National Palliative Care Week 21-27 May
National Palliative Care Week, 21-27 May, aims to put ‘Matters of Life and Death’ front and centre in Australia’s consciousness with events, tools and resources to help grow awareness of palliative care among the health workforce and wider community.
Visit the department’s palliative care webpage for the latest resources for aged, community and acute care settings.
CareSearch and palliAGED have also collated a range of practical forms and checklists to provide best practice palliative care.
To view the full pack or place a free order, visit the palliAGED website.
The new ELDAC Home Care App can help home care workers and managers support older people, their families, carers, and themselves with its user-friendly design and comprehensive features.
The ELDAC project team is also undertaking an evaluation study and is inviting anyone who has used the ELDAC Home Care App to complete the short online ELDAC Home Care App Survey.
Webinar: Digital Transformation Tech Talk
The department’s Digital Transformation agenda is working to create a better-connected aged care network that is consolidated, sustainable, automated, and modern.
We invite the sector to join us for our next Digital Transformation Tech Talk webinar on Wednesday 31 May at 2pm‑3:30pm AEST.
The webinar will feature a playback of progress for the Quality Indicators initiative, as well as an update on the Digital Transformation roadmap and timeline, including some early insights on recent budget measures.
Register for the Digital Transformation Tech Talk webinar.
Reminder: Digital Maturity National Survey
The Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council (ACIITC) is working with the Australian Digital Health Agency to measure digital maturity across the aged and community care sector.
We’re seeking your support to complete our online survey by 30 May so our findings accurately reflect your organisation and the state of the sector.
If you are interested in the above projects and would like more information, please contact the ACIITC by emailing secretariat@aciitc.com.au
Governing for Reform in Aged Care: Podcast season 2 now available
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is excited to announce the release of the second season of their podcast series – Conversations to Transform Aged Care. The podcasts are part of the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program, for governing body members and aged care leaders.
Tune in to hear podcast host Susan Staples explore leadership and resilience with subject matter experts and industry leaders. Discover how to change organisational culture through compassionate leadership, and how interactions between clinical and corporate governance can impact the quality of care provided to consumers.
To listen to the podcasts, enrol in the program or search ‘Governing for Reform’ on your desired streaming platform (Spotify, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts).
Clinical alert: Hot water scalding
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission recently issued a clinical alert on hot water scalding.
Scald burns from showering and bathing are one of the most common burn injuries affecting adults over the age of 80 years.
Providers must ensure there is clear oversight of staff and that their staff receive appropriate education and training to safely provide personal care, such as bathing and showering. It is vital to check the water temperature before immersing a person in the bath or shower.
Please refer to the clinical alert on the Commission’s website for further information and links to resources.
Webinar: 24/7 registered nurse responsibility for residential aged care
To support the residential aged care sector ahead of the introduction of the 24/7 registered nurse responsibility on 1 July 2023, the department is hosting a webinar on Thursday 1 June at 2pm‑3pm AEST.
This webinar will provide information about the upcoming 24/7 registered nurse responsibility, including:
- reporting obligations and data quality
- the 24/7 registered nurse responsibility supplement.
You will have the opportunity to submit questions during registration and ask questions during the session. The webinar recording and presentation slides will be published on the department’s website after the webinar.
Read more information and register.
Increased funding and care minutes changes in residential aged care
From 1 July 2023, we are increasing funding for residential aged care providers to deliver higher wages for workers and support the increased costs of delivering care for older people in Australia.
From 1 October 2023, we will adjust the allocation of care minutes to ensure the right level of care, aligning each service’s average care time responsibility with its funding. Most services will only see a very small change in their service-level care minutes targets.
For more information, see: