We conduct a range of research, consultations, engagements and other activities to inform the reforms to in-home aged care, including:
- the Single Assessment System, which will start on 1 July 2024
- the new Support at Home program, which will be delivered in 2 stages:
- It will replace the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme from 1 July 2025.
- The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will transition into the new program no earlier than 1 July 2027.
Current and future engagements
- From November 2023, we are consulting on assistive technology and home modifications to develop an inclusions list and advise on the needs of people with progressive conditions.
- From November 2023, we are engaging with service providers on the provision of higher levels of care in in-home aged care to support people to remain independent in their own homes for longer. This will inform consideration of a study currently under way.
- From December 2023 to early 2024, the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) are conducting a pricing study to determine fair and efficient prices for in-home aged care.
- In early 2024, we will engage with First Nations communities on options for ensuring access to culturally safe, trauma informed in-home aged care.
- From 17 June to 1 July 2024, we are collecting data through the Home Care Package Program Activity Survey. We are collecting data from all HCP providers so we can better understand the volume of their current service delivery. This is to support Home Care Package (HCP) providers to transition to the Support at Home program from 1 July 2025
Past research, engagements and other activities
Past consultation reports, research papers and webinars are also available on our resources page.
2024
- In February 2024, we held additional Q&A sessions about the Support at Home program for aged care providers, older people, their families and carers.
- From 12 to 21 February 2024, we will hold 8 online workshops with in-home aged care providers to finalise program details.
2023
- In December 2023, we held question and answers sessions for providers, older people, their families and carers about the in-home aged care reforms.
- On 14 December 2023 we held the 5th webinar to update on the Support at Home program and the new Aged Care Act.
- From July to December 2023, the Aged Care Taskforce conducted independent engagements to give expert advice on a range of design details, including the service list.
- In from July to August 2023 we held consultations on care management and the evaluation framework.
- On 18 May 2023, we held the 4th Reforming in-home aged care update webinar. Watch the recording, read the slides and answers to Frequently Asked Questions from that session.
- From April to July 2023, conducted a live trial of the new Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), which assessed around 22,000 older people as they enter aged care.
- In early 2023, we conducted several engagements, including targeted discussions on short-term pathways, care management, self-management, funding model options, and program design for diverse cohorts, including First Nations.
- From January to May 2023, we conducted a data migration activity to capture CHSP clients without an active client record in My Aged Care. This data was migrated to My Aged Care in early July 2023
2022
- We held webinars in March 2022, August 2022 and December 2022 to update older people and the aged care sector on the in-home aged care reforms.
- In October and November 2022, we ran weekly Q&A sessions on the discussion paper with industry audiences, older people, their carers and families.
- In October 2022, we released A new program for in-home aged care discussion paper for feedback. We received 528 submissions from older people, their families and carers and the aged care sector to inform the new program’s design.
- In October 2022, we conducted a survey into short-term restorative care on how this could integrate into the new program. We received 204 responses from STRC providers, health professionals and older people, their families and carers.
- In September 2022, we conducted a survey to explore options for a new payment platform. We received 248 responses from HCP and CHSP providers.
- In June and August 2022, we held consultations and co-design workshops into assistive technology and home modifications. These were attended by 185 people, including older people, their carers, health professionals and the aged care sector.
- In April 2022, we conducted a survey on the service list, which asked what aged care services should be included in the new program. We received more than 1,700 responses from older people, their families and carers, providers and health professionals.
- In March 2022, we engaged Flinders University and the Global Centre for Modern Ageing to conduct a Living Lab Trial to test a new aged care assessment model and assessment process.
- In February and March 2022, ThinkPlace conducted co-design engagements on the role of care management with over 100 people, including older people, their families and carers and providers.
- In January 2022, we released a Support at Home Overview Paper, which provided insight into the proposed design at that time.
2020–2021
- Research testing for the new program’s design with older people and their carers, peak bodies and providers.
- From February to May 2022, we held a series of workshops to discuss funding models, care management arrangements, access to goods, equipment and assistive technology, and home modifications. These were held with older people and their carers, aged care assessors, providers, health and aged care professionals and peak bodies.
- In April 2020 StuartBrown conducted a survey of HCP providers and in October 2020 Deloitte conducted a CHSP data study to better understand current in-home aged care services.
- From February to March 2020, HealthConsult conducted research into the assessment, and classification and funding model for the new program. This included a comparison of the needs of older people in residential aged care with HCP care recipients.
How to get involved
To receive the latest information and learn about engagement opportunities:
- visit the Aged Care Engagement Hub
- subscribe to the aged care sector newsletter and alerts
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