Aged care Archives | Page 3 of 4 | South Western Sydney PHN

28 August 2023

SWSPHN encourages GPs to use the secure Video Call solution of healthdirect Australia, the national virtual public health information service, for their regular telehealth conferences.

The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on telehealth as a practical and accessible way to deliver healthcare services when distance, mobility and other reasons prevented face-to-face consultations.

The Medical Board of Australia recently issued revised telehealth guidelines, which will take effect on Friday, 1 September. It emphasised: “telehealth consultations will continue as an important feature of healthcare in Australia”.

Telehealth has now been integrated into the services of many general practices across South Western Sydney and SWSPHN has rolled out telehealth equipment, including a laptop, webcam and speaker, to residential aged care homes (RACHs) across the region.

More than 90 per cent of eligible RACHs have taken up the offer of telehealth equipment, ensuring virtual healthcare will be available to residents. Healthdirect telehealth training has been provided to RACHs as the kits are rolled out. Read last week’s story

Healthdirect’s Video Call Resource Centre is purpose-built for health consultations, the video call itself is free for eligible health services and their staff and, most importantly, it is encrypted for security.

More information about Healthdirect video calls and training tutorials are available at: Healthdirect Australia Support

17 August 2023

More than 90 per cent of eligible residential aged care homes (RACHs) in South Western Sydney have accepted an offer of telehealth equipment from SWSPHN.

Our RACH Digital Health Project has been designed to upskill the aged care sector in South Western Sydney in digital health technology and access.

RACHs in the local area have been offered telehealth equipment valued at $9,000. This includes two telehealth kits comprising a medical cart, laptop, webcam/speaker and keyboard and mouse.

The RACH Project was a response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (2020), which highlighted a lack of access to technology, skills and overall low digital maturity of the aged care sector.

Our goal is to improve residents’ access to virtual healthcare services, enhance their experiences, improve support for staff and set new standards of excellence in aged care services.

Most RACHs have taken delivery of the equipment already and more than half have attended the first round of training. The training will ensure the meaningful use of virtual care can be built into their workflow.

We are also helping RACHs register and use the My Health Record to exchange information between themselves, the hospital and GPs.

With expanded reach, GPs can touch the lives of countless elderly individuals, fostering better health outcomes for our aging population.

One facility manager said: “It’s appreciated that we are being supported in this way. This technology is so important to have available for the best possible care for our residents’’.

Another added: “We believe the package will help improve future telehealth quality and enhance the nursing care experience for our residents’’.

With expanded reach through telehealth, GPs can touch the lives of countless elderly individuals, fostering better health outcomes for our ageing population.

The collaborative nature of telehealth consultations empowers GPs to:

Connect with allied health professionals and specialists, ensuring comprehensive assessments and holistic treatment plans for aged care patients
Extend their expertise and support to seniors, including those living in high-risk environments like RACHs, providing them with necessary medical attention and guidance remotely

Telehealth also provides a private platform for the aged to seek therapy and counselling without travel or exposure to public spaces, promoting emotional well-being and early intervention.

Above: SWSPHN Digital Health team Catherine Worsley and David Hoang with the equipment at Uniting Bernard Austin Lodge Liverpool. Top: Margaret Rose (in red) and Lin Yan from Uniting Bernard Austin Lodge Liverpool.

27 June 2023

This care finder promotion toolkit comprises of a set of five digital images for social media, email signatures and websites, and a print-ready DL brochure and A4 poster.

All links should go to https://swsphn.com.au/care-finder

23 May 2023

Telehealth equipment is being offered to residential aged care homes (RACHs) located in South Western Sydney to aid telehealth consultations between GPs and residents.

The equipment, offered at no cost to RACHs, includes two telehealth kits consisting of:

State-of-the art medical cart
High-performance laptop
Webcam/speaker
Keyboard and mouse

Total value per facility approx: $9,000.

RACHs have until Friday, 30 June to accept this offer.

Improving access to healthcare for aged care residents through digital health technologies

SWSPHN recognise the important role of RACHs in supporting the health of residents. Ensuring RACHs have adequate telehealth services improves access to GPs and other healthcare professionals and can reduce hospital emergency department admissions.

This is the first step South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) is taking towards helping RACHs set up or improve their digital health technologies.

This initiative is as a result of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The commission’s Research Paper 3 identified telehealth communications as an approach proven viable internationally and not well utilised throughout Australia.

SWSPHN’s role in aged care

South Western Sydney PHN is a not-for-profit health organisation funded by DoHAC. We are dedicated to support general practitioners, practice nurses and other primary health providers.

Previously, SWSPHN has engaged with RACHs to supply urgent equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An opportunity to build new relationships with aged care homes

SWSPHN sees this as a further opportunity to build the same positive relationships with residential aged care homes as we do with other primary care organisations.

Learn more about telehealth on the DoHAC website

Visit What We Do for more information on the services and support we provide

Ongoing support for RACHs to future-proof healthcare for residents

Ongoing training and support will be offered to RACHs to help future-proof the care of residents through digital health initiatives.

RACHs will have the opportunity to apply for a grant to further improve health services and utilise their telehealth kits through implementation of recommended software, training and support at no additional cost.

SWSPHN will continue to work with GPs and other health professionals to support RACHs from a practice level.

What if you haven’t been contacted by us yet?

This offer is only available to RACHs located in South Western Sydney, which includes the local government areas of Bankstown, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee.

If you have not heard from us about this offer yet, please contact us to discuss.

Catherine Worsley – Digital Health Officer or
Janvier Miranda – Digital Health Coordinator
Ph: 4632 3000
Em: digitalhealth@swsphn.com.au

10 May 2023

The strong focus on primary care, with the tripling of the bulk billing incentive and investment in the health workforce to better meet the health needs of the Australians in the 21st century, were among the welcome features of Tuesday’s Federal Budget.

South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) Acting Chief Executive Officer, Kristen Short, said there was little doubt primary care had been struggling in recent years, with fewer practices in a position to bulk bill, further highlighting the need for strong and ongoing funding commitment for the sector.

“The $3.5 billion committed to bulk billing incentives, $98.2 million for new Medicare rebates for patients who require consultations of longer than 60 minutes and $445.1 million to support team-based care in general practice, are welcome measures to support the revival and protection of a healthcare system which has served us well for decades,” she said.

Other investments of interest to primary care, in particular general practices in South Western Sydney include:

$358.5 million for Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
$143.9 million for after hours primary care
$91.5 million to improve mental health by addressing workforce shortages

Ms Short said SWSPHN had a particular focus on innovative projects like iRAD, the New to General Practice Nursing program and My Care Partners to build capacity and support our general practices in delivering accessible, effective and timely care to our community.

She noted investment in digital health ($951.2 million); increasing the number of nurses in primary care ($10.7 million); and increasing incentives for general practices to employ a range of health professionals to provide team-based primary care ($445.1 million) would support those projects which were already improving the health of our region.

“Primary care is the cornerstone of our healthcare system, and SWSPHN looks forward to continuing to work with and support primary care providers across our region on the projects, services and other activities funded in this budget.

“We particularly welcome the focus in the budget on multidisciplinary team care and voluntary patient enrolment and look forward to seeing how it complements our local medical neighbourhood model of care, My Care Partners, which has been working for the past two years to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and enhance care coordination for people with multiple chronic diseases.”

03 April 2023

Most people will request aged care services through My Aged Care. Care finder services are available for vulnerable older people needing extra support. Read on to understand the difference between My Aged Care and care finder services and how people living in South Western Sydney may access support.

Support can be a short-term, intermittent, or ongoing arrangements and can include:

housekeeping
home modifications
transport
meal delivery
social support
respite care
mental health services
drug and alcohol service and supports
community groups
guidance when it is time to investigate aged care homes

Read on to find where to access support for elderly people living in South Western Sydney.

My Aged Care

When you are not sure where to begin finding help for yourself or someone you care for to stay in their own home longer, or consider moving to an aged home, start the journey with My Aged Care.

My Aged Care offers information on services available, eligibility assessments, finding the right type of care and service referrals. You will gain insight into what services may cost and whether you are eligible for subsidised aged care.

 Apply as soon as you believe you need help, it may take many weeks for your My Aged Care assessment to occur.

My Aged Care is a service provided by Australian Government for people to find access to government-funded aged care services.

You can access My Aged Care online, on the phone or in person:

Visit My Aged Care online

Get started with My Aged care in four easy steps.

Learn about the different types of care
Apply online for an assessment
Find a care provider to suit your needs
Manage your services

My Aged Care website

Visit My Aged Care in-person

My Aged Care services are available at select Service Australia locations, including Bowral, in South Western Sydney.

An Aged Care Specialist Officer can help:

supply in-depth information on the different types of aged care services
check you are eligible for government-funded services
make a referral for an aged care assessment
appoint a representative for My Aged Care
supply financial information about aged care services
connect you to local support services.

Book a free in-person appointment with an Aged Care Specialist Officer through the Service Australia Aged Care Line: 1800 227 475. This service is available Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, except national public holidays.

Phone the My Aged Care contact centre

Call My Aged Care for free on 1800 200 422*.

For translating and interpreting services, call 131 450 and ask for 1800 200 422.
To use the National Relay Service to choose your preferred access point on their website or call the NRS Helpdesk on 1800 555 660.

Services are open Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm, and on Saturday between 10am and 2pm. Closed on Sundays and national public holidays.

* 1800 numbers are free from landlines and most mobile phones. Check with your mobile phone provider for more information.

Care finders provide extra support for people unable to access My Aged Care

A care finder helps vulnerable older Australians access appropriate aged care services through face-to-face support. Care finders are available for anyone who needs extra support to access My Aged Care.

Support from a care finder is available in English and these languages:

Arabic
Assyrian
Hindi
Vietnamese

An eligible person experiencing one or more of the following can get support from a care finder:

isolation or no support from a person (e.g. care giver, family, or representative) they are comfortable to have act on their behalf, and/or who is willing and able to support them to access aged care services via My Aged Care
communication barriers, including limited literacy skills
difficulty processing information to make decisions
resistance to engage with aged care for any reason and their safety is at immediate risk or they may end up in a crisis situation within (approximately) the next year
past experiences result in a hesitance to engage with aged care, institutions, or government.
homeless or at risk of homelessness and has no family or close friends who live nearby to help them find and choose services

The role of a care finder

Care finders have a thorough understanding of aged care services and how to access them for different regions and cultural needs within South Western Sydney.

A care finder’s tasks typically include:

Help eligible older people with their My Aged Care applications, offer guidance on services to apply for and attend the My Aged Care assessment where appropriate
Work through income/means testing and costs (with support from Services Australia as needed)
Help clients connect with services for physical and mental health, housing, drug and alcohol support, community groups and transport as needed
Complete high-level client check-ins on a periodic basis and follow up support once services have commenced
Build a rapport with clients and providers

Care finder eligibility

Care finder services are intended for elderly Australians who need intensive support, who could otherwise fall through the cracks. This will include people who are not yet receiving aged care services, do not have already have someone they may rely on to assist them, as well as those who are.

65+ years for non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Premature ageing (e.g. early onset degenerative health condition)

50+ years for non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
40+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Apply for care finder services

There are two ways to apply for care finder services for people living in South Western Sydney:

GP referral

A general practitioner may decide care finder services are needed and submit a referral on behalf of the patient.

Find a care finder through My Aged Care

Contact a care finder organisation directly. Find care finder details via the My Aged Care website.

My Aged Care care finder help

Care finders also conduct assertive outreach to proactively find and engage with people outside of the referral process.

If you are a health care provider, visit How to refer to care finder services

South Western Sydney PHN commission care finders throughout South Western Sydney in accordance with the Department of Health and Ageing Care Finder Policy, developed following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Services will be rolled out progressively in the first half of 2023.

21 March 2023

Working with aged care providers and people living in aged care homes has always been a labour of love for nurse and owner of The Practice Bundanoon, Jessie Beresford.

Jessie tells us about her passion project in this edition of Spotlight on General Practice.

Why did the team at The Practice begin working with the local aged care facility to assist the community to access better healthcare?

As a manager at a local aged care facility, current practice nurse and practice owner, Jessie (pictured right) found her passion and drive for improving health outcomes for residents of residential aged care homes in the region.

Still working in Wingecarribee, but moving into primary care, continuing this care was a no brainer for Jessie and her practice staff.

As well as going into aged care facilities, The Practice has taken on more than 20 new patients who are residents in aged care homes locally, to provide a deeper level of care. This trust and ongoing commitment to continuity of care has allowed for a number of changes to take place in this area.

What does this involve?

One day a week, on a Tuesday afternoon, Jessie will visit the local aged care home to chat with residents about their health. These sessions can include anything from discussing patient care plans, blood pressure checks, mental health checks or simply chatting with residents to let them know what options they have during this time of their lives in regard to ongoing care and support.

This support helps to take the burden off registered nurses working at aged care homes who are often overworked and simply don’t have the resources available to take the extra time to chat with residents.

Why is the work to support this community important? And what has this achieved?

An advocate for aged care, Jessie believes it is important to let older people know what they are entitled to and what their options for care are as they age. Families, carers and patients should have all the necessary tools to guide the older person through their later stages.

Information is available online and sometimes at general practices or libraries, but it’s about knowing what is useful and what can help the patient to make informed decisions about their own health and the care they wish to receive is vital. Visiting the aged care home allows for this transfer of information and having patients cared for at The Practice allows for continuity of care.

Further supporting her work at the aged care home, Jessie’s role as a practice nurse is to ask the important questions during her over 75s health checks for all patients around this age: Do you have a Will? Do you have a Power of Attorney? Have you got a next of kin? And so on. It is important to make sure these documents are up-to-date and easily accessible prior to the patient being placed in an aged care home.

Through this care, residents living in Wingecarribee are given the autonomy to make their own decisions about their care and what they would like to happen as they age. Carers and families are given peace of mind and the tools to ensure the best outcome.

What is the biggest challenge of the role and how can it be overcome?

A lack of funding. The role is essentially being a liaison for the person, or the conduit between them and the right care plan for now and in the future. The work is time consuming and not everyone in the region can be cared for due to these constraints.

The care doesn’t end after the information session ends at the aged care home – there is a lot of follow-up with phone calls, emails and check-ins taking place for each individual.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a practice nurse and facilitating care for such a diverse population?

Knowing older people are safe, this includes the reassurance and increased knowledge for the older people, their families and their carers.

What is the best way to educate people living and working in aged care facilities about the importance of maintaining good health?

Communication and education for families, working with the deputy managers at aged care homes to assess the needs of people living in the area each week.

Education typically consists of assisting with the next stages, including where to refer the patient, wound management, palliative care management and behaviour management.

06 December 2022

South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) has developed the Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) role for residential aged care homes (RACH) to increase specialist palliative care consultation and improve palliative care outcomes for residents with complex needs.

Highly experienced CNC Rachael Williams:

Directly supports RACHs by servicing SWSLHD community referrals for RACH residents received by the Triple I Hub
Supports capacity building of RACH workforce by providing:

Advance care planning promotion and education
Promoting implementation of ELDAC toolkits and resources
Collaborating with SWSPHN to increase palliative care support for RACH GPs

More than 160 residents have been supported since the position was established in mid-January 2022, receiving a palliative care comprehensive assessment, an individualised plan, a review of their advance care planning, a follow up call or visit and referral to the community palliative care medical team if required to meet their needs.

Rachael also has discussions with RACH clinical staff, residents and/or their families providing suggestions which are forwarded to the RACH care team and uploaded to the resident’s files.

GPs working in RACHs with residents they want to refer or discuss, can send referrals via Triple I, or an email to the District Palliative Care Secretary Patricia Rebello at Rebello@health.nsw.gov.au
Questions regarding the Palliative Care CNC for RACHs can be directed to Rachael Williams at Williams@health.nsw.gov.au

This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 7 December 2022. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.

16 November 2022

South Western Sydney is expected to have the highest increase in dementia cases in all of NSW by 2050. Dementia is a brain illness which can affect mobility, vision, and cognition.

It is NOT a normal part of ageing.

The South Western Sydney Dementia Network is hosting a free, online dementia information session on Thursday, 1 December from 10am to 12pm, honouring International Day of People with Disabilities.

Download this flyer to learn more/register for the session

16 November 2022

If you’d like to join a local network dedicated to supporting people with dementia and their families, please express your interest in joining the South Western Sydney Dementia Network.

SWSPHN is part of the network which includes Western Sydney University, local councils, and health services including South Western Sydney Local Health District, Dementia Australia and Macarthur Disability Services.

The network supports people with dementia and their families by teaching, training and facilitating social programs in the community.

If you’d like to know more about what the role requires or to apply, download this Expression of Interest form.