Strengthening Community Aged Care Services Jenny Stevens Manager

Strengthening Community Aged Care Services Jenny Stevens Manager Kimberley Aged and Community Services 2003 -2007

Kimberley Health Region 420, 517 square kilometres Population 35, 238 (2003) 45, 763 (2010) Indigenous 16, 182 (45. 9%) 2003 17, 157 (52%) 2010 45% of the Kimberley population live in Aboriginal Communities

Aged Care Principles n n n People should be supported in their own homes and communities as far as possible People should only be supported by residential services when other support systems are not appropriate Services provided should promote rehabilitation and enhance independence

Community service benefits n n n n Choice enables quality of life Cultural needs can be met Focus on positives and abilities rather than disabilities and losses Potential for. Earlier discharges Decreased readmissions Prevention of readmissions

Community Based Aged Care n n n Only 8% of aged people will ever live in residential care 92% will remain living in the community Kimberley HACC target population 2, 378 in 2003/4

Kimberley Aged and Community Services (KACS) n Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) n Remote Aged Care Program n n Home and Community Care (HACC) Kimberley Carers Respite Centre & Carelink n n Remote HACC Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) Assistance with Housing for the Aged (ACHA) Nursing Home Options (NHO’s) Remote Continence EACH 2010(awaiting outcome)

Regional HACC n n n Commonwealth and State funded Managed by the State 7 projects 6 towns 1 project covering all Aboriginal Communities - operated by KACS

Regional Home & Community Care (HACC) HACC Target Group n People who in the absence of basic maintenance and support services are at risk of premature or inappropriate long term residential care n Frail Aged & younger disabled persons, and their carers who have a functional disability which makes it difficult for them to perform the tasks of daily living without personal assistance or supervision

Bililuna HACC – Delivering Meals

Current Areas of Strengthening Communities n Growing number of communities involved n Increasing range of services n Early identification of clients n Case planning and management n Increasing skills of community based workers n n Interagency planning (long standing productive alliance with KDGP) Videoconferencing & visits - specialists

Current Areas of Strengthening Communities n n n Webster Pak System Remote Continence Kitchen project Cert III in Aged Care and STEP Allied Health – podiatry, dietetics KACS training for remote communities

Challenges n Changing staff within health services n Fragmented client information n Discharge planning systems and knowledge n n Attitudes & practices that focus on acute hospital care Geographical and cultural issues