Recommendation 16 is that the government introduce mandatory consumer contributions for services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). LASA agrees that consumer contributions should be standardised according to an individual’s financial capacity.

Mr Tune’s assertion that the government continue to maintain control over the number and mix of aged care places (residential care and home care) should only hold for the short term, as proposed in the Aged Care Sector Roadmap. As mentioned, moving to an open market where supply is more responsive to demand requires sound, transparent and timely data, and early identification of situations where more careful management of supply is required.

Recommendation 29 that the government and providers work to improve access to wellness and reablement activities to provide greater choice and better support for consumers to live independently makes sense. These approaches to care and services offer providers opportunities to be innovative.

However, the requirement to introduce reablement and

20

wellness approaches universally across all aged care services will require appropriate assessment, funding and support to realise this.

A stepwise process of implementation and appropriate government assessment, funding and support for providers to build staff capacity and capability in reablement and wellness approaches would be needed. It is important that there are realistic expectations as to what can be achieved in this area.

Recommendations 37 and 38 relate to education and training and workforce strategy for the sector. These are pressing considerations given the growing demand for aged care. These recommendations should be central to the work of the aged care workforce strategy, under the leadership of Professor John Pollaers.

The Tune Review contains 38 recommendations in all and is an important reflection on the aged care reforms process. LASA looks forward to working closely with Members to seek input and advice and, with government, help shape the emerging policy directions. ■ Kate Lawrence Haynes is LASA’s General Manager in Policy and Advocacy.

NATIONAL UPDATE

Initial analysis of the Tune Report recommendations Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) has reviewed the 38 recommendations of the Tune Report and is seeking Member input on these. The table below lists the key recommendations identified by LASA with some initial observations and analysis.

Tune recommendation

Aged Care Roadmap domain

Initial LASA observations

Recommendation 3 That, as soon as possible, the government discontinue the Aged Care Approvals Round for residential care places, instead assigning places directly to the consumers within the residential care cap, with changes to take effect two years after announcement by government.

What care is available?

LASA supports this in-principle but we believe the aim should be to uncap supply in mature and functioning markets. Reform in this area needs to be done with care and in consultation with the industry, especially as the viability of some smaller or regional operators etc. may be impacted.

Recommendation 5 That the government re-balance the distribution of home care packages, by increasing the proportion that are high care packages, without a change in the overall home care ratio.

What care is available?

How are eligibility and care needs assessed?

LASA supports this given the nature of the demand, but overall supply also needs to be improved, as shown by the latest home care data that shows a waiting list of 88,904 as at 30 June 2017. The Minister’s injection of 6,000 places is helpful but only a partial and initial solution.

• Also refer to LASA’s September 2017 submission on issues with Improving Choice in Home Care (ICHC).

• Transparent and timely data is necessary for home care and this needs to include wait lists and wait time for Aged Care Assessment Team assessments, then waittime to allocate and wait-time to activation. Real-time data is also needed on the number of packages at each level funded and those coming into the system in response to demand. The 15 September 2017 release of wait time data to My Aged Care is not comprehensive enough. LASA is analysing this data.

Recommendation 9 That the government change the Aged Care Provision Ratio to the population cohort aged 75 years and over, following achievement of the 125 Ratio in 2021–22, to better meet future demand.

How are eligibility and care needs assessed? (population level)

LASA supports this change to the Aged Care Provision Ratio, in principle, as it reflects the demographic changes observed in the population requiring aged care. But any risk of under-provision for people under 75 years would need to be managed. There must also be adequate provision ratios for specific groups that age ‘early’ e.g. Aboriginal people and homeless people.

Recommendation 11 That government and providers work together to determine how to ensure comparability of home care pricing for consumers and how best to publish on My Aged Care.

Who pays?

While LASA supports this in-principle, it is important that any comparisons are fair and accurate and involve minimal red-tape for operators. Some commercial-in-confidence considerations may also have to be taken into account.

Recommendation 14 That the government: c) Allow providers to charge a higher basic daily fee to non-low means residents, with amounts over $100 to be approved by the Aged Care Pricing Commissioner.

Who pays?

LASA supports this recommendation as it will channel some extra funds into the system and reflects the fact that residents should be able to choose their service mix – the $100 threshold may require review.

Recommendation 16 That the government introduce mandatory consumer contributions for services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). Consumer contributions should be standardised according to an individual’s financial capacity.

Who pays?

LASA supports consumers contributing to the cost of care according to a standardized means tests and fee structures. There should be standardised approaches across CHSP, Home Care Packages (HCP), and residential care regarding clients’ contributions – these should create a consistent understanding and expectation of how clients contribute to their care according to their means. A proper CHSP fee system would remove the perverse incentive to use CHSP over home care packages. This issue is related to the second tranche of Home Care reforms and possible later integration of CHSP and HCP.

Recommendation 18 That the government improve the transparency of fees for residents by requiring providers to publish information on My Aged Care in a way that assists informed choice by consumers.

Who pays?

It is not clear specifically what is proposed and what changes it would entail.

Commercial in confidence and red-tape considerations would need to be part of this.

This recommendation links to recommendation 11.

Recommendation 19 That the government retain and reform the role of the Aged Care Pricing Commissioner by: a) increasing the maximum accommodation payment, above which approval by the Pricing Commissioner must be sought, from a refundable deposit of $550,000 to $750,000 (or equivalent daily payment);

Who pays?

a) Overall LASA supports this recommendation as increased funds for capital development are welcome. b) Although this may assist to ensure proper funding in some cases, it may also mean inequities for regional and remote providers with lower house prices that may not translate to lower accommodation capital costs. Modelling may be needed to set the right bond limits in regional areas. And the linkage to median house prices could be problematic as it introduces an element of uncertainty on the maximum accommodation payment which may impact investment planning.

b) implement an automatic link between the future maximum accommodation payment and median house prices.

Recommendation 28 That, following review of ACFI, the government integrate residential aged care funding assessment with the combined RAS and ACAT functions, independent of aged care providers.

How are eligibility and care needs assessed?

While LASA supports integration of the ACAT and RAS assessments workforces, LASA does not agree that this integration is done with view to introducing external assessment into residential aged care. LASA notes that reforms in this area will also be linked to the review of ACFI both via Rosewarne and the University of Wollongong.

It also essential that providers have certainty on how the system will work into the future and that processes do not create undue delays in ensuring residents are properly assessed and get the care they need.

21

NATIONAL UPDATE

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NATIONAL UPDATE

IT’S COOL, BUT SO WHAT? GETTING BACK TO BASICS ON INNOVATION

Industry disruption provides opportunities to suspend conventional approaches and explore new relationships and systems, says Leading Age Services Australia.

T

he present landscape in the age care industry is fastchanging. The innovation imperative to find gamechanging intersections between what older Australians want, and your company’s strategy, capabilities, and assets are now all too important to ignore in order to remain commercially sustainable.

We are in the midst of industry disruption similar to earlier government-driven reform initiatives in the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand. These saw over 50 per cent of the UK market share shift from not-for-profit to for-profit providers, and incumbent New Zealand providers reported losing up to 30 per cent of their clients to new entrants.

Essentially, we need a new discourse on what ageing means, and the new service paradigms that should emerge from this.

It makes for an exciting time to explore how change in our industry can eliminate isolation among seniors, foster inclusive built environments, and create functioning intergenerational communities.

However, these reforms have the potential to up-end how we as an industry understand business-as-usual. As the futurist Anders Sorman-Nilsson puts it: “Change doesn’t care whether you like it or not. It will always happen without your permission.”

In thinking about innovation and in delivering new initiatives to market, industry incumbents need to be clear on whether they want to—metaphorically speaking—reshape the solid to fit the liquid of creativity, or get the liquid to reshape the contours of the solid.

If you want to know why so many innovation projects fail, it is because liquids cannot reshape solids, at least not quickly.

It is all fine and well that limestone stalactites can take up to 190,000 years to form – boards, investors, and governments will not (and cannot) wait that long.

Impactful new insights can often come from people who don’t know what has been or what can’t be done. Being at the receiving end of this requires a mindset that can suspend (or at least defer) conventional industry judgement.

Being open and curious allows us to recognise patterns and find connections across what seems like unrelated systems.

This is an acquired skill. The following guidelines may help.

• Get people from other functions or new hires to solve problems that you don’t ‘know’ the answer to, or cannot solve.

• Look at how other industries solve analogous problems that you’re facing.

• If people whom you think have the ‘right’ skills cannot find a solution, give those with the ‘wrong’ skills a go.

• In the early stages of a project, clean slate how you would approach the problem, and don’t worry about how things have been done in the past.

When paired with the rigid realities of the business world, successful innovation is in fact a bringing together of new ideas with the ability to implement. This should be familiar territory, ask yourself: • How much will it cost, and how will we finance this?

• How can we make this happen, and how long will it take?

• How will it meet regulations?

• How will it bring in the intended financial returns?

• How will it make our organisation more competitive?

• How do we share the benefits across the organisation?

• How will this add value to older Australians and their families?

This is about having a clear understanding of the ‘how’ in the ‘wow’ of your new business idea. The lesson here is that getting others excited by a new idea or service is not as hard as getting an organisation to do something it has never done before.

The present call to innovation within our industry requires creativity, coupled with an equal dose of delivery pragmatism.

Failing this, we run the risk of saying ‘yes’ to innovation but end up doing ‘no’. ■ Merlin Kong is LASA’s Principal Advisor, Innovation.

23

NATIONAL UPDATE

EXPO EXHIBITORS WELCOME

OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE PRODUCTS:

MOTIVATED CUSTOMERS FLOCK TO LASA AGED CARE EXPO Leading Age Services Australia claimed new territory in launching Australia’s first industry-led care and ageing expo.

Visitors recorded an overall satisfaction rate of 99 per cent with the expo.

C

ollectively, Members and the wider aged care industry contributed more than $250,000 to stage Leading Age Services Australia’s (LASA) inaugural Care and Ageing Expo from 28–29 July in Perth.

LASA developed the expo to lead the charge as the aged care sector enters a period of unprecedented change, moving toward the ‘consumer driven and market-based’ model outlined in the Aged Care Roadmap.

The expo presented the opportunity to profile the aged care industry, highlighting a new level of sophistication and

24

innovation and achieving its aim of projecting a positive image of the aged care industry.

By showcasing a comprehensive range of products and services consumers gained unprecedented access to information and education around the choices in aged care.

There were 65 exhibitors representing a broad cross-section of industry including providers of residential and home care, retirement living, allied health services, government agencies, mobility aids and supplies, advisors, support groups and community bodies.

NATIONAL UPDATE

Western Australian community-based group GRAI joined forces with the WA Prime Timers to spread the message about quality of life options for older and ageing people of diverse sexualities and gender identities.

A two-day seminar program complemented the exhibition.

Seminars involved more than 20 industry experts sharing information and education that addressed consumer issues or concerns.

There were 17 consecutive sessions, including those on healthy living, dementia, financial planning, navigating the My Aged Care website and detailed information around residential care, home care and retirement living. Speakers included industry experts, entertainers, politicians and consumers to ensure that information was delivered from a broad spectrum of the community.

Two seminar sessions, dementia and financial planning, resulted in standing-room only access in the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre’s 120-seat seminar.

people face-to-face as they explored the variety of care options in a ‘no pressure’ environment.

Exhibitor feedback was also positive, rating the quality of visitors as very high. Indeed, some of the largest exhibitors commented that this was the first time they had taken part in an expo-type event, with no prior industry opportunities available.

An ‘after hours’ networking function was held on the first day, providing an opportunity for industry to celebrate this unique event and recognise the contribution of exhibitors, sponsors and speakers. ■ Western Australia’s largest not-for-profit aged care and retirement village provider Bethanie was a popular choice among expo visitors.

The Federal Minister for Ageing the Hon. Ken Wyatt officially opened the expo which also received national TV coverage.

The largest group of expo visitors was females aged between 55 and 70 looking for care on behalf of a family member. Of those attending, 44 per cent were exploring options for home care, followed by 42 per cent residential care and 40 per cent retirement. A further 37 per cent were seeking other service providers or allied healthcare.

Pleasingly, visitors recorded an overall satisfaction rate of 99 per cent, noting that they enjoyed the opportunity to meet

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AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE

ELDER ABUSE REPORT

THROWS UP PRACTICAL CHALLENGES IN

ROLLING OUT RECOMMENDATIONS

Improved training, culture, and reporting must be in the mix, says Leading Age Services Australia.

M

istreatment of vulnerable elderly people is a worldwide concern, including in Australia. In 2016 the Australian Government asked the Australian Law Report Commission (ALRC) to undertake an inquiry into protecting the rights of older Australians from abuse and neglect.

The ALRC published its final report Elder Abuse – A National Legal Response in the middle of this year. The report proposes a national plan to combat elder abuse and neglect, discusses the settings in which abuse can occur, considers activities which may trigger abuse, and identifies those institutions wellplaced to discover abuse.

The concepts of dignity, autonomy and safeguarding frame the report’s recommendations. The ALRC makes 43 recommendations of which 14 address elder abuse in the aged care setting. This article presents some of the recommendations for the aged care setting that Members may consider difficult or impractical to implement.

ALRC Recommendation 4–1 proposes that aged care legislation should include a new ‘serious incident response scheme’ for the aged care setting.

The definition of a ‘serious incident’ in residential aged care would include physical, sexual and financial abuse as well as inappropriate, improper, inhumane and cruel treatment, unexplained serious injury and neglect. The scheme would require aged care providers to notify a serious alleged or suspected incident to an ‘independent oversight body’.

Further, providers would have to report the outcome of their investigation into a serious incident, including their findings and action taken. The ALRC envisages that this scheme would replace providers’ current responsibilities in relation to reportable assaults under s. 63-1AA of the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth).

Recommendation 4–2 suggests that the ‘independent oversight body’ should monitor and oversee the approved provider’s investigation of, and response to, serious incidents and be empowered to conduct investigations of such incidents.

Controversially, recommendation 4–6 proposes that the ‘serious incident response scheme’ should not exempt serious incidents committed by a care recipient with a pre-diagnosed cognitive impairment against another care recipient.

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) believes that the ALRC’s recommendation for a new serious incident response scheme may be going too far in the reporting responsibilities it proposes for providers.

LASA is of the view that generally, the existing legislative frameworks and reporting processes can be relied upon to prevent abuse in the residential care setting. However, LASA considers that improvements in training, culture and reporting mechanisms may improve providers’ ability to keep older people safe from abuse. Members may want to consider whether the improvements LASA suggests (as follows) would improve providers’ ability to protect older people from abuse.

1. National standards for staff training on what constitutes elder abuse, how to prevent it, deal with it and report it should be introduced. All aged care staff should undergo training on a regular basis linked to these standards.

2. The reporting mechanisms for elder abuse should be made easier to use.

3. Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) funding should reflect the quality and number of staff required for the management of difficult behaviour displayed by some people with dementia. The effective management of aggressive and violent behaviours by qualified staff would further reduce the incidence of assaults on fellow residents perpetrated by residents with dementia.

4. More specialist facilities should be made available for residents with stages 6 and 7 dementia who display severely disturbed and aggressive behaviours. The availability of more of these facilities would enable aged care providers to transfer severely disturbed residents to facilities wellequipped to care for residents with such special needs.

Continued page 28

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AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE Continued from page 27

5. Overseeing bodies responding to alleged elder abuse in residential aged care should implement a culture of quality improvement rather than in the main placing blame on institutions or individuals. LASA believes that a blaming approach impedes an honest investigation of serious incidents and without careful assessment, effective responses cannot be formulated.

In recommendation 4–7 the ALRC suggests that the Department of Health should commission an independent evaluation of research on optimal staffing models and levels in aged care. The results of this evaluation should be used to assess the adequacy of staffing in residential aged care against legislative standards.

This recommendation is worth considering. Having an evidence base for the number and skill of staff required in both, residential and home-based aged care may somewhat settle the conflicts and disagreements between funders and providers of aged care.

The Resource Utilization Study currently being undertaken by the University of Wollongong is a first step in the direction of understanding the resources required to care well for elderly residents. And proper research and understanding of the evidence is a key step in good policy formation, rather than more knee-jerk reactions such as Senator Derryn Hinch’s Bill on mandated staff ratios.

The employment screening for aged care should be overhauled according to recommendation 4–9. The ALRC suggests that a national employment screening process for Commonwealthregulated aged care undertaken by a screening agency should be introduced.

People seeking employment in aged care as well as volunteers should be screened. Introducing a screening body is thought to make screening independent from employers. The screening agency would investigate whether a person has a criminal history and/or adverse findings from a ‘serious incident’ and search for any disciplinary or complaint action by registration or complaint bodies. This process should be repeated every three years.

A screening process which takes into account non-criminal information requires establishing significant data bases by complaints bodies as well as the proposed ‘serious incident response scheme’. It would be an expensive scheme. Are aged care providers or aged care workers expected to pay for it? On the other hand, Members may consider that the scheme would support public confidence in the aged care industry. A lack of confidence in the integrity of employees in the sector may motivate people to eschew using aged care services, instead seeking assistance through family and friends. A question would be how such as scheme might employ approaches from state ‘working with vulnerable people checks’ and whether there would be any duplication with any of these current processes.

28

One of the ALRC’s more contentious recommendations (4–10) proposes national legislation consistently regulating the use of restrictive practices in residential aged care. The ALRC intends recommendation 4–10 to discourage the use of restrictive practices and to set high standards. However, much of what the ALRC proposes with regards to the practice of restraint is already being practiced. According to the ALRC, restrictive practice should be the least restrictive, used only as a last resort, and after alternative strategies have been considered.

However, the ALRC additionally recommends that the Australian Government include further safeguards regarding the use of restraint such as is included in the Disability Act 2006 (Vic). The ALRC suggests an independent senior practitioner for aged care who provides expert leadership on and oversight of the use of restrictive practices. It is unclear whether the senior practitioner should provide this oversight on a national, state or provider level.

Victorian disability service regulation, which was used as the model for this recommendation, require disability services to appoint an ‘authorised program officer’ who must approve restrictive practices before they can be used. Further to the ALRC’s recommendations, aged care providers would be required by law to record and report the use of restrictive practices. The ALRC does not identify which body should receive these reports. However, providers have already put in place recording mechanisms.

The ALRC is right when describing the current regulatory approaches as a patchwork of federal, state, territory regulation and organisational policies. The question is whether the national approach the ALRC proposes would in fact improve older people’s protection from unwarranted restrictive practices.

The ALRC takes a strong stance against agreements between a provider and a care recipient requiring the care recipient to appoint a decision maker for lifestyle, personal or financial matters. Recommendation (4–13) considers such requirement to be an inappropriate encroachment on older peoples’ decision-making rights. Instead, the ALRC believes that people entering residential aged care should be encouraged to make such arrangements. Members may want to consider how recommendation 4–13 would affect their operations.

This article has discussed only a small selection of the recommendations included in the ALRC’s report Elder Abuse – A National Legal Response. LASA encourages all Members to watch out for the LASA Member briefing paper to the ALRC’s report which will offer a more comprehensive insight into the report. Alternatively, Elder Abuse – A National Legal Response can be accessed through the ALRC’s website at www.alrc.gov.au. ■

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5. International consensus. Optimising wellbeing in people living with a wound. An expert working group review. London: Wounds International; 2012.

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SN13504 (08/17)

AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE

PREFERRED OPTION EMERGING FOR

RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE FUNDING MODELS Leading Age Services Australia reflects on the industry’s cry for stability as the government continues to explore the most robust and equitable payment model.

S

ix months on from the official release of the government-commissioned report into the future design of residential aged care funding models, we can now see that Option 5 of the report’s options is gaining government favour.

with a mix of not-for-profit and for-profit-providers. This mix of facility demographic and financial model will give a good range of different residents and include a good mix of ‘models of care’. Sites that have been recognised as ‘best practice’ are also included.

The Department of Health commissioned the initial report from the Australian Health Services Research Institute (AHSRI) and the University of Wollongong (UoW) as part of the Australian Government’s ongoing reforms of the aged care sector.

Data during Study 1 will be collected daily for one month.

The report acknowledges that ACFI (Aged Care Funding Instrument) is no longer fit for purpose.

In the past six months the aged care sector has picked apart every nuance of the report, watched webinar’s co-presented by the department and the UoW, attended roadshows and talked about the pros and cons of all five options.

We now know that the government is seriously examining Option 5 (while always the preferred option from the UoW report).

Option 5 (in a nutshell) is a blended payment model which recognises the fixed (facility) and variable (individual) costs of care.

Option 5 is a robust (hopefully long-term) model of funding for the sector and is thought to achieve greater equity, including greater certainty for both government and provider.

In order for Option 5 to be considered in its entirety a Resource Utilisation Classification Study (RCUS) is required. Expressions of interest were put out to the sector and facilities have now been selected. It should be noted here that there was an overwhelming desire from facilities across the country to participate – a strong indicator of a cry for stability.

The RUCS will be undertaken as three studies with each study looking at different data sets and characteristics.

Study 1 will be looking at resident characteristics – what care does each resident need and how many resources does the care require? It is anticipated that Study 1 will be the most labour- intensive and the UoW is expecting to undertake this as a cluster sample.

This means is that they have selected sites that incorporate rural, remote, major city and metropolitan providers together

Study 2 is intended to capture financial data. The financial data will identify the characteristics of facilities that drive costs, e.g., fixed costs, potential seasonal costs (e.g. increased sick leave during outbreaks). It will look at 12 months of financial data collection.

Study 3 will be an external assessment of workforce and 80 facilities will be included in this part of the study. They will be drawn from across the country, again in all the aforementioned areas.

While the RUCS is primarily about advancing the recommendations for Option 5, the information will be useful and assist with informing decision making for all options.

The primary goal of the study is to discover the drivers of cost.

The RUCS is of utmost importance. We know as a sector that residents who are entering care now are older and frailer than ever before. We need to get the funding model right!

While the three studies are running, the UoW will also be seeking interest from individuals who work in the sector to be on four expert panels. These panels will be facilitated by Kathy Egar.

The four expert panel groups will be: • palliative care • wound management • dementia and mental health • nursing in aged care, e.g. complex care, bariatric care.

The anticipated time frame for completion is unknown at this stage, however, it is thought data collection and reporting with take 12–18 months.

At this stage Richard Rosewarne’s (Applied Aged Care Solutions) revised ACFI has not been released. ■ Sharyn McIlwain is LASA’s Principal Advisor – Residential Aged Care

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AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE

LET’S TALK ABOUT COMPLAINTS:

MY CHALLENGE TO THE INDUSTRY In a new era for the industry, services that encourage complaints, disclose the numbers, and publicise how they deal with them will be Rae Lamb Aged Care Complaints Commissioner more attractive to consumers.

I

n the autumn edition of Fusion this year, I reflected on my first year as the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner and touched very briefly on the need for greater transparency about aged care complaints.

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) has kindly given me another opportunity to speak to you in this edition of Fusion and I’d like to use this to again challenge the industry to talk more openly about complaints.

Earlier this year I wrote to LASA and the other aged care peaks raising this challenge. You may have seen the article in the Sydney Morning Herald calling for service providers to ‘air their dirty laundry’. While the messaging in the article is largely positive, the headline is unfortunate. I don’t regard complaints as ‘dirty laundry’.

Complaints are part of everyday business when you are providing customer care and services. Also, lots of complaints may not be a bad thing. They can signal a culture that encourages feedback and acts on it. Even the best services get complaints.

The negative headline just reinforces that complaints are seen as a bad thing. We need to bring them out into the sunlight to de-stigmatise them.

The current environment Our baby boomers are getting older. They’re likely to be looking after aged parents or relatives or facing the prospect of receiving aged care themselves. There tends to be a lot of fear about this, often driven by media reports about poor care.

In the past two years we’ve seen numerous articles about elder abuse in aged care facilities, a review of the Oakden Older Persons Mental Health Service and an Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into the laws protecting older persons from abuse.

We’ve also seen a Senate inquiry launched into the frameworks protecting residents from poor practices and an

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independent review of Commonwealth aged care regulatory processes. There’s no denying the public is concerned about the level of care our older Australians are receiving. They’re hungry for more information on what issues and complaints are arising and how services are dealing with them.

This is reflected in my own experience when I’m asked about aged care complaints. Sometimes people want to know about individual cases but more often I am asked about a service’s complaints history – how many they get and most importantly, how they respond.

I can’t answer those questions. I can talk about the number of complaints my office has received, the processes we’ve used to resolve them and any emerging trends, but information about the affairs of providers is protected under the aged care law.

It’s a different story for service providers. They can discuss their complaints – the number, how they have been resolved and how these complaints have improved care. Services have more freedom than me to discuss the complaints they receive, yet many don’t. Perhaps for fear of acknowledging liability, being less competitive commercially, and of letting consumers, current and future, know that sometimes things go wrong within their organisations.

Privacy is a common concern. But it’s important to note that complaints can be discussed openly while still respecting privacy. Details about any individuals involved in a complaint should not be revealed without their permission. But services can still talk about the number of complaints they receive, the issues raised, and most importantly, how they have been resolved.

Changing the way we think about complaints So why would providers want people to know that a complaint has been raised about the care and services they provide?

AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE

Because of the opportunities this brings.

Talking openly about complaints inspires confidence in the consumer. By doing this, service providers are essentially saying ‘it’s okay to raise concerns with us; we know concerns can arise and we’ll act on them’. This in turn encourages others to raise complaints and gives the service an opportunity to resolve those concerns quickly and directly, without any intervention from me.

At this time where consumers are increasingly able to choose and control the care they receive, they must have access to quality information. Consumers are demanding this. They need to know how to raise concerns, that they can do so without fear and can have confidence their issues will be resolved. Services that encourage complaints, and disclose how many they get and how they deal with them, will be more attractive than those that hide this information.

This brings me back to the crux of my challenge. I would like to see aged care services put more information about

complaints on their websites, at their facilities, and in their public materials. It should be part of early discussions with families and potential clients.

I am also urging consumers to ask about complaints. Ask services how many they get and what they do about them.

If a service won’t talk about how many complaints it gets and what it does about them – then that says something about that service.

Let’s all talk more about complaints. Greater transparency will help us change the culture and remove the fear associated with complaints. People need to know that complaints are part of providing a good service and it’s how we respond that matters.

If you would like more information or would like to contact us, please visit our website at www.agedcarecomplaints.gov.au.

We’re also available on social media through Facebook and Twitter using the handle @AgedCComplaints. ■

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AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE

DATA BREACH INCIDENT

PROVIDES TIMELY REMINDER TO REVIEW PRIVACY PRACTICES AND POLICIES

With mandatory data breach notification laws due to take effect in February, TressCox Lawyers warns that aged care providers cannot be complacent.

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he Australian Red Cross Blood Service (the Red Cross) has been commended by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) following the OAIC’s investigation of a data breach relating to the Red Cross’s www.donateblood.com.au website (the website).

Background On 5 September, 2016, a data file containing information relating to approximately 550,000 prospective blood donors

was accidentally placed—by an employee of the Red Cross’ third party provider—on a publicly-accessible section of a webserver.

The data file included the personal and health information of individuals who had entered their details on the website including contact details, appointment preferences and responses to donor eligibility questions. The data file was discovered and accessed by an individual on 26 October, 2016 who proceeded to notify the Red Cross.

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On 28 October, 2016, the Red Cross voluntarily notified the OAIC of the data breach and took a number of steps to contain the data breach including temporarily closing the website, and engaging identity, cyber and forensic experts to complete an independent risk assessment of the personal information which had been compromised.

The Red Cross also notified affected individuals, including sending a notice to affected individuals by text messages and email, issuing press releases, publishing statements on its website and social media sites, and establishing a website, telephone hotline and email inquiry facility to respond to public enquiries.

Investigation The OAIC commenced an investigation of the data breach and released its investigation report on 7 August, 2017, in which it commended the Red Cross for its handling of the data breach and for taking complete responsibility during the course of the breach. The OAIC noted that the Red Cross’s actions ensured there was unlikely to be adverse consequences for the affected individuals.

It was, however, noted by the OAIC that: • the Red Cross did not have any contractual measures or other reasonable steps to ensure adequate security measures for the personal information held by the third party provider on the Red Cross’ behalf, and • the data on the website was retained for a longer period than was required.

Despite this, the OAIC concluded that the data breach was a one-off human error on the part of the third-party provider, the data breach was outside the scope of the third-party provider’s contractual obligations to the Red Cross, and the data breach occurred without the authorisation or direct involvement of the Red Cross.

How will this impact aged care providers?

The release of the OAIC’s investigation report is a timely reminder for aged care providers to review their privacy practices and policies, and ensure they are aware of their legislative obligations in relation to mandatory data breach provisions, pursuant to the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017 (the Act), which is expected to take effect in February 2018.

Pursuant to the Act, aged care providers will be required to notify the Australian Information Commissioner and affected individuals when they suspect that a data breach has occurred, and there is a real risk of serious harm to the individuals as a result of the data breach. Aged care providers will need to ensure they have appropriate privacy procedures and guidelines in place to be able to assess suspected data breaches and comply with their legislative obligations if a suspected data breach is likely to result in serious harm.

The OAIC’s investigation report is also a timely reminder for aged care providers to consider whether voluntary notifications to the OAIC may be appropriate if they suspect a data breach has occurred (in circumstances which do not apply to the mandatory notification provisions pursuant to the Act). This is particularly relevant, given the OAIC’s views that voluntary notifications assist entities, including aged care providers, to protect their reputation by adopting a transparent approach and also provide individuals with the opportunity to take proactive steps to protect their personal information.

Finally, aged care providers cannot be complacent as the OAIC has made clear that entities cannot outsource their privacy obligations to third-party providers. Ultimately, aged care providers must ensure reasonable measures are implemented to ensure their third-party providers comply with appropriate privacy and data security procedures. ■ For further assistance or advice, please contact TressCox Lawyers’ Health & Aged Care Partner, Dominique Egan on (02) 9228 3261, or Associate, Patricia Marinovic on (02) 9228 9396.

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EFFECTIVELY MANAGING CRITICAL INCIDENTS:

HOW AGED CARE ORGANISATIONS NEED TO SHIFT FROM REACTIVE TO PROACTIVE Competent crisis management is built on proactively developing strong systems, procedures and relationships, says a marketing expert.

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o you shudder when you hear the word ‘crisis’?

Have you faced a significant crisis event within your organisation? And if so, how prepared were you?

At the recent Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) New South Wales state conference, the industry’s approach to crises was put under the microscope during the panel discussion “Is our industry being judged by its headlines?”

If the number of questions from the floor is anything to go by, crisis management and community perceptions of the aged care sector are indeed hot topics.

All in the room agreed that in relation to crisis management, ‘It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when’.

Being proactive will give you a better outcome. And a reactive response can often lead to disaster.

Aged care: a unique set of challenges Whether you are operating in residential or in the home and community care arena, aged care faces a unique set of crisis management challenges.

The nature of caring for larger numbers of people means there is also the potential for larger scale health crises, be that viruses, bacterial outbreaks or food-borne illness. Food and general hygiene are absolutely paramount yet can be sacrificed in some settings.

As our older people age, many become more vulnerable. Sadly, for some this means they become more likely to experience abuse, which may be deliberate or unwitting. Exposure, ranging from potential financial abuse to the physical, can happen at the hands of family members, friends, support workers or aged care facilities.

The aged care sector is a highly emotive one. As a society we recognise the very real vulnerability of our older people, and we often feel guilty that we are not doing more for them.

Many family members feel guilty about putting their loved one into residential care. Or they may feel guilty that they are not

providing the in-home care and support needed by their older relative. This heightened emotion can feed a tinderbox, where a crisis can quickly burn across the media and the wider community.

And like any industry, there is a full gamut of providers, from best-in-class to questionable. Yet in the aged care sector, the possible exposure and consequence of poor management and practices can quickly be shared across the entire industry.

Getting the basics right: the first step in crisis management Every aged care provider, whether you operate in the residential or in the home care space, needs to get the basics right. These are the first steps you need to address so you are in a position to be able to manage a crisis competently: 1. The right staff identified by screening and proper checks prior to recruitment, and regular monitoring and checking of all staff who deal with clients and residents.

2. Systems and procedures to respond to and handle a crisis. These must build safety and wellbeing into all aspects of care, from food and general hygiene to manual handling, and from client on-boarding to incident documentation.

There needs to be a genuine commitment from the top down, to ensure your full team lives by the systems and procedures you’ve developed.

3. Risk and crisis management procedure manuals, clearly documented, easily readable and quickly accessible to staff across the entire organisation. These should be augmented by support structures within and outside the organisation, so that the best help is on hand when you need it.

4. Training, rehearsal and preparation Opportunities for all staff to undertake regular training, to practice, to role play and to access information, so they know exactly what to do in the event of a crisis.

Continued page 38

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AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE Continued from page 37

5. A safe physical environment, which reduces exposure to accidents, injuries and any other mishaps. This should take into account your residents and clients, your staff and your visitors.

6. The right culture that puts clients and residents’ best welfare at the centre of everything you do. Progressive organisations encourage reporting and highlighting of risks, with a ‘no blame’ approach that focuses on continual improvement and risk mitigation.

It is absolutely vital for your organisation to address this checklist, to put yourselves in the best position to deal with any untoward situation.

Facing and dealing with a crisis If you are faced with a crisis within one of your facilities or relating to your organisation, there are some key actions you should take.

1. Secure the situation, the site and the stakeholders.

Your number one priority should always be the welfare and safety of your clients or residents, immediately followed by your staff. The clients’ families are also a high priority. While it is important to keep the press and wider community abreast, you are well within your rights to explain your priorities.

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2. Implement your plans and leverage your preparation.

Call on all your checklists and pre-allocated roles. The guidelines, templates and checklists you have developed in the past will provide extremely useful structure in a stressful time; ensuring important tasks do not ‘fall through the cracks’.

Delegate appropriately, again based on pre-agreed roles and tasks. This frees up senior staff to truly and proactively manage the crisis. And keep the internal communication lines open, with regular updates for your staff. Meet daily at an absolute minimum.

3. Engage with the press and wider community.

Dealing with the press well can be the difference between your organisation surviving and its downfall. Call on your existing relationships. Now is the time to draw on goodwill and social capital built up in the past. If you need time to gather information or deal with immediate safety issues, let them know. But then, you must get back to them as a priority.

Be as open as you can be – transparency and authenticity will go a long way in saving the situation.

4. Record and document.

Finally, make sure everything is recorded and documented.

You may allocate this role to a particular team member, or you may require everyone to carefully document the situation and

AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE

their actions. Even those of us with a great memory need to prioritise this important task. And unfortunately given that there may be legal implications, your documentation may prove vital for your organisation’s long term wellbeing.

Shifting from reactive to proactive Some would say that the only time we hear about the aged care sector in the media is when there is a crisis. Yet there are many, many good news stories too. How should the sector and individual players go about building a more positive profile in the community?

Building a strong brand and profile starts with a deep understanding of your different stakeholders – including consumers and community. This will likely incorporate wellstructured market research. Understanding your potential clients’ interests, their concerns and their perspective will allow you to communicate in a meaningful and appropriate way that truly resonates.

This consumer understanding must also be coupled with a clear understanding of your value proposition and what makes your organisation unique. Again, well-structured market research can add significant insight and guidance in developing a sustainable and robust value proposition.

To get on the front foot and start building a more positive profile, combine these elements together to form the framework of your branding, your set of clear and consistent main messages and the look and feel of all your collateral. Use them to inform the layout and navigation of your website, as well as the backbone of your social media activity.

For aged care providers, local area and community marketing are also essential pillars. Build positive messages across a range of platforms, from signage and advertising to direct mail and local promotions. Online advertising and social media can be geographically targeted, meaning these avenues can be highly efficient tools to augment your traditional local area marketing campaigns.

To counter negative perceptions, demonstrate that you are givers not just takers, by getting involved in your local community. This can range from sponsorship to outreach activities to having a presence at local events. Whichever avenue you choose, the activity and your involvement should be well aligned with your organisation’s positioning and value proposition.

Use public relations and relationships with targeted media outlets to add traction to any proactive strategy. Let your press contacts know about your great initiatives. Stay in regular Continued page 40

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AGE CARE REGULATION & GOVERNANCE Continued from page 39

contact with them. Invest time and effort in building these important relationships. And use your social media channels and engaging content to get to your targets directly.

Don’t forget your team is your secret weapon. Internal communications help to build a strong culture and commitment, keeping the team informed, engaged and enthused about your organisation and your purpose. Make sure all of your staff and stakeholders understand and can recount your value proposition, as they will be an important driver of your profile and reputation via their informal networks.

In summary, by adopting a proactive approach, you take control of the message and you can start to change community perceptions. A proactive approach means you can build a more positive profile and counterbalance negative perceptions, both of which can make an enormous difference in times of crisis.

Finally, being proactive about systems and procedures will close all the gaps and give your organisation the best chance of handling and surviving a crisis.

A role for LASA? Based on feedback and discussion at the conference, it is clear that there is a real role for LASA in educating, supporting and leading organisations in crisis management.

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Given that a crisis in one aged care provider can very well impact perceptions of the industry as a whole, LASA agreed there is a role for them to partner with member organisations, providing practical guidance and support.

First, this could take the form of making available to Members, a standard set of guidelines, manuals, training and audit materials (such as checklists).

Secondly, LASA might consider providing moral support as well as practical coaching and mentoring during and after a crisis – getting alongside senior executive teams as they navigate what will be in most cases, a very challenging time. ■ Carolyn Loton is Director of Juntos Marketing, an agency specialising in the health, aged care and professional services sectors.

Juntos Marketing would like to acknowledge and thank Nieves Murray, CEO of IRT Group and Amiria MacKinnon, Marketing Manager, The Whiddon Group, for their valuable input prior to and during the panel discussion at the LASA NSW State Conference.

HOME CARE

LEADING AGE SERVICES AUSTRALIA RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT CALL FOR INDUSTRY INSIGHTS ON REFORM PROCESSES

Submission raises sector’s concerns about emerging cross-jurisdictional inconsistencies under new, open market.

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he 2013 Living Longer Living Better (LLLB) reform package is a 10-year program that is aimed at building a responsive, integrated, consumer-centred and sustainable aged care system – one that is designed to meet the challenges of population ageing and ensure ongoing innovation and improvement1.

Aged Care Sector Committee Chair David Tune’s independent legislated review of the LLLB program—the Legislative Review of Aged Care 20172—has recently been completed, and provides the opportunity to reflect on how much progress has been made in addressing the challenges

identified over the past 20 years. It tells us what is working, what is not, and what needs to change to meet the needs and expectations of our ageing population.

The review also addresses funding sustainability and considers the true and full cost of the provision of aged care in all its forms.

Looking forward then, continuing home care reforms are to be guided by the Aged Care Roadmap3 which sets the vision for a consumer-driven, market-based sustainable aged care system and the Legislative Review of Aged Care 2017.

Continued page 42

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HOME CARE Continued from page 41

Importantly, the government has also directly sought the views of the aged care sector and interested stakeholders on how an integrated Care at Home program can be progressed as part of continuing LLLB implementation.

This has been done via a public consultation, Future Reform – an integrated care at home program to support older Australians4.

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This consultation accounts for current sector experience of the reform process and looks at opportunities to improve assessment arrangements, revise the current mix of home care packages, as well as the mix of individualised and block funding. It also seeks sector opinion on further embedding the principles of wellness, restoration and reablement into care provision, how to make more efficient use of existing resources and programs to support the sustainability of the aged care system and broader structural reforms.

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) submitted its response to the government’s discussion paper, as did many other stakeholders. With the support of the National Aged Care Alliance, the government will review the many submissions to the public consultation to inform decisions on progressing an integrated Care at Home program. The submission review process is due to commence shortly.

The following are some of the key points in the Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) submission.

• The integrated Care at Home program objectives outline a comprehensive approach to build a consumer-driven, market-based aged care system that can offer more choice for consumers and competition among providers.

• The affordability and sustainability of the future Care at Home program is critical, as is understanding consumer demand for aged care to be measured through the My Aged Care national registration system.

• Consistency across both federal and state legislative instruments needs to be addressed, noting inconsistencies have started to emerge with the commencement of open market dynamics.

• An integrated assessment workforce is required, informed by the Formal Review of Regional Assessment Services and current referral, waitlist, assessment, review and reassessment data.

• The Resource Utilisation and Classification Study5 will assist to inform the full cost of high-level home care package arrangements and potential funding supplements.

• A phased approach for re-distribution of existing aged care funding should be considered in working towards aligning the supply of in-home support arrangements to match consumer demand as is informed by assessed need.

• Consumer expectations for contribution to the cost of care need to be set at the entry level of care while government subsidies for care should contribute

HOME CARE

increasing amounts of financial support to consumers who cannot afford to pay for their increasing care needs.

No decisions have been made about program structures, funding models or implementation arrangements for the next stage of reform. We do know, however, that building an integrated Care at Home program will not be easy and will essentially bring forth operational, policy and funding dilemmas which can either be solved or ignored as we continue the home care reform journey.

Be assured that LASA will be at the table representing its Members, having established advisory groups across the country to facilitate Member engagement ongoing as we

continue to focus on delivering the promise of providing a strong voice and helping hand for all providers of aged services across residential aged care, home care and retirement living. ■ Troy Speirs is LASA Principal Advisor – Home Care

References 1. https://agedcare.health.gov.au/ageing-and-aged-care-aged-care-reform/ why-is-aged-care-changing 2. https://agedcare.health.gov.au/reform/aged-care-legislated-review 3. https://agedcare.health.gov.au/aged-care-reform/aged-care-roadmap 4. https://agedcare.health.gov.au/reform/future-care-at-home-reform 5. https://agedcare.health.gov.au/reform/factsheet-resource-utilisation-andclassification-study

DATA CONFIRMS LEADING AGE SERVICES AUSTRALIA’S

CONCERNS ON HOME CARE

T

he Australian Government’s release of the Home Care Packages Program Data Report on 15 September, six months after the implementation of the Increasing Choice Home Care (ICHC) reforms, confirmed serious concerns identified by Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) in its Increasing Choice in Home Care Issues Paper which was based on a national survey of almost 20 per cent of home care providers.

The data released showed there are more than 50,000 older Australians awaiting a home care package, with a further 35,000 people receiving services below their assessed level of need.

LASA Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said that the ICHC reforms implemented from 27 February 2017 were a major shift in Australia’s aged care system, aimed at giving consumers greater choice over the services and support they receive in their homes.

“Reform on this scale is not without its challenges and, while the release of home care data is welcomed, it reveals a system in transition and requiring urgent attention,” he said.

Mr Rooney said the home care system is being challenged by the implementation of significant changes that support greater consumer choice, while it is also straining to keep up with growing demand.

Mr Rooney said providers and consumers alike welcomed the government’s announcement on 14 September that it will make available an additional 6,000 high level home care packages.

“However, there is more work to do,” he said.

“LASA recognises that the reform agenda in aged care is necessary and ambitious.

“LASA and our Members stand ready to work with the government and others to resolve the identified issues in the service of older Australians,” Mr Rooney said.

The LASA issues paper was delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Health Minister, the Aged Care Minister, the Human Services Minister and relevant government departments in September 2017 calling on them to address 17 key issues. ■

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HOME CARE

AACS ACFI Review Services AACS currently provides ACFI Review Services for all aged care providers. Lead by Dr Richard Rosewarne, AACS were the original architects of the ACFI and so have an intimate understanding of the documentation requirements and the review process. We work in partnership with your staff and conduct high quality audit reviews covering files notes, assessments and all documentation to build an evidence profile that informs not only on the ACFI claim but the quality and consistency of your documentation. We can help you get the best possible ACFI funding outcome.

The AACS ACFI Review services are as follows:

Our reviews deliver:

• Remote ACFI Reviews: Detailed ACFI Appraisal Reviews

• Comprehensive reviews of your documentation & assessment practices

• Monthly ACFI Outcome Reports by Facility

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HOME CARE

CARE SUPPORT NETWORK BRINGS THE SHARING ECONOMY MODEL TO AGED CARE AND DISABILITY SUPPORT

Online marketplace founder labels new service a ‘game-changer’ for consumers seeking tailored and peer-rated care provision.

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lder Australians and people living with disability will now be able to have complete freedom of choice over the care and support services they receive with the launch of Care Support Network, an online marketplace and community that will operate Australia-wide.

After acquiring Find a Carer, Care Support Network will operate nationally, and is positioned to become the leading online marketplace with access to around 3,000 carers.

Using state-of-the-art technology, Care Support Network will cater to the diverse needs of the community, enabling clients to handpick the person and service that best meets their specific needs, while individual carers will gain greater flexibility, work diversity and independence.

Care Support Network Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Evers—the former executive officer of Yooralla and chief executive of Wesley Mission Victoria—said Care Support Network is a game-changer for the sector.

“The aged care and disability sectors in Australia are facing challenges like never before; an ageing population and increased demand for disability services is putting enormous pressure on already overworked service providers,” he said.

“The best way to combat this is to take an entirely fresh approach and to shift to a shared economy paradigm. Care Support Network is making home care more accessible and affordable than ever before for the average Australian, giving them true choice and control. It also enables customers to access a lot of information and to create and enjoy the community connections they crave.”

Care Support Network will work alongside service providers to ensure the sector has a responsive supply of carers that can keep up with demand.

This includes access to a large community of individual carers for a much lower fee than agency staff; the ability to advertise events and activities on the Care Support Network website; as well as access to additional services to cater to their clients’ needs.

Rob Evers, Care Support Network Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

“We need to be able to sustain the growth needed in the supply of at-home carers, and address the changing needs of older Australians and those with disability,” Mr Evers said.

“The best way to achieve this is through collaboration and innovation with service providers; we’re building a network that together will navigate the changes within the sector.”

For individual carers, Care Support Network enables them to nominate their own price, while also choosing the hours they work, where they work and who they work for.

Similar to other sharing economy models, Care Support Network will also use an online rating system for both the carer and the customer, allowing for complete transparency. ■ For more information please visit www.mycsn.com.au.

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HOME CARE

HOME CARE REFORM IMPLEMENTATION

THROWS UP UNANTICIPATED CHALLENGES Most pressing problems become the focus of Leading Age Services Australia’s submission to government.

I

mplementation of the Increasing Choice in Home Care (ICHC) reforms is focused on improving the way home care services are delivered to older Australians. It aims to strengthen the aged care system, providing consumers more choice in accessing quality care and service innovation through increased competition.

With ICHC still in a relatively early stage of implementation, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) has called upon the government to respond to a range of implementation issues that have emerged for both home care providers and consumers.

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These issues were collated within the issues paper, LASA response to implementation of Increasing Choice in Home Care that was submitted to the government in early September 2017. The paper outlines a range of implementation issues identified through consultation with Members. These issues were mapped against a risk framework to draw out the most salient concerns for response. Recommendations to government and other stakeholders were provided in seeking to facilitate a solution-focused approach.

The most pressing concern identified was the reported low number of home care package (HCP) activations for consumers relative to the number of HCPs released to consumers from the national queue. Some home care providers have reported a downturn in package activity as high as 34 per cent since ICHC commenced. There is also a perceived lack of infrastructure to support consumer HCP activation.

LASA had previously brought these concerns to the government’s attention in LASA’s Home Care Provider Survey Report. LASA is also currently re-surveying its Members to capture further information concerning ICHC implementation.

The government has now released performance data on the national HCP queue which provides increasing transparency concerning the number of consumers waiting for a HCP relative to those receiving a HCP. This increased transparency will assist HCP provider to respond to current market dynamics.

However, more detailed performance data is still required.

Improved infrastructure is also required to support consumers in researching HCP providers, to actively follow them up and to incentivise their HCP activation.

Other issues that were reported as hindering consumer access to HCPs include: • extensive delays in consumer assessments by Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) • unavailability of home care package levels relative to consumer demand • redirection of consumers with a HCP approval to receive interim support using Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) resources • perverse incentives for consumers receiving interim CHSP support to activate a HCP once assigned.

Multiple providers also reported extensive and variable delays to assessments across ACAT regions. Such delays reduce equity of access to care and support. Providers also reported that consumers are assigned a HCP from the national queue based on the availability of a HCP level irrespective of the consumers actual inherent care needs. This creates risks for

gaps in care provision, decline in condition, reduced client wellness and independence.

CHSP providers have also reported receiving an increasing number of referrals for consumers approved for a HCP. Referrals for interim CHSP support are being implemented in response to unmet HCP demand and limited HCP supply.

Consequently, CHSP activity outputs are most likely exceeding the requirements of block-funded grant agreements, with additional risks for CHSP operations to be realised in the second half of the financial year.

Furthermore, there are now reports that CHSP consumers are rejecting their HCP assignment while receiving CHSP support, this being a more affordable care arrangement than a HCP. Clearly, there are some emerging implementation issues that are indicative of a vulnerable market environment that need to be addressed by the government, in collaboration with industry, as a priority in moving forward.

Other critical issues that have emerged for consumers and home care providers once a HCP has been activated include: • unpaid subsidies relative to home care package activity • incorrect home care package withdrawals resulting in unpaid subsidies • concerns regarding My Aged Care (MAC) capability to respond to issues that have amounted in unpaid subsidies.

One HCP provider has reported the accumulation of unpaid subsides equating to near $125,000 since ICHC commencement. Additionally, HCP provider administration to manage subsidy payment reconciliation and error management has increased relative to the size of a providers HCP program.

HCP providers and consumers also report that when contacting MAC or Department of Human Service staff they are often unable to respond with any clear resolution. Combined, these issues run contrary to the intent of ICHC in reducing red tape and as such these ongoing system and process failures exacerbate frustrations and financial pressures for implementation of HCPs. Industry acknowledges that teething issues would always have emerged with implementation of ICHC. More importantly, industry demands a considered approach to the review, resourcing and rectification of these identified issues.

Acknowledging that there is the need to improve upon current systems and processes for ongoing implementation of ICHC, LASA stands with aged care providers, willing to work with the government to address these issues in the service of older Australians. ■ Troy Speirs is LASA Principal Advisor – Home Care

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RETIREMENT LIVING

RETIREMENT VILLAGE ROUNDTABLE

MOVES INDUSTRY FOCUS TO FUTURE PLANNING Leading Age Services Australia considers the key steps in painting a vibrant picture of retirement living as a positive housing and lifestyle option.

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here has been significant public interest in the retirement living sector in Australia in recent times.

Within this heightened interest, there have been a small number of stories which reflect poorly on the sector and contradict the positive experiences of thousands of residents who live in retirement villages.

LASA believes that while the focus of the media on a few issues rather than the significant benefits of the sector are unfortunate. They have, however, provided an opportunity for sector leadership and guidance.

LASA recently convened a retirement village sector stakeholder roundtable to commence the conversation towards positivity and consistency while identifying key themes that could make a difference now and into the future.

These themes included: • resident reports that they live in retirement villages as a matter of choice and preference and appreciate the lifestyle, security and social connectedness that this brings to their lives • language and terminology is confusing and inconsistent with other similar legislative frameworks whereas the use of more meaningful words would reduce such confusion • residents and their peak bodies have identified that there are significant benefits in living in the village environment • the benefits that the retirement living sector contributes to Australia’s current and future economy cannot be ignored.

The discussion from this roundtable assisted in the preparation of a paper that was submitted to the Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt prior to his meeting with a delegation of LASA retirement village Members on 8 August where they shared their insights and experience.

Further to the discussion paper, the roundtable commenced work on a possible roadmap to the future which will be further developed with key stakeholder input.

Objectives include clear and transparent terminology, innovative choice for consumers, recognition and promotion of the numerous benefits to consumers and scheme operators and how the retirement village sector assists governments to

meet the aged care needs of the future. LASA looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Minister as this roadmap is further developed.

The value of retirement villages Retirement villages play a key part in providing affordable accommodation allowing residents to be part of a supportive community. Consumers have the choice of a range of villages that best meets their needs and budgets.

While offering a range of self-funded services and supports to their residents, there is an additional benefit of not only improving residents’ lifestyles, but of generating savings to governments. Analysis has shown that this generates $2.16 billion annually in savings to the health care system. Some $1.98 billion of these savings are achieved by retirement villages delaying residents’ entry into government-funded aged care facilities.

Residents’ choice and quality of life LASA Members have noted that retirement villages offer an important choice in addition to moving in with family, downsizing to an apartment or staying at home with home support services.

Key features of retirement villages that attract residents include a community with a similar age cohort, independence with care options, value for money, flexibility from downsizing, the operator often paying for capital replacement and economies of scale e.g. rates, insurance.

Retirement villages also offer choice via different financial and care models, offering low to high-end care, and supported or affordable housing. Each village is different, some cater to people who want pools, tennis courts, bowling greens and so on, while some offer a communal centre and an onsite manager. Others, offer a community of like-minded people.

Our Members have noted that there are evolving offerings in the retirement village sector that result in more choice, especially age-in-place options. Age-in-place options allow residents to start with independent living and remain in place as they progress to higher levels of care. This provides a more

Continued page 50

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RETIREMENT LIVING Continued from page 49

seamless progression, with likely simpler fee transitions as costs rise, less disruption for residents and the continuity of living in the one community.

Our role in the regulation of the sector LASA is working with our Members and governments on regulatory reforms to help ensure they are responsive to the environment, efficient and effective. Noting the numerous state-based legislations that have recently been open for consultation, LASA—with input from our Members—has ensured that the concerns relating to operational implications have been duly noted. LASA supports the intent of each piece of regulatory review to ultimately ensure that consumers have greater understanding. However, it is crucial that the sector is supported to be financially sustainable and relevant.

LASA observes that sound operation of retirement villages is not only dependent on government regulation. The sector has accreditation standards. LASA owns the International Retirement Community Accreditation Scheme (IRCAS) Standards. The IRCAS Standards provide a framework for quality and risk management and are designed to keep Australian retirement villages at the forefront of retirement living internationally.

As with regulation, such standards evolve over time on a continuous-improvement basis. LASA will work with our Members and governments to promote sound and effective self-regulation where this is appropriate, noting that ‘lighthanded’ regulatory approaches are often highly efficient and effective.

Of course, sound operation of retirement villages also relies on the innovations and best practices that operators apply, which are often informed by evidence and new models emerging here and overseas.

Economic benefits to Australia It is estimated that there will be somewhere near 5,000 to 7,000 independent living units (ILUs) developed in SouthEast Queensland over the next 10 years. At $330,000 per unit development, this represents $1.6 billion to $2.3 billion in direct investment. If we assume that there will be three times as many units developed in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, the value of this investment will increase to around $6.4 billion to $9.2 billion.

These developments will contribute significantly to employment. At a ratio of 1 worker per 25 ILUs this represents an additional 5,000 to 7,000 workers. It is critical that changes to policy must support this investment and not impede it.

Developing meaningful terminology and language It is fair to say that the overall language used in retirement village legislation could be clarified and made simpler. Although this is state legislation, Commonwealth support for a nationally-

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consistent approach, including terminology would be helpful to both our Members and consumers. Members have voiced their concern over the terminology or language of the legislation and how this inappropriate terminology leads to misunderstanding by potential and current residents. Quite simply the words do not explain their meaning.

Where to from here?

The retirement village sector does not wish to see consumer confidence eroded, nor its reputation affected. Providing high quality lifestyle and housing options, Scheme operators are proud of the sector in which they operate and wish to create a strong and vibrant picture of retirement living as a housing and lifestyle choice.

LASA recently wrote to the Federal Minister for Small Business, Michael McCormack as well as other state and territory ministers in advance of a ministerial council meeting to share our Member’s positions on retirement village sector quality, choice and future regulation/self-regulation. The ministerial meeting agreed to direct Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) to undertake further investigation into the regulation of retirement villages including identifying any regulatory gaps that allow unfair practices to occur.

So how do we move forward? LASA believes it is critical that the Australian Government and the broader community recognise the evolving offerings in the retirement village sector that result in more choice, including age-in-place options.

LASA will further consult with our retirement village Members on co-design for the sector and will also work closely with Aged and Community Services Australia and Property Council of Australia to ensure strong advocacy across the sector.

We continue to work with our Members and government on regulatory reforms to help ensure that they are responsive to the environment, efficient and effective.

LASA observes that sound operation of retirement villages is also supported by sector self-regulation, which can be more efficient and effective than heavier-handed regulation. Operator adoption of innovations and best practices are also critical to a continually improving sector.

LASA will support stakeholders to move towards improved and Australia-wide consistent terminology in retirement village legislation and contracts which will support better consumer information and decision making.

And finally, LASA will work alongside the sector to discuss the importance of the development of a roadmap for sector reform and development. This would be undertaken in liaison with all relevant sector stakeholders. ■ If you are interested in being involved in this conversation, please contact retirementliving@lasa.asn.au.

Kerri Lanchester is LASA Ag/Principal Advisor – Retirement Living & Seniors Housing

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RETIREMENT LIVING

52

RETIREMENT LIVING

EXAMINING RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND COSTS IN RETIREMENT VILLAGE CONTRACTS

Aged care educator calls for mandatory advice to help people avoid financial traps.

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f you believed everything you read and heard about retirement villages lately it would be easy to conclude that the transaction is one to avoid – with detrimental effects for your financial situation and health likely to result.

Meanwhile, those with experience in the industry were probably shaking their heads when people told stories of signing contracts that they didn’t understand, not seeking legal or financial advice or worse having sought that advice were not completely informed about their contract and costs.

The bottom line is that retirement village contracts are a balance of rights, responsibilities and costs – they can be complicated and advice should be mandatory.

Here’s what to expect and some of the tips and traps to be aware of.

Firstly, retirement villages operate under state (or territory) legislation, typically a retirement villages Act, which prescribes what is and isn’t a retirement village, who can be a resident (typically there is a minimum age of 55) and the legal documents that are required (commonly contracts and disclosure documents). It also regulates some but not all of the financial arrangements. Typically retirement villages are not allowed to profit from running the village.

When it comes to the contract, the ownership (or right to occupy) a home in a retirement village is often a leasehold or licence but in some cases it is strata title or even a company share or unit trust arrangement.

When it comes to costs I find it easier to analyse and even compare different villages if you break it down into the three costs of the transaction: ingoing; ongoing; and outgoing.

Ingoing—the amount someone pays for their home (or right to occupy a home) in the village plus transaction costs such as stamp duty or contract preparation fees.

Ongoing—the costs to live in the village, often called the general service charge or recurrent charge.

A budget should also be done for personal expenses.

In most retirement villages people are levied for utilities which are individually metered, and then there are everyday expenses such as groceries, maintaining a car, entertainment and travel. In addition to this may be the cost of care through a Home Care package, private carers or a combination of two.

Outgoing—is the amount people pays when they leave or the home is sold.

The deferred management fee, which is commonly between 25 per cent and 40 per cent of either the purchase price or sale price is normally the biggest cost here. But there can also be a share of capital gain (or loss), reinstatement or refurbishment costs and sales and marketing fees that also need to be taken into account.

Moving to a retirement village can have wide-ranging consequences on someone’s personal finances. It is important to consider the impact on pension entitlement and eligibility for rent assistance, the cost of a Home Care package, the ability to afford living in the community and the amount of money that will be received when the unit is sold or the amount paid under a guaranteed buyback and how quickly this will occur. All of these factors will impact on the long term asset position which needs to be considered in light of the cost of the next move – aged care.

Crunching all of the numbers and understanding someone’s rights and responsibilities throughout the transaction can be complicated. But it’s necessary to ensure there are no surprises down the track.

If there is a lesson in the current media hype it is this: the right legal and financial advice is invaluable for consumers and retirement village operators. ■ Rachel Lane is the principal of education and advisory body Aged Care Gurus Pty Ltd

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OUT AND ABOUT

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OUT AND ABOUT

NSW/ACT OUT AND ABOUT WITH MEMBERS

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tate Manager, Brendan Moore has been getting out and about across New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory in the last few months meeting Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) Members and representing their interests to various stakeholders including the wide range of New South Wales-based Affiliates, the New South Wales offices of the Department of Health, the New South Wales Ministry of Health, the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner and New South Wales Ministers for Health and also Innovation and Better Regulation.

Brendan raised a number of key issues for LASA Members with the New South Wales state office of the Department of Health Aged Care Liaison Group including: Aged Care Funding Instrument cuts, ongoing issues with My Aged Care and client assessment and flow through, the payment system, and the ongoing concerns about the national prioritisation process.

Other state-based issues he has been actively advocating on since include the 24/7 Registered Nurses in residential aged care, retirement village regulations and the inquiry into retirement villages.

Member visits over the last couple of months have been in Canberra, Illawarra, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and across Sydney.

Two Member forums have been held in recent months with forums at the LASA office in Surry Hills in May and June featuring the new LASA Member offerings, including introductions to the principal advisors and employment relations team, and an industry overview by Stewart Brown.

Member forums have been traditionally held in Sydney, but with a growing membership outside of the capital city it is planned to convene forums outside Sydney after the LASA National Congress. If your organisation has a venue capable of hosting a member forum, we would love to hear from you. Please email reception@nswact.lasa.asn.au.

New Members welcomed to LASA in 2017 include: • New Age Community Services • Core Community Services – Aged and Disability • Ingenia Communities • Home Instead Senior Care – Northern Sydney • The Pines Living The New South Wales-based advisory groups for home care, retirement villages/seniors housing, and residential aged care are now all established and running effectively in partnership

with the principal advisors for each portfolio. LASA has web conference technology available to facilitate participation by Members no matter where they are. New participants in these advisory groups are always welcome. If you are interested in joining a group, please email reception@nswact.lasa.asn.au.

The New South Wales Member Advisory Committee (MAC) now has a full complement of Members representing the diversity of providers in the membership in the state. Each state MAC provides advice to the Board on how Member advocacy can be enhanced, and how to improve, expand and evaluate LASA’s Member products, services and activities. The state MACs are the formal mechanism for Member feedback to the Board on issues of importance including: policy issues/ positions; Member Services; and Member issues arising.

They are a critical element in a high-performing, member-based organisation like LASA. Members are encouraged to engage with these representatives. The New South Wales Member Advisory Committee comprises: Cynthia Payne (Chair), Matt Fisher (Deputy Chair), Kerry Mann, Lindsay Doherty, Steve Gordon, Shaun Mooney, Shane Neaves, Chris Mamarelis, Michael Kresner, Natasha Chadwick, Andrew Mann and Robert Orie (LASA Board representative). ■ LASA State Manager New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, Brendan Moore with Moran Health Care Group Director of Operations, Jennifer Dempsey, and LASA Principal Consultant, Natasha Collis.

OUT AND ABOUT

VIC/TAS OUT AND ABOUT WITH MEMBERS

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hile the weather may have cooled down over winter in Victoria, things have been all systems go for the Melbourne office team and the Victorian Members.

Our Victoria/Tasmania State Manager, Veronica Jamison and her team have delivered a number of successful member forums in metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria for the benefit of Members. The content of these forums focused on updating our Members on the many benefits of their Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) membership, along with giving Members an overview of the state of the aged care industry along with the many reforms that are currently afoot in the industry. Feedback from attending Members was very positive.

One area of significance that LASA has been alerting its Members to is the upcoming Assisted Dying Bill which is scheduled to go before the spring session of the Victorian Parliament. While the outcome of the Bill is not yet known, the LASA team has been ensuring Members are being kept abreast of the Bill’s progress and its likely implications for them should it be passed. To this end, LASA attended the consultation conducted by Victorian Aged Care Minster, Martin Foley to hear firsthand about the Bill and what it potentially means for the Victorian people.

LASA was honoured to attend Fronditha Care’s 40th anniversary event, which celebrated the achievements of this amazing organisation. From humble beginnings and a vision of its founding members, the organisation has grown considerably over time, but has not lost sight of its purpose in caring for the community it serves. George Lekakis and the whole Fronditha Team should be very proud of what they have achieved.

Over the last few months we have continued to visit and link with our many Members across the state. We have paid visits to Kellock Lodge in Alexandra, North East Health in Wangaratta, Cooinda Village in Benalla, Kooweerup Regional Health, Abbey Gardens in Warragul and Napier St Aged Services in South Melbourne. In addition to these visits, we hosted a very successful one-day residential workshop along with presenting at the Bush Nursing Centre’s, statewide meeting.

Recently, we attended HESTA’s 30th anniversary celebrations, which showcased the growth of HESTA and its plans for the future. Our industry and its workforce are valued members of HESTA, which continues to do an amazing job in ensuring the long-term viability and sustainably of their investments and funds for the benefit of their many members. HESTA is a long-

56

time supporter of LASA and the aged care industry and we look forward to this relationship continuing to grow and prosper to the benefit of all involved. Congratulations to the entire HESTA team on reaching this milestone.

Our many advisory committees have been very active.

Meetings of the Home Care Advisory Group, the Finance Group, the CALD Advisory Group, the Retirement Living Group and our State Members Advisory Committee have all been held, with each dedicated group continuing to focus on the important issues impacting our industry at the present time.

Chief Executive Officer of Shepparton Retirement Villages Kerri Rivett is LASA’s new Victoria/Tasmania Representative Director. Kerri was appointed by the LASA Board of Directors to fill a casual vacancy brought about by the resignation of Ingrid Williams. Kerri brings to the Board almost 35 years’ experience in the healthcare industry, including 20 years in senior management positions with both the public and non-forprofit health sectors covering acute, subacute, residential care and mental health services. She is currently working towards a Masters in Gerontology and Kerri was a director of LASA Victoria from 2013 to 2016, prior to LASA’s unification.

While we welcomed Kerri, we also bid farewell to Ingrid Williams. Ingrid has been on the Board of LASA Ltd since December 2013, and was a director of LASA Victoria (previously known as Aged & Community Care Victoria) from October 2008, including serving as president from November 2013. She resigned from her position as Victoria/Tasmania Representative Director on the LASA Board effective from 1 August 2017 due to the sale of her aged care facilities, which made her ineligible to serve on the Board under the LASA Constitution.

Ingrid’s time on the LASA Board spanned a period of significant change for LASA. Ingrid was closely involved in the work leading up to unification. We wish her well in the future.

The new-look Victorian Members Advisory Committee (VICMAC) met for the first time recently. New Chairperson and LASA Director, Kerri Rivett, extended a warm welcome to the committee which comprises the following LASA Members: Ann Butcher – Executive General Manager, Karingal St Laurence; Ben Maw – Director of Aged Care, Barwon Health; Doreen Power – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lyndoch Living; Felix Pintado – CEO, Royal Freemasons Homes; Michelle Dowsett – CEO, Sale Elderly Citizens Village; Nick McDonald – CEO, Prestige, In Home Care; Paul Ostrowski – CEO, Care

OUT AND ABOUT

Connect Ltd; Sandra Hills – CEO, Benetas; Wayne Weaire – CEO, Ballan District Health.

The key objectives of the committee include the provision of a formal channel for LASA Members to bring matters of importance to the attention of the LASA Board and to act as a point of reference to ensure LASA’s key activities are reflective and responsive to the needs of LASA Members.

While LASA welcomes the members of the new VIC-MAC, it would like to express its thanks and gratitude to former Victorian Board Members, Derek MacMillan, Kevin O’Sullivan, Petra Neeleham and Ingrid Williams for their assistance and support over many years, particularly over the lead up to the formation of the new VIC-MAC. Each of these amazing people have been very generous in sharing the knowledge, passion and wisdom for the aged care industry over a long period of time and their presence around the Committee table will be missed by many in the LASA family. ■

LASA’s Vic-Tas State Manager Veronica Jamison, LASA’s Residential Care Principal Advisor, Sharyn McIllwain along with Macedon Ranges Health CEO Don Tidbury and Deputy CEO Sophie Gilmour.

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OUT AND ABOUT

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OUT AND ABOUT

QLD OUT AND ABOUT WITH MEMBERS

I

nternational relationships were fostered when Leading Age Services’ (LASA) Queensland team members had the recent opportunity to speak with an extremely enthusiastic and diverse Finnish business delegation, team FINLAND.

Ms Pirkko Mattila, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Mr Lars Backström, Ambassador Embassy of Finland along with 18 distinguished Finnish company representatives spent time with LASA Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney, State Manager, Queensland Kerri Lanchester, and LASA Member representatives from Bolton Clarke, Prescare, Renaissance Living, Flexicare, Churches of Christ Care and Seasons Aged Care.

Thanks must also be extended Nick Louden, Celica Campbell, Greg Masters, Beth Littler, Adrian Morgan and Lisa Thompson for their time and willingness to share insights. ■ Finnish Ambassador to Australia Lars Backström, Finnish Minister of Social Affairs and Health Ms Pirkko Mattel, LASA CEO Sean Rooney and Qld State Manager, Kerri Lanchester.

The Minister spoke of Finland’s goal to be known globally as a leader in health research and innovation. The Finnish Government is investing considerable amounts in healthrelated science, research and education. Finnish research is world class in areas such as cancer and brain diseases, including dementia. Their research is assisting them to better cater for their ageing population and managing the prevalence of dementia. team FINLAND shared with LASA members their expertise, solutions and technologies that they have developed across the aged care sector. LASA delegates shared insights into their companies and what they see as important to ensure a sustainable aged services industry Sean Rooney provided all delegates with an introductory lesson in Australia’s Aged Services 101 and then a highly engaged conversation focusing on innovation, including enabling technologies that promote reablement, workforce productivity and remote monitoring was of particular interest to both Finnish and Australian delegates.

Conversation included the importance of big data and the corresponding benefits when considering informed decisions; the benefits of research across the ageing industry as a whole, and general conversation about prevention of disease with nutrition and lifestyle, dementia care, public policy settings and the unquestionable belief that older Australians and Finnish citizens should be supported to live a longer and more active life, safely and where they choose to live.

Visiting Finnish company delegates and other distinguished guest meet with LASA Queensland Members and LASA staff.

Regardless of the geographical distance between the two countries, what is evidently clear is that there is a commitment to ensuring that age is not considered a disease and now is the time for the worldwide age services industry to be innovative in how we support people to age and live well in the future.

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OUT AND ABOUT

SA/NT OUT AND ABOUT WITH MEMBERS

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first aged care provider’s information forum was hosted in July at the Education Development Centre, Hindmarsh.

The forum provided an opportunity for the aged care sector to experience firsthand the best of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) reach, influence and analytical capabilities to support Members to navigate the unprecedented array of complex aged reform.

Together LASA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sean Rooney, South Australia-Northern Territory State Manager Rosetta Rosa and StewartBrown Director Travis Rickard, delivered an integrated presentation. It linked the economic and social trends that continue to impact aged care providers, the workforce, older person and their family with LASA’s policy and advocacy capabilities, services and products.

A highlight of the forum was the Member’s Residential Aged Care Services Workshop on the future direction of residential care alongside the reforms and the consumer’s experience and expectations delivered by LASA’s Principal Advisor Sharyn McIIwain and chaired by Rosetta Rosa.

Candid conversations Recently, a group of nine LASA Members joined Aged Rights Advocacy Services CEO Caroline Barkla around LASA’s Boardroom table. Together the group explored, discussed and shared examples of best work practices that inspire and support a work place culture that is tuned to monitor, assess and adjust service delivery and care with a zero tolerance towards elder abuse.

The Members’ Advisory Group The inaugural South Australia-Northern Territory Members Advisory Group (MAC) met on 6 September and it did not take long for them to roll up their sleeves and get to work on behalf of LASA Members.

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Participants and the LASA SA Maximise Your Membership Forum held at the Hindmarsh Education Centre on 6 July.

The members of the MAC are: Kimberley Moss – CEO, Amber Aged Care;David Panter – CEO, ECH; Jodie Luke – Executive Officer, Ardrossan Community Hospital; Amanda Birkin – Executive Director, Ridleyton Greek Home for the Aged; Scott Williams – CEO, North Eastern Community Hospital; Mark McBriarty – Director, Home Instead Senior Care; Ray Creen – CEO, ACH Group. The elected Chairperson is CEO of ECH, David Panter.

The next four MAC meetings have been set with the meeting scheduled for 24 October is to be hosted by David Panter at ECH (174 Greenhill Road, Parkside) from 11:30am–1:30pm.

Future meeting dates are as follows: 12 December, 2017: 11.30am–1.30pm 27 February, 2018: 11.30am–1.30pm 10 April, 2018: 11.30am–1.30pm Members interested in participating in MAC meetings are asked to contact Rosetta Rosa at rosettar@lasa.asn.au or on (08) 7070 2568. ■

OUT AND ABOUT

WA OUT AND ABOUT WITH MEMBERS

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erth has seen a flurry of activity over the last three months with a host of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) industry events and the opening or expansion of Member’s residential facilities.

Bethanie opened the doors of its new Gwelup property incorporating retirement, residential care and home care while the newly opened Berrington Como recently featured on TV current affairs program Today Tonight. Rosewood welcomed its residents to lunch in their new Leederville home following the transition program of ‘breakfast in West Perth – lunch in Leederville’.

Western Australia’s first ‘medihotel’ is scheduled to open in 2021. Western Australia Minister for Health Roger Cook recently announced that the property will be privately built and operated. The first of the new facilities will be built at a site adjacent to Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch and will include the 60-bed medihotel, as well as a 150-bed aged care precinct, 175 apartments and retail space. Under the deal being finalised with Fini Group, the developer will fund the construction and then contract private healthcare provider (and LASA Member) Aegis to operate it.

LASA Home Care membership in Perth has more than doubled since January this year as the sector prepares for the increase in the number of people who choose to age in place. LASA Principle Advisor Home Care visited Perth to host the Home Care Advisory Group meeting as well as facilitating two masterclasses: ‘Educated consumers exercising choice in home care package expenditure’; and ‘Reablement, restoration and wellness in home care’.

In July, LASA held a Member forum at Berrington Como to showcase the new-look LASA and highlight the expansion of member benefits and services. Members and industry colleagues also received a state-of-the-industry update by Grant Corderoy of Stewart Brown consultants which was followed by a three-course lunch and a tour of the new five-star property by owner Glen Gillingham.

LASA CEO Sean Rooney with Federal Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt and Western Australian Minister for Seniors and Ageing, Mick Murray at the ‘Breakfast with the Minister’ event.

Federal Minister Ken Wyatt addressed more than 100 leaders from the aged care industry at a LASA-hosted ‘Breakfast with the Minister’. The event was held as a precursor to the inaugural Care and Ageing Expo weekend which was launched the following day.

LASA broke new ground when it launched the first ‘industryled’ Expo that opened up the industry to the consumer, providing unprecedented access to education and information in a one-stop-shop. You can read more about our Expo in our article earlier in the magazine.

In August, LASA held a full day careworker forum at the Joondalup Resort entitled ‘Heads up in Joondalup’. This session looked at dementia from a non clinical perspective and encouraged more than 100 participants to rethink the way they care for people living with dementia. ■ Federal Minister Ken Wyatt addressed more than 100 leaders from the aged care industry at a LASA-hosted ‘Breakfast with the Minister’ as a precursor to the inaugural Care and Ageing Expo in Western Australia.

LASA Consultant Natasha Collis has been a frequent visitor to Perth assisting both residential and home care members with special projects as well as running an Aged Care Funding Instrument master class in between.

Chris How, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bethanie has been appointed as Chair of the LASA Western Australia Member Advisory Committee with Glen Gillingham, CEO of Berrington appointed as Deputy Chair.

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TECHNOLOGY

ARE YOU READY TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS? 90% of Australian aged care providers are one-to-two-site operators. They have limited access to resources, and the GM or CEO often wears multiple hats: finance manager, facility manager, head of IT, strategy and research. Futureproofing the organisation suffers from a lack of time and money, inevitably playing catch-up constantly, rather than planning and being prepared.

So how do time and resource-poor leaders future-proof their aged care organistation? How do they compile, organise and gain insight from big data with limited resources and time?

The Surecom Aged Care Intelligence Solution Surecom has a rich history in aged care, gaining a deep understanding of the unique and multifaceted insights that aged care operators need. Our Aged Care Intelligence Solution has been developed specifically to respond to those needs.

Surecom’s Aged Care Intelligence Solution could be one of the most valuable investments your organisation makes. Here’s why: • Real time insights: Instantaneous insights allow you to give directives in an instant, resulting in a responsive and agile business.

• Interactive, intuitive and easy to operate: Surecom’s Aged Care Intelligence Solution is entirely vendor software neutral,

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allowing a solution that is built to match the unique needs of your business.

Minimising business gambles: Nothing compares to having access to the cold, hard facts.

A data-driven decision making process eliminates ‘gut feel’ risk.

Identifying inefficiencies: Access to meaningful data guarantees you’ll be well placed to identify systematic and procedural issues.

Swift decision making: Organisations that utilise business intelligence analytics are 5 times more likely to make fast decisions.

Efficient and uniform access: Removes human error by centralising the entire process and ensuring everyone has easy access to consistent data.

• Visulasiation of complex data: Data in its raw form is overwhelming and confusing.

Surecom’s Aged Care Intelligence Solution turns it into easy-to-understand, meaningful information.

In short, Surecom’s Aged Care Intelligence allows you to become your own auditing consultant. Instead of spending an endless amount of money hiring professionals to help guide your organisation, Surecom will work with you to build a custom intelligence solution to your exact business needs.

Aged care providers who invest in Surecom’s Aged Care Intelligence will be far better prepared than those who choose to go without.

Don’t get left behind!

Bryan Wilkin, Surecom’s Customer Solutions Director, is attending the LASA Congress, and he would be happy to meet with you.

Please call Byran on 0431 202 172.

Alternatively, email Bryan (bwilkin@surecom.com.au) to arrange for a free demonstration.

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TECHNOLOGY

FUSING BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE WITH CARING CULTURE TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE

The aged care sector is only now discovering the business advantage that other sectors have been employing for decades, says a leading specialist in aged care intelligence.

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Business intelligence’ is a phrase that has been doing the rounds for a number of years and now the aged care sector is buzzing with the potential of a largely untapped process.

Business intelligence (BI) is not Internet technology (IT). It is driven by technology, but it is a broader business approach— one that captures, analyses and presents customer data to allow executives to make decisions that can help their business maintain a competitive advantage.

BI encompasses a wide variety of tools and methods to collect data from internal systems and external sources, prepare it for analysis, develop and run queries against that data (otherwise known as ‘mining’ data) and then create reports.

Businesses can use these data reports to:

• accelerate and improve more informed decision making

There is a temptation for many aged care providers to rely on vendor software to produce organisational insights – something that it simply isn’t designed for.

Often this can lead to staff having to ‘data crunch’ and search insights in extremely manual ways. The same vendor software can also be extremely difficult to integrate with existing systems.

Surecom has developed Aged Care Intelligence, which is ‘vendor software neutral’ and doesn’t rely on a specific software system to drive it. The advantage of this is that even small, independent age care providers will find it accessible.

In most cases small providers don’t have the extensive budget or staff time needed to replace clunky, disparate financial or clinical systems. A good BI solution replaces the need to overhaul such systems. It can streamline what is already there.

• optimise internal business processes

Surecom’s Aged Care Intelligence comprises three parts.

• increase efficiency

Raw data—collected from sources within the organisation (such as accounts, marketing and client care) and from outside the organisation (such as external market data).

• identify market trends • spot business problems • gain competitive advantage.

The hospitality industry has been using business intelligence to its advantage for more than three decades, taking its cues from the airline industry in the decade before.

Hotels use business intelligence to help understand their customers. For instance they might ‘mine’ their collected data to work out if customers are dissatisfied, linking an issue to an incident or employee problem that allows management to take corrective actions.

BI also allows hotels to see trending issues as well as their frequency and the impacts they have on customer satisfaction.

From this, hotels can examine the effectiveness of their problem detection systems, and prioritise their efforts in eliminating the issues that put their business at most risk.

In the aged care sector, there is a growing awareness of the potential for BI to assist with consumer directed care.

Yet a leading BI consultancy with experience in the aged care sector, Surecom, cautions against ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions.

Data warehouse—organising the raw data in a data warehouse to allow the data to be treated as a single entity, capable of being researched and analysed in a number of different ways.

Analysis tool—the mechanism through which data can be investigated and analysed and which ultimately can produce reports to aid decision makers.

Hidden within big data is an endless amount of information that will allow an aged care organisation to futureproof itself.

The raw data by itself is all but useless. Providers need the ability to gather it together, analyse it and find meaningful insights within it.

Being equipped to assess their current position and identify trends means that aged care organisations are better placed to provide the most outstanding client experience possible and shape future growth. ■ Bryan Wilkin is Customer Solutions Director at Surecom.

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TECHNOLOGY

TRANSPORT ROBOTS IN AGED CARE:

FREEING UP TIME FOR GREATER FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION Automation of manual handling may save up to 6,000 hours staff hours a year according to one survey projection.

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year ago, robots in aged care meant telepresence, robotic animals and possibly automated cleaning equipment. No one thought that innovations in transporting trolleys in hospitals worldwide would now be ready for Australian aged care providers to take hold of and be the first providers to install a fully integrated automated transport solution.

Australia leads the way with many medical inventions like Cochlear implants and heart transplants. Now Australian residential aged care facilities have a unique opportunity to be involved with the latest technology, and potentially lead the world in using autonomous mobile robots (AMR).

We have seen the rising acceptance of self-checkouts at supermarkets and libraries, and now robotics across the health industry and in the public domain (e.g. chemist automatic dispensers). At first glance some may assume robots take away face-to-face time from patients or residents. The beauty of robotic technology is that robots could improve efficiencies and at the same time increase direct contact with residents.

The key is identifying tasks that staff members engage in daily and which are not face-to-face care. What aged care needs right now are robots that support the jobs (such as pushing trolleys) that kitchen, laundry, cleaning and care staff complete every day, and which do not directly impact resident outcomes.

Health care providers wanting to provide quality care and consistency of service must delegate these tasks and use ‘task shifting’ to its true potential.

Prins Willem Alexander Village (Micare) were the first aged care site in the world to install autonomous mobile robots to transport food, linen, waste, clothing and much more. The gains achieved in man hours are immediately obvious but the real benefits to come will be the increased connection with your residents and families which is the icing on the cake.

General Manager Assets Properties and Services for Micare, Olaf Zalmstra, believes that “the increased time in the area of work or in the resident areas rather than walking backwards and forwards pushing trolleys, will no doubt bring higher levels of safety, improved service delivery and create more opportunities for resident care and meaningful interactions.”

Initial site surveys conducted by Lamson Healthcare across 10 Australian aged care providers indicated that staff spend anywhere between 8 and 18 hours manually transporting

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trolleys containing meals, linen, waste, supplies, clothing and dirty linen around the facility each day.

The ‘light bulb’ moment for aged care providers that comes after each site survey, is that there is a projected saving of up to 6,000 staff hours a year by removing the manual handling of trolleys (Note: hours are based on one staff member per trolley movement with no distractions and no ‘before or after’ destination/travel).

These hours can be saved by using automated transport, task shifting or reallocating staff hours to quality-based activities, with shift alterations and more hours of face to face activities with residents.

Time spent with residents on average ranges from a few minutes a day up to 2.4 hours per resident per day. The amounts vary significantly and in real terms as it is hard to quantify how many minutes are ‘face to face’ care (Quadagno & Stahl 2003, p.5; Waddington-Feather 2017, para.4).

In a recent interview, Spectrum Care Solutions Aged Care Consultant, Carolyn Hale, pointed out that “any savings that robotics can offer by reducing redundant time such as manual handling and transporting of goods, can only increase the opportunity for more quality of time spent face to face with residents.”(C Hale 2017, pers. comm. 4 July).

Whatever logistics solutions are needed in aged care in the future, increasing face-to-face care with residents is preferable.

So it is imperative that we identify tasks that are not directly relating to resident care or activities that do not directly relate to family interactions such as: • pushing trolleys • stock movements • cleaning tasks • linen services • food preparation kitchens • administration • care worker ‘non-care’ based tasks If you remove pushing trolleys by implementing automated transport, you can then implement process changes for service staff that is so urgently needed in your laundry, kitchen, cleaning teams and care areas to gain the following benefits:

TECHNOLOGY

• improve consistency of service delivery • reduction in wall damage

connection with customers and hence greater satisfaction for residents, staff and families.

• smaller trolleys – staff manageability on the ward, plus less noise from loud or oversized trolleys

There has never been such an exciting efficiency gain for aged care and the impact it can have for aged care facility managers.

• staff morale and a feeling of being supported at work by the robots which are ‘on their side’

Robots may become one of the essentials for operating in this very ‘hands on’ care industry.

• decreased risk of injury, increasing work/career longevity • community connection with music, messages and sounds

For more information on the results of the onsite pilots, please email robots@lamson.com.au. ■

• increased face to face time with residents and family

Leonie Mulheran is a registered nurse with Lamson Healthcare.

Acceptance during pilots

References

It was noted that during onsite pilots in 2016–17, residents, families and staff had high levels of acceptance. Video footage of responses and inquisitive interactions demonstrate that Australia is ready for aged care robotics. Staff are keen to integrate the robots into facility life, tailoring music and voice to locations in the facility, language uploads and on special occasions use the voice of the robot to make residents laugh or encourage staff. The naming of the robots also brought much joy, sentiment and acceptance – the AMR’s became part of the team and staff became affectionate with the new AMR support onsite.

How do the AMRs for aged care work?

On each robot is an onboard computer that is mapped to the facility walls, doors and the wings that it must travel to and from. Safety lasers are located on all sides of the robot to ensure that it can manoeuvre safely between residents, chairs, visitors or even animals.

To pick up or send a trolley, staff members leave the trolley at the designated spots for pick up, select the destination on the wall-mounted tablet and continue on with their work. The AMR picks up the trolley, latches from underneath and takes it to the desired destination, calling the lift, opening doors automatically and communicating to staff once it has reached its destination.

The robots can work 24 hours a day and picking up trolleys on the way back ensuring they are not empty-handed. When there are no jobs in the system the robots automatically return to their charger close to the main service areas.

Manning, P 2015, ‘Profits rise, quality called into question in aged-care industry’, Crikey, Newsletter, viewed 8 September 2017, http://www.crikey.com. au/2015/01/15/profits-rise-quality-called-into-question-in-aged-care-industry/ Quadagno, J. & Stahl, S. 2003, Challenges in Nursing Home Care: A Research Agenda, Gerontologist, vol. 43, Special Issue II, pp. 4-6, (online PubMed).

‘Staff ratios aged care – whats recommended’, Hello Care Mail 2017 blog, web log post, 19 January, viewed 8 September 2017, https://www. agedcarereportcard.com.au/hellocare/staff-ratios- aged-care/ Yee-Melichar, D. & Flores, C 2014, Long-Term Care Administration and Management : effective practices and quality programs in eldercare, Springer Publishing, New York.

Waddington-Feather, A 2017, ‘Staff ratios in aged care should help ensure quality care’, Aged Care Guide Blog, web log post, 19 May, viewed 8 September 2017, https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/talking-aged-care/staff-ratios-in-aged-careshould-help-ensure-quality-care Willis, E, Price, K, Bonner, R, Henderson, J, Gibson, T, Hurley, J, Blackman, I, Toffoli, L &Currie, T. 2016, ‘Meeting residents’ care needs: A study of the requirement for nursing and personal care staff’, National aged care staffing and skills mix project report 2016, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, viewed 8 September 2016, http://www.anmf.org.au/documents/reports/National_ Aged_Care_Staffing_Skills_Mix_Project_Report_2016.pdf Robots may replace manual handling jobs, leaving more staff time for face-toface interaction with their clients.

Return on investment Return on investment is fast at around two-to-four years. The important thing about these autonomous robots is that they can be installed in existing buildings as well as in new builds.

Innovation is not just for new sites but can be embraced by all in aged care. Adaptions such as automated doors, integration with lifts and purchasing compatible trolleys are a must but are all a part of the overall very fast return on investment.

Malcolm Menday, Director Lamson Healthcare asserts that gaining staff hours by removing trolley movements plus exciting process changes in each service area will enable greater

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TECHNOLOGY

HOME CARE PROVIDER

TURNS TO CANADIAN COMPANY

FOR CLIENT-FOCUSED SOFTWARE SOLUTION

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t Ives Home Care has become the first nationallybased and largest Australian home care provider to partner with Canadian home care technology specialist AlayaCare.

Alaycare is set to provide an end-to-end client information and health and experience management solution to St Ives’ home care clients and their families.

St Ives Home Care Chief Executive Officer, Michelle De Ronchi said the partnership represented an exciting way forward for the organisation as Australia moved into an era of consumer director care.

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“Providers need to rethink how to provide services to best meet the changing expectations and growing demand of an ageing population to spend their twilight years in their own homes,” Ms De Ronchi said.

“We are thrilled to be working with a specialist home care technology platform focused on best managing the information unique to the delivery of personalised care in a home care setting.

“There is great synergy between AlayaCare and St Ives Home Care; to deliver highly personalised, flexible support and care solutions that meet changing needs and result in meaningful health and lifestyle outcomes for our clients.”

TECHNOLOGY

AlayaCare’s platform allows home care providers to keep track of remote patient monitoring, e-health, and clinical documentation. It also includes a mobile app for caregivers to facilitate on-site support and back office functionality.

In a recent interview with Health Professional Radio, St Ives Chief Operating Officer David Cox said that although there were a number of providers in Australia, St Ives were looking for a company that would ‘go on a journey’ with them.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AlayaCare, Adrian Schauer, said the company was proud of the partnership it had established with St Ives Home Care.

“We’re excited to expand our presence in the Australian market and look forward to working together to bring client-centric home care experiences to a new level,” he said. ■

“We’re very client-focused focused and becoming more consumer-oriented and satisfying our customers is absolutely paramount,” Mr Cox said.

“We wanted to find a solution provider that would work with us that would provide alternative solutions that interact more with clients and offer them an experience that other providers can’t.

“Alaycare has come with that nimble approach and they can actually work with us, work in with our systems, our ambitions and help us to provide something that’s truly different to our consumers. They’re new to our market, but they’re used to working in the north American market, which is more consumer-oriented.”

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The new double-storey 120-bed aged care facility for The Bays Hospital Group on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula will redevelop the former Hastings Bush Nursing Hospital. Rendering courtesy of ClarkeHopkinsClarke.

CREATING COMMUNITY: A POWERFUL WAY FORWARD FOR THE THIRD AGE

With aged care evolving, designers are looking to develop hybrid developments that integrate facilities within neighbourhoods.

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he traditional approach to the location and design of retirement living facilities is out of step with current trends on ageing. The current typology of ‘gated’ retirement living facilities located on the periphery of residential communities, only reinforces the negative perceptions of ageing.

It is also out of step with the self-perceptions, needs and expectations of those requiring aged care services, who are often active members of their communities and would rather avoid being labelled “aged”— a phrase that has taken on an objectionable meaning and implication.

Ageing is increasingly being viewed positively in our society.

Life expectancy is trending in a steady upward direction and the gap between male and female life expectancy is narrowing.

Those entering retirement often have many healthy and active years to live before reaching an age of dependency in which they require a high level of care. The late British historian Peter Laslett, who was regarded as an advocate for positive ageing,

described this period as “the third age: an era for personal achievement and fulfilment after retirement”.

The Productivity Commission’s statistics around access to aged care further reinforce the concept of the third age. The average age at which Australians access high care services is steadily increasing and currently sits at around 83 years of age. Overall, fewer older people are moving into aged care (as a percentage of population) and the average length of stay in aged care facilities is 2–3 years. Aged care is therefore evolving towards becoming a limited, end-of-life service.

At ClarkeHopkinsClarke we are working with our clients to respond to the changing demands of the market and we are advocating for the development of hybrid facilities that integrate aged care accommodation with retirement living units.

Combining residential aged care with retirement living enables greater integration of built form with surrounding residential buildings and contributes to housing diversity, enabling people to stay within their community and within a short distance Continued page 70

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DESIGN Continued from page 69

of their partner and/or social network should they require advanced care over time.

art recreation facility, providing residents easy access to these amenities.

We are also working with our clients to achieve greater integration of these facilities within neighbourhood settings.

Positioning retirement communities at the heart of new masterplanned developments has the potential to better address the needs of older Australians while also introducing a greater level of amenity to new communities.

Baptcare’s Lalor facility further contributes a community hub and wellbeing centre featuring community meeting and activity rooms, a hairdresser, café, day therapy suites and an office from which local home care services can be administered. This delivers a win/win situation where Baptcare’s residents can be closely connected to the vibrancy and convenience of the existing Mosaic Village amenities, and the village’s residents benefit from the services and amenities provided by the community hub and wellbeing centre.

This approach is demonstrated by ClarkeHopkinsClarke’s recent project for Baptcare, an integrated living community in Lalor, an outer metropolitan suburb of Melbourne. The project comprises 135 retirement living residences adjacent a 120-bed aged-care facility, and forms part of Mosaic Village, a contemporary residential development which includes apartments and townhouses aimed at families and young professionals. The village is nestled among hundreds of single residential households in an established suburban setting.

Baptcare Lalor’s integrated living community is not gated and the built form blends seamlessly with the surrounding apartments and townhouses. The precinct is open at its boundaries, enabling pedestrians to travel through the site introducing a further sense of integration and activation with its surrounds. It is also close to the town centre and a state-of-the-

Baptcare’s facility also contributes to housing diversity allowing for local families to have their elderly family members close by and, over time, will enable all residents of Mosaic Village to age in place.

Another example of how ClarkeHopkinsClarke is integrating aged care with the community is in Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, where we have designed a new doublestorey, 120-bed aged care facility for The Bays Hospital Group.

The project is a redevelopment of the former Hastings Bush Nursing Hospital, a community-run facility that has provided healthcare services for nearly a century. The Bays Hospital Group intends to continue this legacy of community healthcare

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DESIGN

ClarkeHopkinsClarke’s rendering of the integrated community dialysis unit building as part of The Bay Hospital Group development.

with the provision of a day patient facility for dialysis, as well as medical consulting suites within the new aged care facility.

The site is adjacent an existing aged care residence and primary school and only a short walk to the town’s main shopping centre, library, banks, cafes and foreshore parklands.

The masterplan seeks to maximise engagement with the surrounding community while the architecture contributes to uplifting the local urban character through quality design.

The facility is arranged around a lively main street that provides access for the local community to the health services within and connects residents with the wider community both directly and passively.

This clustering of community amenities further activates the site in various ways. For instance, a parent might drop their

child off at the primary school located opposite and then visit their GP in the consulting suites. They can then visit their own parents in the aged care home and sit out on the second-floor balcony alongside the grandparents to watch their child playing at morning recess.

These projects are examples of how ClarkeHopkinsClarke are delivering on our mission to create vibrant communities. We believe that aged care facilities introduce much needed housing and demographic diversity into new and existing communities.

When designed well, they enable older Australians to age within their local neighbourhood, maintain their social and family connections and access the services and amenities they need without the stigma. â– James Kelly is an Associate with ClarkeHopkinsClarke.

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DESIGN

AGED CARE DESIGN

SHOULD BE ABOUT MORE THAN JUST BRICKS AND MORTAR Meaningful human interaction must complement facility quality if future aged care residences are to truly cater to residents’ long-term happiness, says a leading CEO.

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here has been something of a quiet revolution in aged care residences in Australia in recent years.

Today, many residences are virtually unrecognisable from the facilities of old. Aged care is being reinvented for a new breed of discerning seniors determined to enjoy high standards while maintaining close connections to friends, family and their local communities.

Having been in the industry for a number of years, I have to say I’m delighted to see it. Why shouldn’t older Australians have high expectations for aged care, and why shouldn’t we, as a growing industry, take up their challenge to deliver communities which go far beyond offering accommodation and assisted living services?

As our 5.5 million ‘baby boomers’ consider their later years, they’re not looking to compromise on their quality of life.

Today, aged care residents are seeking high-end accommodation, lifestyle locations, the opportunity to further hobbies and host family and friends, and to feel like part of a like-minded community.

At Cranbrook Care, we’ve been keeping busy meeting their brief. Our ethos has always been Wellbeing, Security and Excellence. As a result, our extended family of residents and staff, across five aged care and retirement residence developments, is growing everyday with more senior Australians to call our residences home over the coming months.

Throughout this exceptionally exciting period, our focus has been, and continues to be, delivering outstanding service.

At Cranbrook Care we are acutely aware we are operating in a competitive service-focused industry, not just a healthcare industry. That’s a mindset we’re embracing and we’re tailoring our service offering to match residents’ diverse tastes and requirements.

We assess the needs of our residents just as an architect or interior designer would for a boutique harbour-front

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residential complex, or as a general manager would think about welcoming guests into a five-star hotel.

We do this by working with talented, visionary architects and seniors specialists who specialise in creating lifestylecentred communities to optimise residents’ health, emotional wellbeing and opportunities for social interaction. We believe we’re building the ideal balance for long, engaging, happy and healthy twilight years.

Location is also key at Cranbrook Care. Bella Vista Gardens and the adjacent Cranbrook Residences, our first foray into retirement living, are prime examples. Both overlook the championship Castle Hill Country Club and are establishing a firm place within the local community as is Bayswater Gardens located on the water at Abbotsford overlooking Hen and Chicken Bay. As with all Cranbrook residences, they feature state-of-the art leisure facilities, communal lounge areas with the best in sound, video and internet technology, and each residence is set in peaceful, landscaped gardens. Fine finishes and beautiful surrounds alone cannot replace meaningful human interaction, however; socialising is perhaps the most significant contributing factor to the long-term happiness of our residents.

Those oft-forgotten touches, a smile, a friendly voice, a helpful approach, taking the time out of their day for a chat and getting to know our residents’ families and friends are the types of details we are focused on getting right.

Creating opportunities for social inclusion among residents, family and friends, and the broader community is also critical to us succeeding in this rapidly evolving world of aged care and retirement.

The latest example is Bella Vista Gardens which has been built around central landscaped outdoor settings overlooking the manicured greens of Castle Hill Country Club’s golf course— an ideal hub to socialise with family, residents and friends.

At Bayswater Gardens residents, their families and friends are mesmerised by the glistening water of Hen and Chicken Bay as

DESIGN

they enjoy barista coffee and freshly baked delicacies from our on-site food services team.

In the surrounding landscaped gardens and water views, residents can access a comprehensive wellness centre, Reflections. Reflections is where residents can—either for enjoyment or as part of a personally devised fitness and rehabilitation program—use the hydrotherapy pool, consultation suite and a gym with premium, age-specific exercise equipment which has been personally chosen by our physiotherapy team and imported from Finland.

Further high-quality facilities include a well-stocked library, a purpose-built club room and multi-purpose arts and crafts room.

A dedicated leisure and lifestyle team is on hand to tailor a schedule of daily activities including games, arts and crafts, fitness sessions, in-house concerts, history discussions, local excursions and day trips in our fleet of buses, music therapy, art therapy and even a resident choir for those who have ‘found their voice’.

And finally, for those residents seeking even further bespoke services, we offer a suite of hotel-style options such as additional entertainment organisation and outings including a

visit to the Archibald’s, a broader range of food choices (on top of our award-winning cuisine), meal delivery, private care and cleaning to our retirement village and beauty therapy in our onsite beauty salons.

We are not simply striving for outstanding standards in our built environments and locations, but also in the physical, social and emotional care we provide our residents throughout the spectrum of care. Just like building a new family home, it’s equally important on the seniors’ sphere to design for optimal health and wellbeing using bespoke design elements, superb finishes and leading safety and security features.

As an industry, we are all creating wonderful environments.

For me, our industry is incredibly rewarding and ceaselessly challenging. The industry is becoming increasingly sophisticated and if we continue to embrace the changes driven by our residents, their families and our staff we will continue to make a significant difference to the quality of life of older Australians. By committing to evolving and reflecting, and by going the extra mile, we can make even more of a difference to this dynamic industry and the people within it. ■ Kerry Mann is Chief Executive Officer of Cranbrook Care.

Designing fully integrated dementia friendly environments

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SUPPLY

ROYAL FREEMASONS

HONOURS 150-YEAR LEGACY WITH SIX NEW SERVICES IN REGIONAL VICTORIA

Construction of aged care facilities poised to become economic driver for rural communities.

M

ore than 840 new aged care beds are set to be delivered across six regional Victoria sites over the next two-and-a-half years under a major Royal Freemasons Ltd service development.

State-of-the-art aged care facilities, Royal Freemasons Bendigo and Royal Freemasons Sale opened in May and August this year respectively. The four other sites secured for construction are located in Bacchus Marsh, Moe, Benalla and Langwarrin.

The ambitious project, in the organisation’s 150th year of operation as a not-for-profit provider in Victoria, will enable Royal Freemasons to deliver its strategic growth plan for 2013–18 and set the foundation for its next advance as a sector leader.

The six high quality, purpose-built facilities will bring the total to almost 2,000 aged care beds operated by Royal Freemasons across 17 sites in Victoria.

Royal Freemasons CEO, Felix Pintado

As Royal Freemasons celebrates its 150th anniversary, we are reminded, not only of where we’ve come from, but also of the need to consider carefully the road ahead. Since 1867, we have consistently delivered our one mission to assist older persons to live a secure, dignified and rewarding life.

We have seen significant growth in the number of elders that receive our care and accommodation services and so we are expanding our physical reach with new and upgraded facilities across regional Victoria.

For You, For Life has long been our commitment to our customers. It is a theme that reflects on our founding an on-going commitment to providing innovative, thoughtful and exceptional care.

As a guiding light, that spirit has never burned brighter. We have often played a significant role in the development of regional areas, and have honoured some of them by naming the wings of the facilities after prominent local figures who also happen to be Freemasons. We have received such positive feedback from the community, as many of the descendant families of these Freemasons still reside locally.

Our 150th anniversary celebrations are a significant time to reflect on what this major milestone means to us, our employees, our industry partners, our communities and our wonderful clients and residents.

Few Australian Institutions have reached our age. In our sector, and as a non-for-profit organisation, it is an especially momentous achievement, and one we are excited about and very proud to share.

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SUPPLY

Royal Freemasons Ltd Chief Executive Felix Pintado said the new development was in response to growing demand for aged care in the state.

“We are very fortunate to have partnered with Signature Care and the Croft Development Group on this development program, which is a win-win on many levels,” Mr Pintado said.

“The dedication and determination of our combined efforts to provide these services will help address the growing need for quality aged care and accommodation among a broader group of elders in each of the local communities and surrounding districts.

“The projects will also create jobs for local tradespeople during the construction period and, as the facilities become operational, new jobs will come on-line providing work for hundreds of aged care and allied health workers on an ongoing basis.”

Each facility will provide private rooms for 120 to 144 residents, depending on the site. They will cater for both couples and singles, and those needing specialised care in the memory support service area.

Rooms are spacious and provide a unique home-like environment with a high level of amenity. There are various room types on offer all providing private en-suites and splitsystem heating and cooling. Room sizes range from17 to 22.5 square metres (excluding en-suite).

Some key features of the Royal Freemasons facilities include: • air-conditioned rooms with private en-suite • double-suite rooms for couples • views to landscaped gardens • Wi-Fi and smart TVs with in-house communication and entertainment channels • free Foxtel in residents’ lounge areas • on-site kitchen and commercial laundry

Enware CARE600 Providing independence, safety and dignity for users and carers • Free Standing Increased Height Ifo WC • Pressalit Sign Toilet Seat • Raised Flush Button • Support Arms

• café, hairdressing and consulting suites • children’s playground • secure entrance and facility-wide CCTV security.

“The deliberate strategy has afforded Royal Freemasons a unique opportunity to establish a strong presence in rural and regional Victoria to complement its already substantial presence in metropolitan Melbourne. It means that we can play an increasing role in the future and growth of these communities,” Mr. Pintado said. ■

Designed for practical space saving, arms can be individually raised to facilitate full access, integrated nurse call available.

Felix Pintado, Chief Executive, Royal Freemasons Ltd.

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BED LICENSES FLUCTUATE AS CONSOLIDATION PERIOD ENDS

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emand for bed licenses has softened off the back of a two-year influx of new capital and investors, according to aged care and retirement living business brokers Amicum.

The secondary market for bed licenses has seen a significant increase in activity over the recent years mainly resulting from the over-subscriptions of the last two aged care approval rounds (ACAR). In line with this, prices have steadily increased over the past three years.

Prior to this, the market had experienced a softening of demand and prices due to the ‘Living Longer, Living Better’ reforms and ministerial comments about the current system of residential aged care bed licenses and possible future deregulation. This created sufficient uncertainty for some operators to choose holding off investment, and instead monitoring the market and seeking to secure licenses in the next ACAR. Although 2014 and 2015 produced an influx of new capital and investors into the market, what followed was a 12-month period of consolidation in which the big players took time to digest their recent acquisitions and interest from outside investors faded. Between 2014–15 prices for aged care assets had appreciated sharply following the initial public offerings of Japara, Regis and Estia.

As a large amount of quality aged care assets had transacted at that time, operators who were still looking to expand by acquisition now saw themselves confronted with primarily older-style facilities, development assets in the form of greenfield sites, brownfield sites and bed licenses, which supported demand during the consolidation period.

In line with the timing of ACAR results announcement, small seasonal fluctuations in demand and price can be observed throughout the year with demand generally being softer, immediately before any announcements and strongest immediately post.

So where are prices as we move further into the next financial year?

Subject to unique transactional circumstances, the average prices in New South Wales and Victoria is in the range of $65,000 to low $70,000s per-license. Queensland trails about $15,000–$20,000 per license behind Victoria and New

South Wales. These states see most transactions relocating to the metropolitan areas where demand is the highest.

South Australia is a unique market characterised by a general trend of demand overhang. Transactions occur sporadically with prices dependent on the unique circumstance of each case. Tasmania has demonstrated a limited demand for licenses in the secondary market.

Amicum is predominantly active on the eastern seaboard and so have no representative data for the Northern Territory or Western Australia. As a general observation, Amicum notes that Western Australian operators would seem to fare well enough in their respective ACAR applications, and therefore may well require limited assistance from the secondary market.

The future Amicum has never been of the belief that bed licenses will be deregulated in the short term as the implications for the industry, in particular with regard to financing and banking requirements would be far too great. Instead, Amicum believes that the current development of gradual, albeit small price increases will continue, in line with the oversubscription of ACARs. ■

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AGED CARE SUPPORT

SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENTS JOIN WITH AGED CARE RESIDENTS TO PAINT A VIVID PICTURE

Collaborative exhibition finds a creative way to bridge the gap between generations.

Bradfield Senior College students and teacher with Director of Nursing Anne Curnow and Lifestyle Officer Lynne Power.

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collaborative effort between a New South Wales senior school and a Sydney aged care facility that led to creation of an interactive exhibition at Sydney’s annual Vivid Festival held from May to June, has been singled out for attention in Federal Parliament.

The ‘Secrets’ exhibition—an interactive insight into the secrets of the older generation documented by Bradfield

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Senior College Year 11 students from their work with residents from two of Hall & Prior’s aged care facilities— featured in Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman’s parliamentary June speech about the festival.

“I know that making of the documentary was a moving and revelatory experience for both the students and the agedcare residents involved,” Mr Zimmerman said.

AGED CARE SUPPORT

The exhibition was part of students’ industry experience program, and they used mixed media, photography, film, art, music and installations to ‘bridge the years between generations and give a historical and social context to the present’.

In preparation for the exhibition a few students from Bradfield Senior College spent some time at two of our homes under the supervision of a teacher, documenting and interviewing some of our residents—Kevin Murphy and Valentine Lowe from Glenwood Aged Care Home as well as Geoffrey Murray, Diana Carley, Michael Shaddick and June McKenzie from Caroline Chisholm.

This was a great way for the students to learn a bit about the residents. The residents where very open with their interviews telling the students about their incredible past and what they have achieved throughout their lives.

Bradfield Senior College is a senior high school that specialises in the creative industries. Students also hosted ‘Creative Careers’ as part of the Vivid Festival. The twoday event held on their school grounds aimed to inspire, innovate, encourage and connect the creative industries by providing seminars, creative workshops, interactive

experiences, food and entertainment as well as music and dance performances.

A special feature of this year’s Creative Careers was an exhibition featuring an art gallery as well as a pop up Art and Design Marketplace with over 40 stalls for the creative industry.

Caroline Chisholm resident Diana Carley took the opportunity to share her artwork for the Creative Careers expo.

All residents who were involved in the ‘Secrets’ project were invited guests at the ticketed event. Three residents from Caroline Chisholm along with Director of Nursing, Anne Curnow and staff attended. Residents Diana Carley, Geoffrey Murray and Vera Taylor who described the event as “very special”.

Following the exhibition staff and residents along with some students and teachers as well as other guests gathered together for a lunch where they all enjoyed a social meal and mingling with students and staff of Bradfield College. ■

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AGED CARE SUPPORT

NORDIC AND SWISS ELDER CARE SYSTEMS

SHED LIGHT ON SOCIAL INNOVATIONS Self-sufficiency and preventative healthcare at the heart of quality-of-life approaches.

T

he highly socially-oriented Scandinavian and Swiss aged care systems have been the focus of the Studying and Advancing Elder Care (SAGE) tours throughout September this year and delegates have been introduced to globally trending aged care issues in those countries, including assisted death.

Swiss elder care system People in Switzerland have one of the longest life expectancies in the world, and old people increasingly live alone rather than as part of a family unit. Not surprisingly, there are many nursing homes for the elderly, from those funded by local municipalities, or canton, to partially-funded and completely private homes. Each canton takes care of licensing its own nursing care providers. Within each canton, the municipalities (communes) hold responsibility for ensuring that care will be provided to those who need it.

Elder care can include residential homes and nursing homes, but also care in a person’s own home, a mode of elder care that is increasingly encouraged. Home care is managed by the Spitex organisation throughout Switzerland, and availability of their services is said to be very good. Occasionally, if there are insufficient facilities for residential care, elderly people may instead be given a hospital bed.

Those with sufficient funds may opt for a private home of their own choosing. Municipalities, if large enough, will either fully govern or contribute to the management of residential and nursing homes themselves rather than contract this out. Smaller municipalities often band together to co-manage elder care.

For the fees and charges of a residential or nursing home to be covered (at least partially) by health insurance, it is first necessary for a home to be included on a list drawn up by the canton. Residents are normally required to cover at least 50 per cent of the cost, and those without the required funds will receive supplementary social benefits via the Federal Social Insurance Office. It is also possible that families will be asked to contribute.

People with dementia receive funds from a combination of health insurance and the state, although again will contribute

to their own care from personal funds. Alzheimer charities state that current financial support and capacity of care centres is insufficient. They continue to campaign for better provision.

Controversially, assisted suicide (or euthanasia) is legal in Switzerland. There is much debate on the topic, but the majority of Swiss voters remain in favour of this right, including the right for foreigners to come to Switzerland for this purpose.

This course of action involves counselling sessions, although there has been some media criticism of how quick the process can be. The most well-known provider of assisted death is Dignitas, based in suburban Zurich.

While in Switzerland, SAGE tour delegates also had the opportunity to attend the Global Aging Network (formerly IAHSA) conference.

Danish elder care system In Denmark, as in the other Nordic countries, a growing proportion of the population is aged 65 or over. This age group currently accounts for approximately 18 per cent of the population.

Denmark spends 2.2 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on care for the elderly, second only to Sweden. Danes over the age of 65 receive a basic pension of about DKR8,000 (AUD1,600) a month, before tax. Those without a private pension or any other income are entitled to extra benefits, such as cheaper medicine or more favourable tax rates.

The primary source of funding for municipal elderly care is the municipal tax revenue. The remaining part of municipal funds originates mainly from general grants from the state. Care for the elderly accounts for about 17 per cent of the total municipal service costs.

According to the service Act, Danish municipalities must offer their citizens: • personal assistance and care (personal hygiene, getting in and out of bed, help with eating, etc.)

• help or assistance with necessary practical tasks in the home (cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.)

• food services.

Continued page 82

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AGED CARE SUPPORT Continued from page 81

Those living in care homes must pay for rent, light, water and other common expenses – similar to residents of rented accommodation. If the cost of rent exceeds the person’s income (usually the pension), the rules for housing subsidies from the municipality apply on the same terms as all other citizens in a similar situation. Prices vary from municipality to municipality, but there is a cap on fees.

Unlike care home residents, those who receive home help have the right to freely choose between different home care providers.

Comfort . Versatility . Aging in Place • Built in expandable King Single sleep deck 89cm, 99cm and 106cm • Intuitive two-pedal locking system • Warm-to-the-touch half-length assist device (tool less) • Full and reverse trendelenburg • Height travel range: 178mm to 762mm 3-in-1 bed. Single bed. King single. Bariatric bed.

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A person entitled to home help may choose to appoint a relative or other designated care provider to perform the necessary tasks. The municipality must approve the scope and content of the assignment, and hire and contract with the designated person. This option is not available to nursing home residents.

All citizens must be offered at least one preventive home visit (an unsolicited, but not unannounced, visit to their own home) within a 12-month period after their 75th birthday. The purpose is to discuss the current life situation of the citizen. The home visit allows municipalities to prioritise preventive efforts, offer advice and guidance on activities and support opportunities, and provide information on assistance measures that can prevent or resolve potential problems.

Supporting citizens in remaining self-sufficient and independent is an important element of Danish healthcare for the elderly and the disabled. A large number of Danish companies develop products and solutions for the elderly and the disabled, and new technological solutions which can help elderly citizens cope and live on their own are constantly being tested and implemented. Generally speaking, Danish senior citizens are very willing to adopt new technology, as long as it is easily available and clearly improves their quality of life.

Swedish elder care system Life expectancy in Sweden is among the highest in the world: 79.9 years for men and 83.7 years for women. As a consequence, health and social care for the elderly are important parts of Swedish welfare policy.

However, since more and more elderly citizens are in good health, their care requirements are changing. One of the aims of elder care is to help elderly people live normal, independent lives. This includes living in their own homes as long as possible. A growing number of elderly people in Sweden want to live in ‘senior housing’, ordinary homes for people aged 55 and over. In such homes, accessibility is a priority.

Aged Care Supplies Australia Pty Ltd

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When Swedish municipalities are planning housing and residential areas, they are required to ensure that these meet the needs of elderly people and those with disabilities. Elderly people who continue to live at home can obtain various kinds of support to make life easier.

For example, almost all municipalities in Sweden offer readycooked meals that can be home-delivered. Municipalities also offer daytime activities for elderly and disabled people in need

AGED CARE SUPPORT

of stimulation and rehabilitation. These activities primarily target those with dementia or mental disabilities. Daytime activities help many to continue to live in their homes.

Several new forms of effective preventive healthcare for the elderly have been introduced in recent years, and are attracting increasing levels of interest. One example is physical activity on prescription, both for preventive purposes and as a form of treatment. Older people are prescribed not just exercise in general but a certain type of physical activity, sometimes in combination with medication, with doctors monitoring the results.

When an elderly person is no longer able to cope with the demands of everyday life, he or she can apply for assistance from municipally funded home-help services. The extent of such care is subject to an assessment of need. Elderly people with disabilities can receive assistance around the clock, which means that many are able to remain at home throughout their lives.

There is a strong interest in freedom of choice, and Swedish citizens consider it important to be able to personally choose elderly accommodation or home care service. All recipients can choose whether they want their home help or special housing to be provided by public or private operators.

The municipality always has overall responsibility, however, for areas such as funding and allocating home help or a place in a special housing facility. The fact that an increasing number of municipalities are introducing customer choice is expected to increase private operators’ share of the market. Most elderly care is funded by municipal taxes and government grants. In 2015, the total cost of elderly care in Sweden was USD12.7 billion, but only four per cent of the cost was financed by patient charges. Healthcare costs paid by the elderly themselves are subsidised.

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In 2013, Sweden was ranked at the very top in a United Nations supported global study, The Global AgeWatch Index, which examined the quality of life of the elderly in 91 nations.

What next for SAGE? In 2018, SAGE will be running tours to the United Kingdom (April) and New Zealand (May). In August/September SAGE will be running its most ambitious program, joining an APT river cruise through Europe and visiting elder care and retirement organisations across a number of European countries.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to attend the European Association conference in Prague.

About SAGE The SAGE international study tour program is a partnership between Thomson Adsett, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) and Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) and has been in place since December 2005. Since then the tours have generated strong industry support and participation with expansion into the retirement living industry sector. For all enquiries, contact SAGE Program Director Judy Martin on 0437 649 672, judy.martin@thomsonadsett.com ■

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AGED CARE SUPPORT

LEADING AGE SERVICES AUSTRALIA: OFFERING BUSINESS SUPPORT IN A TIME OF CHANGE

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ged care funding is being squeezed by government and service delivery is increasingly complex.

The Aged Care Financing Authority states that providers can improve their operations and performance through administration efficiencies – including the use of outsourcing.

• create shared/pooled back office service partnerships

Leading Age Services Australia Business Support Services can help aged care providers:

Payroll

• employment relations – tribunal representation, HR consultancy and documentation review, enterprise and comprehensive bargaining support.

Outsourced back office

• increase revenue

• e xperience across state borders with staff trained and knowledgeable in employee awards, modern awards and enterprise agreements

• reduce risk

• supported by in-house ER specialists

• improve business performance and sustainability.

• cost effective and accurate payroll processing and comprehensive reporting each pay, each month and end of year

• reduce costs

We can help you with strategy, operational delivery, policy setting and compliance, and financial performance through our consulting and outsourced back office services. Outsourcing can be a more cost-effective solution that drives improved business performance.

The LASA Business Support Service is a unique offering for aged care providers in Australia. No other organisation can offer the range and level of support that LASA has. For over 40 years, LASA has delivered this service with a team of highly capable staff dedicated to minimising risk to your organisation.

LASA service offerings Consulting • b usiness analysis – benchmarking and improvement strategies, roster reviews • strategy planning and balanced scorecard • feasibility modelling i.e. home care entry, new facility • Approved Provider, ACAR and other major funding applications • significant refurbishment applications • pre-accreditation compliance audits • ACFI audits and appeals

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• rostering or manual time and attendance capture • superannuation • fringe benefits and deductions Financial Services • financial statement preparation – I&E, BS and cash flow • monthly financial/management report • budget preparation • GST reconciliation, summary and detailed report Claims and Billing • p ayment statements are reconciled to ensure all reclaims are made to Medicare accurately and in a timely manner • analysis of payment statement to maximise funding • confirming resident status on a weekly basis • production of BOND and RAD Reports to prudential compliance • r esident payment can be processed through direct debit facility ■ Contact LASA Business Support Services on 1300 111 636 or email accounts@nswact.lasa.asn.au.

Discounted Supplier Solutions LASA has entered into strategic alliances with a number of organisations to offer discounted supplier solutions for our Members which will help your business provide quality care to older Australians.

Exclusive to LASA Members, the benefits will be reduced costs, reduced risk and improved performance and sustainability.

For more information contact our dedicated Membership Support Team

LASA will be bringing on a number of new Suppliers over the coming months so keep an eye on the webpage. We are also interested in hearing from Members and Affiliates – what services and products would you like us to find you a better deal for? Are you interested in entering into a similar arrangement with LASA for your service or product offering?

1300 111 636

members@lasa.asn.au

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WHAT’S NEW Commitment to continence education makes a difference for residents Pennwood Aged Care Village in Adelaide is a real community.

Residents live in small households, are mostly, quite mobile and many knew each other before moving in.

The Pennwood philosophy is ‘Dignity in Care’ which makes sense when explained by Anne Brown, Chief Executive. Privacy is important for residents, as Pennwood is a close-knit community. When it comes to incontinence, confidentiality and dignity are key.

For this reason, the recent decision to change continence management suppliers was not taken lightly. To improve their continence management, the need for effective education and training was recognised and TENA® was selected as the new supplier.

TENA offered a Continence Advisor and full staff training with constant support. The Enrolled Nurse (EN) and appointed TENA Coordinator were trained in the TENA Continence Management System (TCMS), an online program incorporating best-practice care routines and reporting. Floor staff were then trained and advised of their responsibilities to deliver good continence management and ensure residents had the right product.

Many of the staff at Pennwood speak English as a second language (ESL) so simple training was required. Brown explained, ‘TENA

Mend-A-Bath Testimonials I have had Mend A Bath resurface approximately 40 of our spa baths that were in need of rejuvenation and I couldn’t be happier with the results, the finish achieved was exceptional. When dealing with both the office staff and technicians on the job, I found their service and attitude to be professional, courteous and very efficient.

I would have no hesitation in recommending them to my fellow property managers within the hotel resort industry.

John Harvey, Property Manager – Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island, QLD I just wanted to pass on my appreciation for all the help Mend A Bath have given me over the last few months. All the work has been completed on time with no fuss and no problems, even with my short notice and high expectations. The work has been first class with our baths looking like new again. I look forward to working with you again.

Lee Binsted, Hotels Engineering Manager - Crown Perth, WA

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Training helps you make a difference with TENA

provide very good education which is clear and succinct. So it’s great for our ESL staff.’

Pennwood are now using TENA Flex, Pants, Pads and also TENA Skincare. These have been monitored to ensure the quality of care.

‘Residents are happy. We’ve had no problem with the product, no leaks, odours or issues with skin integrity. Our clinical nurse is also very happy,’ stated Brown.

For more information visit www.tena.com.au

Steam vapour cleaning helps to reduce hospital acquired infection rates Steam vapour is seen as one of the leading methods of disinfecting healthcare facilities, including patient rooms, bathrooms and operating theatres.

Steam vapour is used to kill healthcare grade bacteria including C.diff, MRSA and VRE. Duplex Healthcare is a leading supplier of Duplex steam vapour machines that clean hospitals in conjunction with microfibre.

Director of Duplex Healthcare, Murray McDonald, says using the old “spray and wipe” method is no longer a healthcare standard of cleaning.

“Low grade chemicals and regular cloths can move bacteria around a surface, rather than disinfect,” Mr McDonald said.

“Our steam vapour machines produce high-temperature, dry steam vapour, which is renowned in Australia and overseas for its bacteria killing abilities and to safeguard against healthcare acquired infections. ““It is most commonly used for touch point, regular, outbreak and discharge cleaning.

“Our latest machine, the Jetsteam Maxi Inox is one of our most popular models, due to its compact size, its manoeuvrability and ease of use.

“Its state-of-the-art features include a robust, stainless steel build, improved digital control panel and waterproof LED hose control system.”

For more information on the Jetsteam Maxi Inox, visit www.duplexhealthcare.com.au or call 1800 622 770.

Port Douglas

CAIRNS MACKAY

BRISBANE

South Pacific Laundry specialises in the provision of quality linen and supplies for the aged care industry.

Armidale Coffs Harbour

PERTH

PORT MACQUARIE

SPL provides:

Newcastle

ADELAIDE

SYDNEY

ALBURY Colac

Sale

Warrnambool Geelong

MELBOURNE

South Pacific Laundry (SPL) has been a provider of commercial laundry and linen services to the hospitality industry in Melbourne for the last 20 years.

Currently, the South Pacific Group is establishing a strong network of modern laundry across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia with plans for several more facilities up the East Coast of Australia in 2017.

The relocation of our Sydney operations to a new larger facility in Bankstown together with the relocation of our Brunswick plant to Broadmeadows will establish South Pacific Laundry as the single largest privately owned laundry in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere.

Contact Robert Teoh National PR & Marketing P: (03) 9388 5300 M: 0421 716 888 Coverage Australia wide

Pricing Information Contact supplier direct Delivery Free daily delivery within 25km city metropolitan areas Minimum Order Contact supplier direct

• A 365 day service to all its clientele with a 24 hour turnaround.

• A leading edge technology in RFID to assist housekeeping and managerial staff in time reduction and efficiency.

• Dedicated account managers and experienced support staff who are available 7 days a week.

• A dedicated software design package and centralised billing system enables seamless transactions, paperless and customised reports.

• Delivery rationalisation systems, providing and streamlining efficient delivery routes which will reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

• Building of partnerships and sharing benefits with the customers from savings made through its constant laundry process innovations and group purchasing power of linen products.

• Dry cleaning, Uniform cleaning services, Housekeeping services, Dust mat hire and Cleaning services.

• Provision and supplying of Corporate uniforms/work wears and customised hotel room Amenities.

Full Contact Information South Pacific Laundry 9-23 King William St Broadmeadows VIC 3047 P: (03) 9388 5300 F: (03) 9387 2399

*Melbourne, Albury only

E: customerservice@southpacificlaundry.com.au robert.teoh@southpacificlaundry.com.au

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