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Aged Care sector could grow by 75% in the next 20 years

Federal Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells, mentioned in her speech at the Economic and Social Outlook Conference on 2 November 2022 that there will be an influx of baby boomers entering the aged care system over the next 20 years. This influx could amount to an increase of 75% of older Australians in the sector.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2021) has projected there will be a 140% increase in people aged between 85-99 from 2021-2041.

Many baby boomers want to live independently at home, however there could be as many as 350,000 seniors looking to access nursing homes over the next twenty years.

Two thirds of residential aged care facilities are running at a loss (StewartBrown, 2022), and this influx could see struggling facilities not able to cope.

Anika Wells has a positive outlook on the situation, with plans to continue making significant changes in the industry.

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World COPD day | Chronic Bronchitis, and Emphysema | Early detection is Vital

November is world COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) awareness month. There are two forms of COPD, which are Chronic Bronchitis, and Emphysema. These are pulmonary diseases which cause difficulty in breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, chronic cough, swelling in ankles etc.

Smoking is the number one cause of COPD. Other causes of COPD include Environmental exposure such as dust, silica, and air pollutants.

Bronchitis can lead to mucus and air being trapped in the lungs which can increase the risk of getting pneumonia, or other infections in the lungs.

Emphysema leads to air sacs in the lungs being damaged and eventually close off and cause air trapping, which reduces the amount of space available within the lungs.

COPD can be treated, but not cured. Early detection of COPD is very important to slow the damage caused by the disease. Medicine and therapy can be used to treat people living with COPD and ensure they live a long life, but if not detected until late stages of COPD, life expectancy is short.

For more information, visit the COPD Foundation website at: https://www.copdfoundation.org/

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Using Home Care Package Funding in Emergency

In the event that recipients of home care packages are in flood affected areas and request the use of unspent funds to clean up their homes, aged care providers should make sure the costs will not already be covered by their insurance and/or provided by state emergency management services as well as could be financed by the Australian Government’s Disaster Recovery Payment program.
The following are a list of services and items that Home Care Packages can be used on in case of emergency.

Cleaning services
Cleaning equipment
Replacing/repairing home modifications
Equipment/ Appliance hire
Transportation
Accommodation

It is recommended that HCP recipients get in touch with their aged care providers to discuss their unique situation to clarify what exactly they may use their HCP funding for in emergency situations.
Home Care Package funding cannot be used to pay for insurance premiums or excess payments.

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Federal budget 2022-23 October addresses 23 of the Royal Commission’s into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommendations

The government has released the 2022-23 October federal Budget which directly addresses 23 of the Royal Commission’s into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommendations. The Government has pledged to provide $2.5 billion over four years to boost the average care minutes for residential aged care residents and to support for aged care facilities to have registered nurses on site 24 hours per day.

As of October 2024, providers must meet the required average minimum of 215 care minutes, including 44 minutes with a registered nurse per person, per day, up from the current 200 care minutes and 40 minutes with a registered nurse per person, per day.

Another $810.2 million of government funding is going towards managing COVID-19 outbreaks in residential aged care facilities, along with $34.9 million going to in-reach testing until the end of December 2022.

What is SUDEP? SUDEP Action Month

SUDEP Action Month is about raising awareness and encouraging action for SUDEP which is in important concern for people with epilepsy, which stands for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

There are approximately 50 million people in the world who have epilepsy, and they need to be protected from sudden and premature deaths. It is important that everyone with epilepsy knows about SUDEP, so discuss the risks with your doctor.

SUDEP occurs most commonly as immediately after having a seizure. It is not known exactly why this occurs, however it could be caused by a blockage in a person’s airway as a result of a seizure, cardiac arrest, or combination of the two.

To get more information on SUDEP, you can visit the Centres for Disease control and Prevention here: https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/about/sudep/index.htm

Home Care Package (HCP) wait times are still too long

More and more older Australians want to stay at home and be independent for as long as possible. It is very important for seniors to receive their home care package (HCP) funding as soon as possible to be able to stay home and receive the care they need.

Data retrieved from a freedom of information request by 9 news has shown that over 50,000 seniors died over a three-year period while they waiting to for their packages to be approved and thousands more being forced into nursing home due to not receiving funding soon enough. However Aged Care Minister Anika Wells suggested that this figure is proportionate to the death rate in the aged population. She has also suggested that seniors who urgently require an HCP are currently being assigned their approved level HCP within one month, whereas those who have a medium priority are assigned their approved level HCP within 3 to 6 months.

Minister Wells also mentioned that as a means of addressing seniors’ care needs while they wait for their HCP, seniors may also be approved to access other aged care programs such as the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), Short-Term Restorative Care Programme, and Transition Care Programme.

The Federal Government has indicated that there will be a new program that will replace the current HCP, CHSP, and STRC. The aim of this program is to make it simpler and quicker to get the funding for the services seniors require. The government understands that 1 million seniors rely on these services, thus will not be rushing this project, with an estimated start date of July 2024.

Gratitude In-Home Care can assist with the application process for Home Care Packages, and provide a wide range of aged care services. Get in contact today!

Recognising the signs of sepsis early can save lives

If an infection you have is not getting better, it could cause sepsis. Sepsis is an emergency medical condition, similar to strokes or heart attacks, so every minute is crucial.

The risk of dying from sepsis increases as we age, so aged care staff must be alert to signs of the disease.

These signs include:

• fast heartbeat

• fatigue

• chills

• slurred speech

• short of breath

• body aches

• discoloured skin

If you notice that an infection of yours is not going away, get it checked out as soon as possible.

Lots of information on sepsis can be found on the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website here: https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/index.html

Star Rating for Residential Aged Care

The My Aged Care website will display an overall star rating based on the quality indicators and data available for residential aged care services.

By comparing services, senior Australians, their families, friends, and carers will be able to make informed decisions on their care.

The star ratings are expected to be made available on the My Aged Care website by the end of the year.

The Residential Aged Care Star Ratings will be based on 4 criteria.

Quality indicator program (pressure injuries, physical restraint, unplanned weight loss, falls and major injury, medication management)
service compliance ratings
consumer experience
staff care minutes.

Each category will have its own star rating from 1 to 5.

1 Star = Below Standard
3 Star = Average
5 Star = Quite Outstanding

For more information on the star rating head to https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/star-ratings-for-residential-aged-care

and other aged care reforms, head to https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/aged-care-reforms-overview-fact-sheet.pdf

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – What symptoms to look for

October is Australia’s breast cancer awareness month, which is a good opportunity to bring light to a very common cancer that affects the lives of many Australians and others worldwide. Fortunately, early detection saves lives, so we encourage women to look out for the following:

New lumps, thickening, change in size or shape, especially if it’s one breast
Change to nipple, such as crusting, ulcer, redness, or inversion
Nipple discharge
Change in the skin of your breast such as redness or dimpling
An unusual pain that doesn’t go away
discomfort or swelling in the armpit

The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, and it can be hereditary. Lifestyle factors such as being overweight, lack of physical activity and excessive consumption of alcohol can slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

For detailed information types of breast cancer, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, screening and early detection, as well as prevention, and prognosis, visit the cancer council website here: https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/breast-cancer

Eye care tips – 10 essential tips to maintain eye health

It is essential to know these tips to maintain eye health!

give your eyes a break from screens every 20 minutes
spending time outside can help protect your eyes.
wear sunglasses outside to avoid damage caused by the sun.
if you need prescription glasses, you should wear them to avoid strain on the eyes and headaches.
check your expiry on cosmetics and replace brushes regularly to avoid eye infections.
Regular exercise can lower pressure in your eyes and increase flow of blood to the optic nerve and retina.
nutrients in a healthy diet reduce decline in eye health
don’t smoke. Smoking increase eye health decline.
book an eye test to detect problems before they arise.
prioritise your eyes – you need them to last all your life.

We provide a range of home care support services for seniors. Send us a message, an email or call us on 03 9863 6149, or 1300 912 155.