AGEING WELL IN CHARLES STURT
Supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
WELCOME TO AGEING WELL
The City of Charles Sturt’s Ageing Well team receives funding from the Commonwealth Government to provide entry level support services to eligible residents and their carers through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP).
This funded program assists residents to:
• remain living independently in their own home and community for as long as possible
• maintain their quality of life and wellbeing
• avoid early admission into a residential aged care facility.
HOW TO ACCESS THE COMMONWEALTH HOME SUPPORT PROGRAM?
Step 1: Register with My Aged Care through www.myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422.
Step 2: An assessor will contact you for a phone screening and/or face-to-face assessment to determine the level of support you need.
Step 3: If you would like to access City of Charles Sturt’s Ageing Well service, please inform your assessor so they can send the referral to us directly. Alternatively, you can ask for a referral code.
Step 4: We will contact you by phone once we receive the referral code. Or if you have a referral code and choose us as your provider, you can contact us on 8408 1111. We will work with you in accessing your eligible service and discuss your needs and contribution.
Step 5: We will send you a service agreement and information pack and then your services can commence.
Please keep your referral codes handy as service providers will ask this every time you seek a service. Please note that each service has a unique referral code and you can store your referral codes here for convenience.
My Aged Care Referral Codes are:
To find out more, please contact the City of Charles Sturt on 8408 1111.
If you require assistance with interpreting information or translation, you can contact the Telephone Interpreting Service (TIS) for free at 131 450.
HOME MAINTENANCE, SAFETY AND SECURITY PROGRAM
Living in a safe and secure home is important at any stage of life but particularly as we get older. Our friendly tradesperson and contractors deliver basic home maintenance, modifications and security services to help you live independently and safely in your own home. Our range of services may include:
• Replacement of light globes, fluoro, and starters
• Supply and installation of battery-operated smoke alarms or change batteries on existing smoke alarms
• Supply and installation of key safe boxes, key guards, grab rails, handheld shower sets and magnetic door catches
• Replacement tap washers
• Repair and adjustment of cupboard doors and drawers
• Rehang and repair blinds and brackets
• Window, door, and lock adjustments
• Installation of battery-operated sensor lights
• Flyscreen repairs and installation
• Re-thread of a clothesline
• Installation of hose reels
• Annual window cleaning for single storey home
• Gutter cleaning for single storey home (main house only)
We may carry out a free home assessment prior to commencing work to evaluate risks and ensure safety of our workers.
If you require a service beyond the scope of our program and need to book a tradesperson, consider checking the following:
• Have they had a police check?
• Do they have insurance?
• Do they have an appropriate licence?
To check whether a person is appropriately licenced or to find a licenced tradesperson in your local area, visit the licencing Public Register at www.cbs.sa.gov.au or contact Consumer and Business Services on 131 882.
GARDENING SERVICES
We know how much your garden can mean to you and how important it is for your health and wellbeing. Our Home Maintenance workers and gardening contractors deliver eligible residents who need some assistance to maintain the safety and access of their garden. We offer:
• Annual pruning that is related to safety and access (height limitations apply)
• Basic annual yard clean-up
• Annual rubbish removal (green and hard waste)
• Gutter cleaning
• Weed poisoning
• Summer insect spray
Our services do not include lawn mowing. A risk assessment may be carried out before commencing work. Our services are generally once off or annual services and not of ongoing nature.
For more information about Gardening Services, call 8408 1529.
CLEANING SERVICES
A well-kept home is a place of comfort and peace. Having a clean and tidy house helps you live safely and independently at home. However, keeping your house clean can become difficult as you grow older. We aim to support eligible residents to live comfortably in their homes for as long as possible through our cleaning assistance services, which include:
• Vacuuming
• Mopping of floors
• Cleaning of bathroom, kitchen, and toilet areas
• Hanging out laundry
• Changing bed linen
These services are not time limited, however do have capacity limits due to the nature of low-level funding. Your cleaning schedule, service provisions and duration will be based around your individual needs and goals in place as per your initial RAS assessment via My Aged Care. The friendly team in Ageing Well will discuss eligibility with you at your commencement of service and base the services around your needs.
Residents will need to provide their own cleaning equipment and cleaning materials. The City of Charles Sturt may make recommendations based on requirements of the contractors recommendations to ensure cleaners remain working under WHS guidelines.
Priority of Access guidelines may be implemented where capacity is reached across service funding.
Spring Cleaning
Residents may be eligible for an annual clean for up to 6 hours to be taken in one block. This service aims to assist residents with heavier cleaning and may include:
• Window washing
• Cleaning tops of cupboards, cupboard doors, light fittings, and windowsills
• Vacuuming and mopping
• Dusting high places, ceiling, and exhaust fans
• De-cobwebbing
For more information on cleaning services, call 8408 1529.
SHOPPING SERVICES
As people get older, shopping can become difficult due to a variety of reasons - for example being unable to drive, lift heavy bags, or finding it hard to push trolleys. We can tailor services to eligible residents to make regular shopping duties easier, more convenient and fun.
Shopping Assistance
We offer fortnightly assistance with grocery shopping, bill paying, visiting the chemist, banking, and even stopping to enjoy a cuppa. Our staff can drive you to and from the shops and personally assist you with your errands. Let us do the lifting, packing, and loading of your bags in and out of the car.
Shopping List
We can arrange a shopping list service for people who are too frail or unwell to visit the shops. We can work with you to create a shopping list, choose goods, and produce according to your liking and deliver these items to your door.
The shopping service is designed to assist residents who:
• Have limited mobility and are experiencing difficulty managing their shopping
• Are unable to access the community bus service or other public transport services
• Have limited family support to assist with shopping
For more information, please contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
TRANSPORT SERVICES
We understand the importance of maintaining an independent lifestyle and being able to access services within the community even when you are no longer driving or unable to access public transport.
Our community transport program offers modified vehicles for safe and easy access, a comfortable temperature all year round, with volunteers who can provide assistance with your bags, and a smiling face as they pick you up and return you home with a door-to-door service.
We can provide transport service to eligible residents so you can attend local community centres, shopping centres, appointments, and other social activities.
Community Transport provides:
• Collection from your door
• Air-conditioned vehicles
• Volunteer assistance with shopping bags
• Modified vehicles with steps and rails for safe and easy access
An assessment may be completed prior to commencement. Functional abilities and eligibility apply, such as being able to independently get in and out of the vehicle safely and without assistance.
For more information or if you have other transport needs, contact the Ageing Well team and ask to speak to our friendly Community Transport Officer on 8408 1529.
Shopping Bus
We provide regular runs to shopping centres in the Western Suburbs to eligible residents where our shopping bus can pick you up from your home and drive you to and from the nearby shopping centre.
An assessment may be completed prior to commencement. Functional abilities and eligibility apply such as being able to independently get in and out of a bus or car safely and without assistance.
Phone our Ageing Well team on 8408 1529 to speak about what shopping centres we currently attend and for more information.
SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUPS
The City of Charles Sturt’s Ageing Well team offers centre-based and community-based social programs giving eligible residents the opportunity to meet new people, foster new friendships, learn new skills, and reduce the risk of social isolation and loneliness.
Our centre-based programs enable participants to improve their quality of life through:
• Meaningful social activities
• Wellness activities
• Fitness programs
• Information sessions
• Entertainment
SAGES at Arch Paterson Centre
SAGES is a social support group that operates on Wednesdays and Fridays at 64 Blight Street, Ridleyton. Eligible participants can choose the day that works best for them and attend once per week.
A typical day involves social activities, seated exercises, light refreshments, wellness activities and games. We also offer guest speakers and entertainment throughout the year. Transport is available – eligibility requirements apply.
For more information, please contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
Social Activities at Henley & Grange Community Centre
The Ageing Well team have multiple groups running from Henley & Grange Community Centre. Depending on your interests and mobility, we offer range of activities to choose from:
• Friendship Social Groups on Mondays and Fridays – Similar to SAGES at Arch, chose your preferred day and come meet friends, enjoy a café meal, or light refreshment, and build your social connections.
• Tai Chi on Mondays – whether you are a beginner or expert, we have the class for you.
• Functional Fitness on Wednesdays – reach your fitness goals in this fast and fabulous fitness class.
For more information, please contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
Men on the Move
Men on the Move A communitybased program, Men on the Move is for independent men aged 65 and over living in the City of Charles Sturt who would like to connect, engage in meaningful activities, and build friendships with other like-minded people in their local community. This program runs on the second Wednesday of every month and is generally a full day event visiting many wonderful places across Adelaide. Our participants meet at Cheltenham Community Centre where they all board the bus and return there at the end of the day by our friendly staff and volunteers in our Ageing Well bus.
For more information, please contact the Ageing Well team and ask to speak to our Social Engagement Officer on 8408 1529.
Gals on the Go
A community-based program, Gals on the go is for independent women aged 65 and over living in the City of Charles Sturt who would like to connect, engage in meaningful activities, and build friendships with other like-minded people in their local community. This program runs on the third Monday of every month and is generally a full day event visiting many wonderful places across Adelaide. Our participants meet at Cheltenham Community Centre where they all board the bus and return there at the end of the day by our friendly staff and volunteers in our Ageing Well bus.
For more information, please contact the Ageing Well team and ask to speak to our Social Engagement Officer on 8408 1529.
Social Support 1:1
The Social Support (Individual) Program is designed to reduce social isolation and help clients living at home to stay connected in the community through companion and support from staff. We offer 1:1 support and personalised activities such as home visits for friendly chats, outings, or assist clients to attend group activities.
For more information, contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
Respite Service
Taking a break from your caring role to rest and recharge will support your wellness both mentally and physically, as well as improve the quality of care you provide to others.
The Ageing Well team aims to promote the health and wellbeing of residents who are caring for a friend or family member aged 65 and over in their day-to-day life through our respite service. This service gives you an opportunity to have some time for yourself while our staff support the person you care for and make sure that they are doing something they enjoy. We offer outings or in home respite services that can be personalised to meet your needs.
For more information, contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
ACTIVE AGEING AND WELLBEING
Companion Animal Project
We recognise the importance of having pets which can greatly increase your quality of life by providing companionship, comfort, and social connections. Owning dogs is also linked with reduced risk for heart disease and greater longevity.
The Companion Animal Project connects volunteers with residents aged 65 and over who care for their dogs but are no longer able to walk them as often as they would like. Our friendly volunteers can walk your pet once a week around your local area.
If you are a dog owner who needs assistance or would like to volunteer your time to walk someone else’s dog, contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
Advance Care Directive
We are providing information and resources for residents to complete their own Advance Care Directive. It is a legal form that allows you to make clear arrangements for your future healthcare, end of life care, living arrangements and other personal matters. It allows you to appoint a Substitute Decision Maker to make these decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make them for yourself
*Please note, we do not physically support you to complete this form and our support is based on information sharing only.
For more information, contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529.
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering helps to strengthen communities and is also rewarding. It keeps your mind and body active and is a great way to connect with others. The Ageing Well team has various volunteering opportunities:
• Companion Animal Project
• Home Maintenance
• Graffiti Removal
• Community Bus Driver
• Social Support and Kitchen Hand
• Advance Care Directive Community Champion
If you are interested in volunteering, visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ volunteer or contact 8408 1111.
OTHER COUNCIL SERVICES
Graffiti Removal
We can assist residents in the City of Charles Sturt by removing graffiti from properties. Our graffiti volunteers can visit your property and other public spaces to attend to removal or painting over of graffiti.
For more information or to report graffiti, contact Council on 8408 1111.
Community Bus Charter Hire
Our Community Buses are available for limited hire by not-for-profit community groups who are located within the City of Charles Sturt and whose members are not able to access public transport due to their age or disability and are unable to pay for commercial bus hire due to financial incapacity.
For more information please phone the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529 and ask to speak to our Community Transport Officer.
Ageing Well Library Collection
If you’re a member of our libraries, you can borrow a variety of resources related to the art of ageing well, including books, DVDs and accessibility aids such as can openers and tap turners.
Check out the collections at our Civic (Woodville) and Findon Libraries.
Library Service
Our libraries offer free personalised delivery service to the comfort of your home if you are unable to visit our physical branches due to age, frailty, injury, vision impairment or disability. We also have the Mobile Library van that makes regular stops at various locations across the City of Charles Sturt each month, including shopping centres, retirement villages and a variety of street locations to bring our libraries closer to you. We also offer a range of events that are designed to help you use technology safely and effectively and to participate in the digital world.
For more information, contact the Library on 8408 1333 or library@charlessturt.sa.gov.au or visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au/library
SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS
To ensure that our staff and contractors meet health and safety regulations, they undergo appropriate trainings and comply necessary requirements such as police checks.
You must also be present at home during the delivery of service. Please call our staff to reschedule if you are unable to be at home during a planned service.
Smoking
We politely ask you to avoid smoking near our staff or contractors during the delivery of service to ensure their health and safety.
Pets
Kindly keep pets under effective control during service delivery. Please remove pets from areas that our staff or contractors will be working in upon request.
Reschedule/Cancellation
We request that where reasonably possible, you contact the Ageing Well team with atleast 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule a service if you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment. For late cancellations or no notice provided, you may be charged a late cancellation fee.
CLIENT CONTRIBUTIONS
Although the Australian Government partly funds the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), a client contribution is requested towards services provided to support CHSP to be financially sustainable. You will be made aware of client contributions according to the service you are using at time of assessment and onboarding.
Payment of client contributions is taken on the day you receive services, and you will be provided with a receipt. The contribution amount will depend on the service you are receiving. A copy of our fees and charges is available for all CHSP services that Ageing Well provides.
Being financially disadvantaged or unable to pay is not seen as a reason to refuse service. We will work with you to better understand your financial situation so we can arrange alternative fee options to make the service more affordable. A copy of City of Charles Sturt’s Fees and Charges is available on request.
YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Charter of Aged Care Rights
As someone who receives aged care services, you have the right to:
• Safe and high-quality care and services
• Be treated with dignity and respect
• Have your identity, culture and diversity valued and supported
• Live without abuse and neglect
• Be informed about your care and services in a way you understand
• Access all information about yourself, including information about your rights, care and services
• Have control over, and make choices about, your care, your personal and social life, including where the choices involve personal risk
• Have control over, and make decisions about, the personal aspects of your daily life, financial affairs and possessions
• Your independence
• Be listened to and understood
• Have a person of your choice, including an aged care advocate, support you or speak on your behalf
• Complain free from reprisal, and to have your complaints dealt with fairly and promptly
• Personal privacy and to have your personal information protected
• Exercise your rights without it adversely affecting the way you are treated
RESPONSIBILITIES
As a CHSP client, you have responsibilities:
Your responsibilities
Respect
Treat others with respect
Safe environment
Respect the rights of staff to work in a safe environment
What this means
All people involved in aged care, including consumers, their family, carers and visitors are expected to be respectful and considerate. They should make sure that their behaviour does not adversely affect others. Any kind of violence, harassment or abuse towards staff or others is not acceptable.
You are expected to maintain a safe environment for staff members and others. For example, if your provider is delivering services in your home, keep pets away from staff members and do not smoke near staff.
Information
Assist your provider by giving relevant information
Fees
Pay agreed fees on time
It is important that you share information about yourself that will help providers deliver you safe and quality care.
This may include:
• up to date information, and
• any problems you have with the provider’s care or services.
You are expected to pay any agreed fees on time. If you are unable to pay your fees, talk to your provider to find a solution.
SERIOUS INCIDENT RESPONSE SCHEME OR SIRS
Everyone in aged care has the right to feel safe. To keep you safe, we now have the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS). SIRS will support your right to be treated with dignity and respect and to live your life free from neglect, violence, and abuse.
If a serious incident happens, we will:
1. Check you and others are okay.
2. Record what happened in our incident management system.
3. Report the incident to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission if appropriate.
Reportable incidents include:
• Unreasonable use of force
• Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct
• Psychological or emotional abuse
• Unexplained absence from care or a missing consumer
• Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member
• Neglect
• Inappropriate use of restrictive practices
• Unexpected death
SIRS is here to keep us all safe. SIRS means your aged care service can prevent incidents from happening and respond quickly when they do to get you some support as soon as you need it.
For more information, visit agedcarequality.gov.au or call 1800 951 822.
CONSENT
When engaging with our services, you must consent to us providing your information to our staff, contractors or other relevant parties. Verbal arrangement of your services will be considered as a consent to provide information (name, address, phone number and other relevant information) to staff and contractors performing the service. All your personal information is stored on the Ageing Well confidential database. This can only be accessed by the Ageing Well Team. We will not provide your details to others without your consent.
PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
• Information collected and recorded by the City of Charles Sturt remains private and confidential
• Statistical data is confidently shared with our funding bodies
• Residents can assess their personal records with prior arrangement
• No personal records shall be released without consent from the client or their approved representative or advocate
• All Ageing Well staff, volunteers and contractors are required to maintain privacy and confidentiality.
• Ageing Well use a private database to store client information.
REFUSAL OF SERVICE
The City of Charles Sturt Ageing Well team may refuse a service under the following conditions:
• If the service is outside of the program and funding guidelines
• If the service is beyond the financial scope of the program
• If the service is being provided by another agency or by a Home Care Package provider
• If there is an identified risk or hazard
• If funding ceases or if we cease delivering services
ADVOCACY
You and your carer have the right to involve an advocate of your choice when understanding and managing service needs. You may wish to ask a relative or friend to represent and advocate for your wishes and support you when making decisions. You may also contact the following agencies for advice:
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)
Phone: 1800 700 600
Email: enquiries@opan.com.au
Website: www.opan.org.au
Aged Rights Advocacy Services (ARAS)
Phone: (08) 8232 5377
Email: aras@agedrights.asn.au
Website: www.sa.agedrights.asn.au
Office of the Public Advocate
Phone: (08) 8342 8200 | 1800 066 969
Email: opa@agd.sa.gov.au
Website: www.opa.sa.gov.au
Carers Gateway and Carers SA
Phone: 1800 422 737
Email: info@carerssa.com.au
Website: www.carergateway.gov.au | www.carerssa.com.au
Disability Rights Advocacy Service Inc
Phone: (08) 8351 9500
Email: administration@dras.com.au
Website: www.dras.com.au
Disability Complaints Service
Phone: (08) 7122 6030
Email: admin@dacssa.org.au
Website: www.dacssa.org.au
SA Adult Safeguarding Unit (ASU)
Elder Abuse Prevention Phone Line
Phone: 1800 372 310
Email: adultsafeguardingunit@sa.gov.au
COMPLIMENTS, SUGGESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS
We rely on your feedback to improve our services. Let us know if you like the way a particular service is provided or if you are not happy with a service you receive.
You may not be the only person to benefit from changes resulting from your feedback as it may result in the improvement of services for everyone. Making a complaint or suggestion will not affect your ability to access services in the future.
To make a compliment, suggestion, or complaint, please contact the Ageing Well team on 8408 1529. You can also ask to speak to a coordinator or leader by calling this number.
Suggestions and complaints will be dealt with confidentially and you will be consulted before any changes are made to the service you receive. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint, you or your advocate may appeal against a decision by writing to:
Manager Community Connections
City of Charles Sturt
PO Box 1
Woodville SA 5011
AGED CARE COMPLAINTS
You may request the assistance of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission if you have concerns or complaints that you do not feel as resolved. They will ask questions to understand the situation, provide information and options to resolve the concerns, and inform you if it is an issue that they can help you with.
For more information on what the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner can and cannot do, contact 1800 951 822 or head to www.agedcarequality.gov.au/making-complaint/complaints-process
Complaints to the Aged Care Commission can be made by calling 1800 951 822 or by letter:
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission GPO Box 9819, Adelaide
Letters should include:
• Name, address and contact details
• Date when the complaint is lodged
• Complaint details, including specific dates of events and relevant information
• Name of service provider and its state/territory
• Name of the consumer that the complaint relates to.
