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Aged Care Essentials - Edition 3, 2011
The 3rd edition for 2011 of the Aged Care Essentials is designed for approved providers and the staff of Australian Government-subsidised residential aged care services.
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PDF printable version of Aged Care Essentials - Edition 3, 2011 (PDF 1261 KB)
- Shed Some Light on Census Night
- Aged Care Education and Training Incentive Program
- Nominee Arrangements and Mail Addressed to Residents
- Aged Care Benchmarking Project
- Calculating the Accommodation Charge for Pre Reform Residents
- Reforms and Complaints Information Available from the New Aged Care Complaints Scheme Website
- 2011 Aged Care Approvals Round
- Community Packaged Care Guidelines
- Financial Hardship Assistance
- Improving Information, Intake and Assessment for Aged Care
- Review of the Accreditation Process
- Virtual Visiting Resource Kit: Enhancing the Lives of People Living in Residential Aged Care Who Might Otherwise be Socially Isolated
- On The Road Again… Talking to the Sector about the HACC Transition
- Key Personnel
Shed Some Light on Census Night
Tuesday, 9 August 2011, is Census night in Australia. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducts the Census of Population and Housing every five years.The Census aims to take a ‘snapshot’ of Australia on Census night. It collects vital information that decision makers, governments and communities use to allocate services, facilities and funding in your area.
Everyone in Australia on Census night needs to complete the Census even if you are not an Australian citizen or resident. Only foreign diplomats and their families do not have to complete the Census.
On Census night, you will have the option to either fill out the paper form delivered to your home, or complete the Census online using eCensus.
Support is available for anyone who needs help participating in the Census. In some locations, such as hospitals, nursing homes and retirement villages, special collectors will be employed to provide assistance completing the form.
If someone needs help completing their form, or using eCensus, we encourage them to enlist the help of someone they trust; a family member, friend, carer or neighbour.
If you know or provide care for someone with an illness, injury or disability you can help ensure that they are included in the Census by including them on your household form if they live with you or are staying with you on Census night, or help them to complete their form wherever they are staying.
The Census form is also available in other formats; Braille, large print and audio. To request a form in an alternate format please call the Census Inquiry Service.
It is important that everyone completes the Census so the information received is accurate. The ABS does not share any personal information with government or private agencies. All Census workers are legally bound never to share any personal information.
For general help or information about the Census call the Census Inquiry Service on 1300 338 776 or visit www.abs.gov.au/census. For assistance in a language other than English call the Census Inquiry Service Language Helpline on 1300 340 120. The Census Inquiry Service is open 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week from 18 July to 5 September 2011.
Shed some light on Census night, and help create a brighter future for Australia.
Aged Care Education and Training Incentive Program
Get Paid to Develop Your Skills in Aged Care …
If you commenced study after 1 July 2010 and have not applied, you should apply now…The Australian Government is providing incentive payments to aged care workers who undertake further studies to enhance their career as a personal care worker, an enrolled nurse or a registered nurse.
An eligible aged care worker who successfully completes an eligible training course will receive two incentive payments: a commencement payment and a completion payment. Payments range from $500 to $3 000 and are dependent on the level of study.
To qualify for the incentive payments, aged care workers must be employed in an eligible aged care service and commence training between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2014.
A package containing application forms and Guidelines for Applicants can be forwarded on request. For further information please visit www.health.gov.au under the path of: Home>For Health Professionals>Aged Care>Working in Aged Care, or telephone the Medicare Australia Aged Care Information Line on 1800 195 206.
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Nominee Arrangements and Mail Addressed to Residents
The Department of Health and Ageing receives a large amount of returned mail that has been addressed to aged care residents. In some cases the mail has been returned by the aged care home because it is assumed the resident does not have the cognitive ability to deal with the information in the letter.As the Aged Care Act 1997 limits the disclosure of personal information, resident fee advice letters are required to be sent to the resident at the aged care home, unless nominee arrangements are in place. Australia Post is required to return any mail, which has been re-addressed, directly to the Department of Health and Ageing.
Aged care homes can assist by providing residents’ families or carers with information on nominee arrangements when residents are admitted or as residents’ care needs increase. This will also reduce the necessity for staff of the aged care home to deal with residents’ mail.
In order for someone to be registered with this department as a nominee and have fee advice letters forwarded to them, it would be appreciated if you would ask the resident, or their representative, to complete an ‘Appointment of a Nominee’ form. The completed form should be sent to the Medicare Australia office in the state or territory where your aged care home is located. The state and territory addresses are listed on the front of the form. The form can be found on the department’s website: www.health.gov.au
Aged Care Benchmarking Project
The Australian Government committed funding in the 2009-10 Budget to assist aged care providers to increase their business efficiency through annual benchmarking of aged care services in residential and community care settings.What is Aged Care Benchmarking?
This will allow providers to assess and compare their performance against other providers and to that of best practice in order to improve the overall financial management and capability of the aged care industry at the service level.How will it work?
Initially, detailed data at the individual service level giving the makeup and cost of care delivery will be captured through a website. The data will then be presented in clear graph and reporting formats to be made available to participating providers at varying levels.What’s happening with the Aged Care Benchmarking website?
Through an open tender selection process, Forms Administration Pty Ltd, who are currently involved in the collection of data for the Conditional Adjustment Payment (CAP), has been engaged to develop and implement the website. This new benchmarking website will be developed in consultation with the industry, which will be up and running by 1 July 2011. It will be available for general access by 1 September 2011. An industry reference group for the Benchmarking Project is in the process of being formed to assist in an advisory capacity.How will the currently collected General Purpose Financial Reporting (GPFR) data link to the website?
Separate letters will be distributed shortly; first, for the CAP Annual Notice (which has a lodgement date of 30 November 2011), and second, to inform you of the voluntary Aged Care Benchmarking website.Information provided in your residential care segment note, as part of the CAP Annual Notice, should be as comprehensive and accurate as it can be. This will allow for straightforward prepopulation of the existing GPFR/segment note information into the new Aged Care Benchmarking website and for aged care provider access to basic entry level reporting.
All providers who currently complete GPFR data will have access to some level of information under the new website. The more information that you provide beyond this, the more information you will be able to access in order to look at the financial performance of your service and compare that performance against like services to gain improved efficiencies.
Calculating the Accommodation Charge for Pre Reform Residents
Providers are reminded that the department advises the maximum amount of accommodation charge for post-reform residents only.The only exception is pre 1 July 2004 residents who have had a break in care of more than 28 days after 19 March 2008, and re-entered care after this date. These residents are post-reform residents but are still subject to the five year cap on the accommodation charge.
If a pre-reform resident enters your service, the amount of accommodation charge the resident is eligible to pay is the lesser of:
- the amount paid to the previous facility; or
- assets minus the minimum assets threshold at the time of entry to the service, divided by 1825, up to the applicable maximum. This applies where a charge paying resident’s assets have depleted while in high care or because the bond they paid to the first facility is being refunded rather than rolled over and they have had a new assets assessment for the move.
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The 2009-10 Annual Prudential Compliance Statement
At 30 June 2010 approved providers reported through their Annual Prudential Compliance Statement (APCS) that they held $10.6 billion in accommodation bonds, an increase of 16.5 per cent ($1.5 billion) on what was held at 30 June 2009.Since 30 June 2007 the total value of bonds has increased by 68 per cent ($4.3 billion). The total number of bonds held at the end of the financial year increased to 63,481, up 4.7 per cent (2864) on the previous year.
The numbers: Accommodation bonds held by approved providers 2006-07 – 2009-10
 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
No. of providers holding bonds | 967 | 973 | 952 | 950 |
No. of bonds held | 54,376 | 58,331 | 60,617* | 63,481 |
Total value of bonds held | $6.3b | $7.7b | $9.1b | $10.6b |
Ave. bond balance | $116,672 | $132,443 | $150,449 | $167,002 |
Ave. total bonds held per provider | $6.6m | $7.9m | $9.7m | $11.2m |
Table showing the Average bond value (by state or territory) at 30 June 2010 from the above figure.
State/Territory | Average Bond Balance Value |
| ACT | $250,541 |
| NSW | $174,689 |
| NT | $169,576 |
| QLD | $159,967 |
| SA | $141,775 |
| TAS | $140,437 |
| VIC | $173,170 |
| WA | $150,240 |
| National | $167,002 |
Compliance with the Prudential Standards
Approved providers are required to report their compliance with the three Prudential Standards: the Records, the Disclosure and the Liquidity Standards.In 2009-10 compliance improved with both the Liquidity and Records Standards. While there was a slight fall in compliance with the Disclosure Standard compared to 2008-09, overall compliance with this standard remains high. Reasons for non-compliance with the Disclosure Standard included late reporting of APCS due to delays in auditing processes and the failure to provide residents with a copy of their bond agreement within seven days of entering a service.
The most commonly reported non-compliance was the late payment of accommodation bond refunds with 9.7 per cent of approved providers failing to refund one or more bonds on time or as required during the year. This is down from 10 per cent in 2008-09. The most common reasons provided for late refunds were administrative including staff turnover, the absence of personnel able to sign for payments, refunds occurring during holiday periods, and communication breakdowns between services and central processing areas.
Overall, while there has been fluctuation in the level of compliance this year compliance levels remain high and have improved steadily over the last three years. Approved providers are increasingly aware of their obligations and generally appear to have strengthened their governance arrangements and systems.
Compliance with Prudential Standards
Year | Liquidity Standard | Disclosure Standard | Records Standard |
| 2008-09 | 98.2 | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| 2009-10 | 99.3 | 96.9 | 99.7 |
| Change | 1.1 | -0.9 | 2 |
Percentage of approved providers who refunded all accommodation bonds within statutory timeframes by industry sector
Sector | 2008-2009 (per cent) | 2009-2010 (per cent) | Change (per cent) |
| For-profit | 88.2 | 87.6 | -0.6 |
| Government | 87.6 | 88.3 | 0.7 |
| Not-for-profit | 91.3 | 92.1 | 0.8 |
| Total | 90.0 | 90.3 | 0.3 |
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Reforms and Complaints Information Available from the New Aged Care Complaints Scheme Website
The Aged Care Complaints Scheme (the Scheme) has launched a new website: agedcarecomplaints.govspace.gov.au.In previous issues of Aged Care Essentials we introduced the Scheme and provided information about the reforms underway to strengthen the Scheme. As part of these improvements, we have launched a new website.
The website aims to:
- be a central point of reference for the aged care industry by keeping aged care providers, staff and consumers up-to date on the progress implementing reforms to the Scheme
- provide user-friendly information about the complaints process
- address topics of interest through regular ‘blog’ posts and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section.
An education toolkit for providers will be developed and made available through the website later this year. This will be an important resource for providers as it will cover topics such as complaint processes, referrals, compulsory reporting, site visits and anonymous complaints, and will link to useful complaint resources.
If there is a topic you would like us to address, please tell us on our website. Your input is pivotal in our efforts to improve and protect the safety and wellbeing of aged care recipients, so please contribute your thoughts.
New information will be posted regularly so keep up-to-date by visiting the following web address, agedcarecomplaints.govspace.gov.au and save the site as a ‘Favourite’.
Important information about terms of use, moderation of comments, privacy, accessibility and copyright is also available from the website.
2011 Aged Care Approvals Round
The 2011 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) commenced on Saturday, 18 June 2011. Aged care providers are able to apply for:- residential and community aged care places;
- up to $150 million in zero real interest loans;
- $58.5 million in capital grants to construct or upgrade residential aged care facilities; and
- Extra Service status.
More detailed information about the 2011 ACAR, including the ACAR Essential Guide and application forms, are available on the 2011 ACAR website at: www.health.gov.au/acar2011.
Aged care providers can also request a hard copy of the Application Kit by contacting the Aged Care Information Line on telephone 1800 500 853.
Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, 2 August 2011.
Community Packaged Care Guidelines
The Australian Government has recently revised its Community Packaged Care Guidelines which are now available on the department’s website at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-cacp-guidelines.htm1.The Guidelines aim to provide a complete guide to the following Australian Government funded packaged care programs:
- Community Aged Care Packages
- Extended Aged Care at Home
- Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia.
The new Community Packaged Care Guidelines website will provide a modern and accessible format of the document for providers and consumers which enables timely updates, reviews and amendments to the Guidelines as required. Further advice about the new website will be disseminated once finalised.
In line with the greening of government agenda, and with a focus on reducing energy consumption, waste and consumption of goods, the department is moving away from the provision of paper based/hard copy Guidelines. This will reduce the environmental impact and overcome the difficulties of amending and updating content.
Should you wish to print the Guidelines and are encountering difficulties, you may wish to try one of the following:
- ensure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available to download free from www.adobe.com/downloads
- save the document to a USB device and plug into a computer equipped to open PDF documents
- save the document to a USB device and take the USB device to an establishment that offers printing services and have them print the document for you
- e-mail the Guidelines link to someone else and have them access the document from their computer
- save the document to a portable device such as an e-reader, laptop, or iPad so you can have an electronic copy with you on the go, eliminating the need for a paper version.
Financial Hardship Assistance
Aged care legislation has financial hardship provisions for residents who have genuine difficulty in paying their aged care payments and relevant ongoing expenses through circumstances beyond their control. Residents may apply for assistance with their basic daily fees, income tested fees and/or an accommodation bond or accommodation charge.Each case is considered on an individual basis, based on a resident’s overall financial circumstances, including:
- total income and assets
- eligibility for a pension
- whether any assets are unrealisable or are proving difficult to sell
- whether they have income or assets that they can use to pay their fees, accommodation bond or accommodation charge.
Financial hardship assistance is not intended to cover circumstances where a discretionary choice has resulted in financial difficulties, including where:
- a personal choice is made not to use a particular asset which could help with the payment of care fees
- money or an asset has been gifted or disposed of
- finances or an asset are being earmarked for inheritance purposes.
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Improving Information, Intake and Assessment for Aged Care
On 1 July 2011 a single, national information line to make it easier for older Australians, their families, and carers to access information about aged care was introduced. The new number, 1800 200 422, along with improvements being made to the national aged care website, www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au, are the first steps in the implementation of a new ‘front end’ for aged care.The reform is supported by an investment of $36.8 million to improve information, intake and assessment and make it easier to access the aged care system. It is part of the Australian Government’s national health reform efforts to build a nationally consistent and integrated aged care system.
The new national phone number will be answered by the experienced aged care workforce of the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres (CRCC). The Australian Government is working with CRCCs and other key stakeholders to achieve continuous improvement to the quality and consistency of aged care information. This applies to information that is delivered over the phone and on-line, so that better, more comprehensive and up-to-date information is available and is relevant to people’s needs.
By implementing the new front end in stages it allows time for service providers, care recipients and carers to adjust to the changes and be involved in the development of later stages. This approach means that sensible steps are taken towards reform, with continued opportunities to talk with people about how to roll out the later stages. We will continue to talk with state and territory governments, service providers and the aged care workforce. We will also be talking with older people, their families and carers; they are the ones we are building this system for.
The continuing development of the new front end will need to take into account existing regional infrastructure, partnership arrangements, and resources while considering opportunities to build on elements that are currently working well. The system will also be closely aligned with Medicare Locals and Local Hospital Networks to help ensure people’s health needs are detected and addressed, with services coordinated across the health and aged care systems.
As we continue to work towards improving access and navigation of the aged care system, we urge you to stay informed and up to date by visiting www.yourhealth.gov.au and to participate in the opportunities to have your say in the future of aged care in Australia.
Review of the Accreditation Process
The Accreditation Grant Principles 1999 have been revoked and replaced with new Accreditation Grant Principles 2011 (Principles) on 20 May 2011.The amendments to the Accreditation Grant Principles do not change the role of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency (the Agency), nor the Accreditation Standards, rather they produce a more streamlined accreditation process. Key changes to the Principles include:
- streamlining the accreditation process by making the provision of self-assessment data by approved providers as part of the re-accreditation application voluntary, giving approved providers more time to provide the information at the site audit; and removing the requirement for the Agency to conduct a desk audit in respect of re-accreditation
- making the Principles more logical, consistent and better able to be understood by revising the information that must be included in various reports; and standardising and clarifying the timeframes in relation to site audits and review audits
- increasing opportunities for consumers to engage in site audits and review audits by requiring approved providers to notify residents and their representatives when the Agency will visit; and by strengthening confidentiality provisions to apply to anyone who provides information to the Agency
- providing greater clarity and consistency of administrative processes, for example, ‘support contact’ has been renamed ‘assessment contact’ and amended to better reflect the purpose of the contact.
A Guide to Changes to Accreditation for Residential Aged Care Services (the Guide) to assist approved providers and consumers to understand the changes to the accreditation process can be accessed on the Department of Health and Ageing’s website at www.health.gov.au.
Review of the residential aged care Accreditation Standards
The department recently undertook broad consultation on a draft set of Accreditation Standards through a series of workshops held nationally. Approximately 350 representatives from approved providers, peak bodies, unions and health professional organisations, consumers and carers attended the workshops and provided the department with valuable feedback on the draft Standards.The department also received 64 written submissions on the draft Standards from the public, workshop attendees and stakeholder organisations. The department is working with the Accreditation Standards Technical Reference Group (TRG) to revise the draft Standards based on feedback from the workshops and written submissions. A further draft of the Standards will then be provided to the Ageing Consultative Committee for consideration.
Virtual Visiting Resource Kit: Enhancing the Lives of People Living in Residential Aged Care Who Might Otherwise be Socially Isolated
Social support and social networks are fundamental to overall quality of life.In spite of the communal living and on site care and support, people living in aged care facilities can experience a significant degree of isolation. Residents may experience minimal contact with family and friends due to distance or other factors.
Internet videoconferencing opens up opportunities for people in different locations to see and speak to each other through virtual visits and provides a means of overcoming barriers to maintain social links.
A Virtual Visiting Resource Kit (the Kit) has been developed to assist residential aged care facilities interested in designing and delivering a virtual visiting program. The program uses video conferencing technology and the internet to enhance social connections for residents through increased contact with family and friends.
The Kit is based on materials developed by the Western District Health Service in Victoria and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
The Kit includes information to assist residential aged care facilities with:
- marketing a virtual visiting program
- developing virtual visiting policies and procedures
- understanding the equipment requirements for virtual visiting
- helping families to participate in virtual visiting
- engaging staff and volunteers to assist with operating a virtual visiting program.
- the rationale for, and benefits of, virtual visits in aged care facilities
- the technological requirements for virtual visits
- how to start up a virtual visiting program in your aged care facility.
This is a useful resource for organisations interested in establishing such a program to support residents who would otherwise be socially isolated from their families and friends.
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On The Road Again… Talking to the Sector about the HACC Transition
The Australian Government is committed to working with stakeholders in the aged care sector as the funding and operational responsibility for Home and Community Care (HACC) service delivery for older people transitions to the Commonwealth. We are currently “on the road again” presenting the next phase of consultations for service providers, delivering greater detail about the changes to the program.You’ll be aware the Australian Government will take full policy and funding responsibility for HACC aged care services from 1 July 2011 and full operational responsibility from 1 July 2012 as part of the national health reforms.
To date over 1000 service providers have attended consultation sessions about these changes in locations around Australia, from Adelaide to Alice and from Cairns to Canberra. These sessions will continue throughout the transition.
From 1 July 2012 most HACC providers will enter into new agreements directly with the Australian Government for the provision of basic community aged care services to people 65 years and over (50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
The Australian Government will enter into funding arrangements with service providers to deliver the same services as the HACC program does currently to assist older people and their carers.
HACC service providers will continue to receive funding from their state or territory government for services provided to people under these ages. The Australian Government is committed to funding the full range of current service providers including large service providers, government providers, small community organisations, not for profits, and service providers that deliver support to the sector.
The Australian, state and territory governments are working closely on developing the new funding arrangements in a practical way and identifying opportunities to minimise regulatory burden on service providers.
A new Program Manual is being developed to support the new program and this will identify service provider requirements. The manual will take into consideration how the HACC program currently works in each state and territory.
Funding agreements will be offered to existing HACC service providers who provide services to older people through a direct allocation process and will not involve competitive tendering. The Australian Government in partnership with state and territory governments will begin contacting service providers to confirm the funding allocation for 2012-13 in late 2011.
The Australian Government will continue to fund services and projects that support and strengthen the HACC sector. It will also set up a new service provider portal and deliver support to help service providers switch to the new arrangements.
Information on upcoming consultations will be advertised on www.yourhealth.gov.au and sent through the department’s e-mail and fax distribution service.
Factsheets for service providers and HACC clients, carers and families are available on the website www.yourhealth.gov.au.
For further information on the transition of the HACC Program, you can e-mail HACC.Reform@health.gov.au.
Key Personnel
One of the responsibilities of an Approved Provider is to notify the department of any changes of its key personnel within 28 days of the change occurring.Key personnel are defined as:
- people responsible for the executive decisions of the approved provider (this includes directors and board members)
- people having authority or responsibility for (or significant influence over) planning, directing or controlling the activities of the approved provider
- any person responsible for nursing services provided by the approved provider (such as the Director of Nursing), whether or not the person is employed by the approved provider
- any person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of an aged care service conducted by the approved provider, whether or not the person is employed by the applicant.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-approvedp-index.htm#form.
For further information or if you require a complete listing of all of your key personnel please contact the Key Personnel Team at: key.personnel@health.gov.au.
Subscribe to Receive Aged Care Essentials Electronically
Aged Care Essentials is distributed as electronic copy only.If you would like to receive Aged Care Essentials through e-mail, please e-mail:agedcare_essentials@health.gov.au
Current and back issues of Aged Care Essentials can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing website at: www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-rescare-payessdx.htm
Aged Care Subsidies, Supplements, Fees and Charges
Aged care subsidies and supplements can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing website at: www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-subs-supp-current.htmThe schedule of resident fees and charges can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing website at: www.health.gov.au/feesandcharges.
Previous schedules of fees and charges can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing website at: www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-archive-feesinfo-0311
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