A care partner will regularly check-in on more complex clients, providing assistance with arranging services and assessments.
When something goes wrong, like a fall or an informal carer getting sick, care partners will be able to help, and providers will have extra funds to temporarily top up their clients’ services.
People leaving hospital with a short-term equipment loan from the hospital will be able to keep the same piece of equipment if needed under a new joint loan scheme.
Immediate access to assistive technology, home modifications, intensive allied health services as well as dementia and other advice will ensure an emphasis on keeping people active and engaged with their community, deferring their reliance on ongoing aged care. The most efficient purchasing method is being examined across Support at Home, DVA and NDIS.
Find out more:
1. Assistive Technology & Home Modifications
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A new separately funded scheme will operate, with funding of around $400m pa.
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The program will include:
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joint bulk procurements of low cost items (with DVA and NDIS).
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Procurement of high cost items, including for older people with a disability (eg polio survivors)
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A loan and refurbishment scheme delivered by state and territory governments through existing schemes for equipment such as wheelchairs.
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Improved prescribing arrangements are being developed so assessors can assign low risk items, with different options to prescribe higher risk items to avoid bottlenecks waiting for OTs.
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Referral into the scheme will be done by independent assessors and the short term allied health providers.
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Specialised support services such as dementia, vision, hearing and continence advisory services, will be fully grant-funded at a cost estimated at around $100m pa.
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Services will have a standing capacity to support older Australians via either a referral from assessment or outside the aged care system where advice is needed.
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Current services are not evenly distributed across the country due to historical differences across jurisdictions, and a funding round will be needed to extend coverage.
Further reading and information is available here STRC Process Overview