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Aged Care Assessment Teams

ACAT Chat - September 2012

Volume 36 of ACAT Chat - Information for ACATs

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Welcome to the ACAT Chat

It has been a busy three months since the last edition of ACAT Chat and in that time the Living Longer Living Better (LLLB) Aged Care Reform package was unveiled.

In July the Department of Health and Ageing released the second Aged Care Reform newsletter update.  This update highlighted the progress of implementing the LLLB Aged Care Reform package.  The update also highlighted a strategy to make sure the needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Australians are addressed as part of the LLLB Aged Care Reform package. 

Furthermore in July the Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program came into effect.  The Australian Government now has full funding, policy and administrative responsibility for HACC services, except in Victoria and Western Australia. 

The third Aged Care Reform newsletter update, released in August, highlights the announcement that dementia is to be the ninth National Health Priority Area.

The Aged Care Reform Implementation Council held their first meeting on 7 August 2012.  The Aged Care Financing Authority has also been established, which will advise on pricing and financing issues across the aged care sector.

The 2012 National Aged Care Conference was held on the 6-7 August at the Adelaide Convention Centre.  The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler opened the Conference and the recorded streaming of the opening address is available at The National Aged Care Conference 2012. The first day of the Conference showcased the LLLB Aged Care Reform package.  The second day of the Conference focused on aged care assessment in the reform context.

We hope you enjoy this edition of the ACAT Chat.

In this issue:

2012 National Aged Care Conference
Living Longer Living Better The Australian Government Aged Care Reform package update
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex special needs group
The Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program
The Aged Care Complains Scheme and the Commonwealth Home and Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program
Dementia Recognised as a National Health Priority Area
The Australian Journal of Dementia Care
Care Aware Campaign
Frequently Asked Questions
ACAT National Training Website
Protected Information
Enhancements to Aged Care Online Claiming Website
ACAT Telephone Enquires on Aged Care Online Claiming
Stay Informed with the Department of Human Services
Seeking ACAT CHAT Articles
Useful Contacts for ACATs
Dementia Training Study Centres Seeking ACAT CHAT Articles
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National Aged Care Conference 2012

The 2012 National Aged Care Conference, hosted by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, was held on 6 and 7 August at the Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia.

The conference was an interesting and energetic two days and brought together over 1000 delegates  to share ideas in the context of the Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package that was unveiled by the Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP and Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP on 20 April 2012.

Day one of the conference showcased the aged care reform package, while day two focused on aged care assessment in the context of the package. The conference explored key themes of the aged care reform package, including: Access, Choice and Control, Quality, Wellness and Re-ablement.  Dr Sally Cockburn was the Master of Ceremonies, ensuring all delegates focused on the relevant issues, as always providing some light entertainment through her uplifting session on “Looking after yourself”. Aunty Josie Agius of the Kaurna people expressed great community spirit, making everyone feel extremely welcome in Adelaide during her Welcome to Country.  

The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler, MP opened the conference with an engaging address outlining some of the detail, background, challenges and opportunities presented by the reforms. “Living Longer Living Better does deal with all of those challenges and it responds to the community’s expectations of what aged care should look like, not just in the next few years but the next couple of decades”.

Professor Peter Shergold, Chair of the Aged Care Reform Implementation Council gave a presentation on implementing reform. Professor Shergold discussed the need for decisive and honest action, and effective policy implementation, stating “Aged care is a repayment by society of a debt incurred”. Ms Ita Buttrose, President of Alzheimer’s Australia, spoke about ‘giving dementia the attention it deserves’.  She asserted that “people with dementia are people”, and emphasised the need to remove the negative stigma surrounding dementia.

The Conference provided a number of opportunities for participants to ask questions following panel and concurrent sessions throughout the two days. A panel discussion on the “Future of Aged Care” gave a range of perspectives on the topic, from consumers, providers, workforce and government. Another panel session discussed the topic, “Navigating the Aged Care System – Challenges and Opportunities”. 

Mr Craig Harris from the Department of Health and Ageing emphasised the pivotal point of the new Aged Care Gateway, “We must provide a better solution for the community to navigate the system, gain access to appropriate assessment and ultimately access services that meet their assessed needs.”

Throughout the conference, the role of carers in the reforms was unmistakeable. Ms Ara Cresswell, CEO of Carers Australia stated, “A consumer focused system is absolutely essential.”

Both days saw a range of concurrent presentations about the key themes of the reforms, and included insightful and innovative approaches. These concluded with a Question and Answer session, resulting in interesting and meaningful discussion.

Professor Kathy Eagar, provided insight into her work on a National Aged Care Assessment Framework.  Professor Eagar suggested, “There is a need to start to improve the interface between the acute and aged care sector to decrease duplication of assessment and direct funding to more services”.

Ambassador for Ageing, Ms Noeline Brown gave a plenary address on Healthy Active Ageing, remarking “Older people want to live with dignity and security” and reminded delegates of the enormous contribution made by older people. Ms Brown also voiced her appreciation of aged care workers; “people who work in aged care are truly dedicated people and are heroes in my eyes”. 

Throughout the conference there was a real sense of engagement.  Mr Martin Laverty, CEO of Catholic Health Australia summed it up when he said, “How unique is it to have industry providers, consumer representatives, unions and governments working collectively?” The conference was a starting point for much broader engagement about aged care reform.  As Ms Carolyn Smith from the Department of Health and Ageing indicated “change brings uncertainty, we need to work through this together.”

The key addresses and plenary sessions of the conference were streamed live online via the conference website. About 800 people viewed these on the day, while over 1000 people have gone back to watch the recorded versions, which are still available on the website, The National Aged Care Conference 2012.
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Living Longer Living Better

The Australian Government Aged Care Reform Package Update

The Department of Health and Ageing has established an Aged Care Reform newsletter update on the Living Longer Living Better (LLLB) aged care reform package to keep the aged care sector informed.

The LLLB aged care reform package will build a better, fairer, sustainable and nationally consistent aged care system to meet the social and economic challenges of the nation’s ageing population.

The updates include information on:

• Changes to the Aged Care Funding Instrument;
• Changes to aged care legislation to recognise Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Australians;
• The Aged Care Strategic Workforce Advisory Group;
• The launch of the Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program; and
• Dementia as a National Health Priority Area.

The Aged Care Reform updates are now available at the Living Longer Living Better website.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex New special needs group

As part of the LLLB aged care reform package Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Australians will now be treated as a special needs group.  Changes to the Allocation Principles 1997 mean from 1 July 2012 the needs of LGBTI people will be specifically considered by community and residential aged care providers who work with this group.

It is important that sexuality or gender identity are recognised and supported in delivering high quality aged care services.  Under the LLLB aged care reform package, the Commonwealth is providing $192 million to support initiatives for older people with diverse needs.  This includes $2.5 million to support staff training that is sensitive to the specific needs of older LGBTI Australians.  

The National LGBTI Aged Care Strategy will provide direction for providers and better articulate and coordinate the Governments’ aims.

The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler, said the Strategy builds on the support already announced in the LLLB package which provides support for LGBTI Australians. The Government and aged care sector are committed to have aged care services to provide quality care for older LGBTI people.
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The Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program

The Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) Program came into effect on 1 July 2012. Under the National Health Reform Agreement the Australian Government now has full funding, policy and administrative responsibility for HACC services for people aged 65 years and over or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in all states and territories except Victoria and Western Australia.

The Commonwealth HACC Program provides services that support older people to be more independent at home and in the community. Some of the services provided under the Commonwealth HACC Program include:

• nursing care;
• allied health services like podiatry, physiotherapy and speech pathology;
• domestic assistance, including help with cleaning, washing and shopping;
• personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, grooming and eating;
• social support;
• home maintenance;
• home modifications;
• assistance with food preparation in the home;
• delivery of meals;
• transport;
• assessment, client care coordination and case management;
• counselling, information and advocacy services;
• centre-based day care; and
• support for carers including respite services.

Commonwealth HACC services are available to people:

• aged 65 years and over (or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people);
• in all states and territories (except Victoria and Western Australia);
• at risk of premature or inappropriate admission to long term residential care; and
• carers of older Australians eligible for services under the Commonwealth HACC Program.

Further HACC service information may be obtained by visiting the Department of Health and Ageing website or contacting 1800 200 422 (for clients) or 1800 057 616 (service providers).

The introduction of the Commonwealth HACC Program will enable the development of a consistent aged care system covering basic care at home through to high level care in aged care homes. Older people will be able to move seamlessly from basic maintenance, support and care services through to more complex care packages or residential care as their needs change.  The changes to HACC will also make it clearer which level of government is responsible for services for different consumers. This should make it easier for people to find information about the HACC services that are relevant to them.
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The Aged Care Complaints Scheme and the Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program

Since 1 July 2012, the Commonwealth has funded basic community care services in all states and territories, except Western Australia and Victoria. This covers people aged 65 and over and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over.  New HACC arrangements are part of the foundations that support the LLLB aged care reform packages. 

The Aged Care Complaints Scheme will examine complaints on Commonwealth funded HACC services.  The Scheme provides a free service for people to raise their concerns about the quality of care or services being delivered to people receiving residential or community aged care services that are subsidised by the Australian Government. The Scheme encourages people to raise their concerns with the service provider in the first instance, unless a service recipient’s health or safety is at risk.  Commonwealth HACC service providers are encouraged to continue to work directly with people who raise concerns to achieve a solution.

Complaints on HACC services will not be assessed against the Aged Care ACT 1997. They will be assessed against a HACC service provider’s funding agreement with the Australian Government, which defines the quality of care and services they are required to deliver.

Further details on the scheme are available at the Aged Care Complaints Scheme News website.

Fact sheets and other Scheme resources are available from National Mailing and Marketing on (02) 6269 1000.

Dementia Recognised as a National Health Priority Area

On 10 August 2012, following a motion from Minister Butler and the Minister for Health, the Hon Tanya Pliberseck MP at a meeting of National Health Ministers, it was agreed to include dementia as the ninth National Health Priority Area, alongside eight other chronic diseases including cancer and heart disease. This will enhance the development of a new National Framework for Action on Dementia, which will contribute to current and future work being undertaken in the area. 

This agreement reached by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments means the focus of dementia is now across both the health and aged care systems.  The Government will provide $268.4 million over five years to tackle dementia as part of the LLLB aged care reform package.

For all enquiries please contact the helpline on 1800 100 500 or visit the Fight Alzheimers's Save Australia website.
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The Australian Journal of Dementia Care

The Australian Journal of Dementia Care (the Journal) is the first multidisciplinary journal in Australia for all professional and community carers of people living with dementia.

It offers a  forum in the challenging field of dementia care and fills a vital niche providing practitioners and professional carers with relevant, practical solutions for dementia care settings. There is a strong emphasis on 'knowledge translation', which closes the gap between research into dementia care and provides practical, positive outcomes for carers, those living with dementia and healthcare staff. 

This Journal is an Australian Government funded Project being conducted by the Dementia Training Study Centres (DTSCs) to improve the quality of care and support provided to people living with dementia and their families through the development and upskilling of the dementia care workforce. The DTSCs are committed to the transfer of knowledge into practice and the Journal is an initiative under this program.

The Journal is committed to providing high quality, in-depth coverage of the issues affecting professionals who are managing the delivery of appropriate care to people living with dementia.  Particular emphasis is placed on practical areas including new product information. The Editorial Team is based in the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory DTSC and is headed by its Director, Executive Editor, Professor Richard Fleming. 

The Journal will be collaborating with the DTSCs in the presentation of a number of events throughout the year.  These include Knowledge Transfer events, guest lectures and workshops. Expert speakers and research from a wide range of organisations will be selected. 

The Journal is a bi-monthly publication available through subscription. To subscribe call 03 8317 6163 or email dementiajournal@data.com.au

For all other enquiries please contact:
Richard Fleming on
Email Richard Fleming
Fax: 02 4221 4718
Australian Journal of Dementia Care website
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Care Aware Campaign

The 2.6 million Australians who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends are being recognised in a national carer awareness initiative that was launched on 1 August 2012.

Care Aware aims to recognise, support and appreciate those who provide full or part time unpaid personal care, support and assistance to people of all ages with disabilities, medical conditions, mental illness, frailty due to age and people who have alcohol and drugs issues. Carers can be children, parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, friends and neighbours and come from every ethnicity and every region of the country.

As well as promoting the range of benefits, services and supports available, the campaign wants to encourage hidden carers, such as people who see themselves first as parents, partners, a child or young person, to recognise themselves as having a caring role.

Through the Care Aware website, which was launched on 1 August 2012, Australians can access important information about caring and share their stories in an online forum.

In October, to help raise awareness of Care Aware, a group of professional musicians will form the ‘Impossible Orchestra’ and play for 24 hours with the help of audience members including carers, celebrities, politicians and sportspeople.

The free concert aims to emphasise that it is impossible to predict when we are going to become carers or need care ourselves and that like caring, playing for 24 hours can be achieved when we understand the challenge and work together.

The concert will take place at Hamer Hall in Melbourne from 5pm on Saturday 27 October.

McCann Worldgroup is delivering the Care Aware campaign in consultation with Carers Australia. Over $1.6 million dollars has been provided by the Australian Government to fund the campaign, which is an initiative under the National Carer Strategy.

For more information visit the Care Aware website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: We have a client who has just been approved for Low Level Residential Respite Care.  Back in 2010 the client was approved for High Level Residential Respite Care and the approval was not time-limited.  Does the recent approval at the low level over-ride or counteract the earlier approval at the high level?

Answer: No. Later approvals for care do not over-ride, supersede, or make earlier approvals invalid.  The approval for High Level Residential Respite Care does not lapse, which means it remains a valid approval irrespective of any subsequent approvals of care at the low level, unless it was time-limited.

ACATs and service providers should also be aware that if a person is approved as a recipient of high level residential care, the limitation of the approval does not prevent the person receiving residential care at any classification level.

Similarly, approvals for EACH do not prevent the person from receiving a CACP, and approvals for EACH-D do not prevent the person from receiving an EACH or CACP.

Please refer to Section 5.9 of the Approval of Care Recipients Principles 1997.

Also refer to the Aged Care Assessment Team - Reassessment Requirements on the website at the Department of Health and Ageing website.
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Question: The local residential aged care facility has requested the ACAT grant a 21-day extension of a resident’s residential respite.  The resident had been in and out of residential respite care throughout the current financial year, had used all 63 respite days, and had already been in residential respite for a week with no subsidised respite days.  Can the ACAT delegate backdate the commencement date for the 21-day extension of respite days to cover the week of residential respite care already provided to the resident?

Answer: No.  The ACAT delegate cannot backdate the commencement date of the 21-day extension of respite days to allow for retrospective eligibility for a respite supplement.  While the ACAT delegate has the power to grant 21-day extensions of respite days, the commencement date cannot be prior to the date the decision is made to grant the extension, and the delegate cannot backdate the date of their decision on the 21-day extension form.  There is no specific power in the Aged Care Act 1997 or the Aged Care Principles for the Secretary’s decision to have a retrospective effect. 

It is therefore important that residential aged care providers have accurate records of respite days so that any 21-day extensions are requested in advance of the extension commencement date.  All 21-day extensions cease on 30 June each year as the care recipient becomes eligible for another 63 days at the commencement of the new financial year.

Question: I’m confused by the terms ‘time-limited approvals’ and ‘lapsing approvals’.  What’s the difference?

Answer: The differences are significant.

Time-limited: means that the ACAT Delegate has made a decision to specifically limit the time that the approval remains valid.  At Part 6 of the ACCR the delegate ticks the box to indicate the type and level of care they are approving.  There is also opportunity for them to insert a date at which time the approval will cease.  For example, there may be reasons why an approval for a specific client will be restricted to 6 months.  However, it is very rare that delegates time-limit approvals of care.

Lapsing approvals: refers to approvals ceasing if care is not received within a certain elapsed time.  For example, where a person is approved for a CACP and the care is not received within 12 months starting on the day after the approval was given, then the approval for that CACP lapses.  However, if the person did receive care through their CACP within that period, and at some later point stopped receiving their CACP, the approval of care would not lapse and the approval would remain valid.

There are some types of care that do not lapse, irrespective of whether the person receives the care.  High Level Residential Care is one example of a care type that does not lapse, on the proviso that the delegate has not time-limited the approval to cease on a specific date – see above.
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Question: Are Retirement Visa holders eligible to receive aged care subsidies?

Answer: Yes.  Holders of the Retirement Visa (subclass 410) would most likely be assessed as self-funded retirees, as this visa is specifically designed for self-funded retirees. 

While a person may not be eligible for a Medicare card, they may be eligible for subsided aged care services. As such, 410 Visa holders are eligible for aged care subsidies. However, in determining how much they are charged, an income and assets assessment is taken into account, as is normal for all entrants to Commonwealth funded aged care.  As is the case for all applicants for aged care services, 410 Visa holders need to meet the usual eligibility criteria for the particular type of care they are applying to receive.

For further information please contract the Department of Health and Ageing Income Testing Team on (02) 6289 5075.

Question: Is residential respite care appropriate for a client who is assessed in hospital and is awaiting a permanent placement to residential care?

Answer: Residential respite care can be approved while a person is in hospital if the person meets the following eligibility criteria:

• Has a condition of frailty or disability requiring at least low level continuing personal care; and
• Being incapable of living in the community without support; and
• Meeting any other eligibility criteria for the level of care assessed for the person that are set out in the classification level applicable under the Classification Principles 1997.

Refer to Approval of Care Recipients Principles 1997, Part 2— Eligibility to receive care, Section 5.5 Residential Care (1).

Question: I am going to conduct an ACAT assessment for a person who is an inpatient in hospital.  Does this mean I can only assess the person for residential care or transition care?

Answer: No.  People who are assessed while in hospital are eligible to be assessed and approved as a care recipient of residential care (permanent and residential respite), community care (CACP), and flexible care (EACH, EACH-D, and transition care). 

Refer to Division 21 – Who is eligible for approval as a care recipient? and Division 22- How does a person become approved as a care recipient? in the Aged Care Act 1997.
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ACAT National Training Website

The new ACAT National Training Website is now available.

The new look ACAT National Training System website will:

• be available to all ACAT members and approved health professionals
• be easy to navigate
• contain up to date training resources
• provide recognition of CPD for selected ACAT health professionals

Visit the new ACAT National Training website today.

Welcome to the new ACAT National Training System Website.  Over the past 12 months significant work has been put in to create an all new experience for our members.

In this new site you will find:

• the new website is easier to navigate for users of all skill levels;
• an improved record management process to help us help you;
• updated training resources and information; and
• help available when you need it.

As this is a new system, all existing records including past usernames no longer exist. As such, all members are required to create a new account to use this system. To create a new account be sure to follow the three simple steps listed on the website home page.

Should you require any assistance, please be sure to click the Need Help button found on the top right of every page of this website, contact your local State or Territory Training Coordinator or contact the Website Administrator.

Important Note: All training courses, once commenced, must be completed before June 30 each year.

Protected Information

Information collected by an Aged Care Assessment Team in conducting an assessment is protected information under Section 86 of the Aged Care Act 1997.  Access to this information is strictly limited and is available to:

1. Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs);
2. Approved Providers under the Act;
3. Department of Human Services - Medicare;
4. Department of Human Services - Centrelink;
5. Department of Veteran's Affairs;
6. Department of Health and Ageing; and
7. in a de-identified form to some researchers under very strict conditions (i.e. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare).

Under the Aged Care Act 1997, disclosure of protected information carries a penalty of "imprisonment for 2 years".
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Enhancements to the Aged Care Online Claiming Website

In September 2012, enhancements were made to the Department of Human Services’ Aged Care Online Claiming (ACOC) website. Data-matching criteria has been strengthened and will now improve your success rate when searching for an electronic Aged Care Client Record (eACCR).

You will also notice some changes to the eACCR search screen used to submit an individual’s Medicare card details. Simple instructions are now visible on the screen, explaining how to correctly enter the required information.

These enhancements will assist aged care services and ACAT members with ACOC access to retrieve an eACCR successfully, when prompted to provide a Medicare card number.
 
It will also assist if the client’s name as per the Medicare card is entered on the Client Management System (ACE, CHIME, CERNER, CME or CCIS). In particular, ACAT members are reminded not to use "also known as" names, preferred names or aliases when filling out an ACCR or entering data on systems that could be relied upon as fact.  For example, if you have a client whose name is "Anthony" but is commonly referred to as "Tony" (in quotation marks), ACOC will not recognise this client. 

In situations where the client's name entered on the ACCR differs to that on the Medicare card, enquiries on ACOC will be unsuccessful.

ACAT Telephone Enquiries on Aged Care Online Claiming

ACAT delegates and team members should logon to the Department of Human Services’ Aged Care Online Claiming (ACOC) website to search for and view a client’s eACCR.  

ACATs should only contact the Human Services - Medicare Helpdesk phone number 1800 196 206 where the client does not have a Medicare card or the eACCR search on ACOC has been unsuccessful.
 
ACAT members will be required to identify themselves when calling the Helpdesk, and the caller will need to provide the following information:

• RA number (for delegates) or your User ID (A number); or
• Surname;
• Given Name; and
• ACAT ID.

Human Services may ask additional questions to confirm the caller’s identity.

The caller must be registered for ACOC (i.e. ACAT delegate or team member who has been issued with a User ID ‘A number’).  Callers who are not registered for ACOC will not be provided with any information.

Access to ACOC is provided to ACAT members by completing the form available from the Department of Health and Ageing website It is recommended, for ease of identification, that the person endorsing the application is already registered for ACOC or has an ikey.  Requests for access must be completed and forwarded to email address ACAP Policy Operations
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Stay Informed with the Department of Human Services

Stay informed with the Department of Human Services by subscribing to Aged Care eNews,
the Department of Human Services quarterly online publication for  the aged care sector. It keeps you up to date with:

• industry news;
• developments in online claiming; and
• information about aged care.

Aged Care eNews alerts provide you with instant alerts and notifications about the Aged Care Online Claiming website and their system performance.

You can subscribe to both by going to the Aged Care eNews and Aged Care eNews alerts webpage or Aged Care eNews alerts only webpage.

Seeking ACAT CHAT Articles and Feedback

ACAT CHAT provides updates on the Aged Care Assessment Program from a national perspective.  We encourage readers to share information of interest from their local area.  A variety of articles gives ACATs opportunities to learn more about initiatives across the country.

We welcome feedback, contributions and suggestions for articles and improvements.  Please forward any contributions to email Aged Care Assessment Teams

Useful Contacts

For any concerns regarding the support procedures please emal ACAP Policy Operations

General enquiries about aged care:
Phone: 1800 200 422
Website: Aged Care Australia website

ACAT specific information: Website: Department of Health and Ageings Aged Care Assessment Teams webpage

Medicare Aged Care Online Claiming:
Helpdesk:1800 195 206 
Website: Medicare Australia website

Dementia Training Study Centres

Dementia just got a bit easier to understand.

The New Dementia Training Study Centre website offers Health Care Professionals a valuable resource in the study and understanding of dementia.

Dementia Training Study Centres website is the website for education resources, free eLearning, information and training across Australia.

Demential Training Study Centres; your online destination for dementia training and education.
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