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Aged & Community Services
SA & NT Inc©
246 Glen Osmond Road,
Fullarton SA 5063
Phone: (08) 8338 7111
Fax: (08) 8338 7077
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Volume 10, Issue 11, November 2009
Please note some of the articles provided have additional papers which can be downloaded or links to another website page. In some cases these documents are linked to the ACS Members Only section of this website and will require a Username and Password. All members have been issued with a Username and Password. If you have not received this please contact the Communications Officer with your contact details and you will be issued with your access details.
Index
Late Breaking News
The State Emergency Service is warning South Australians that the current hot weather is a risk to public safety.
Heat related illness can result in severe health issues and can even be fatal. The public are urged to exercise care during the hot weather and to take precautions.
Symptoms of heat stress include headaches, lethargy, nausea and vomiting. More severe symptoms can include weakness, confusion, and in extreme cases, collapse, loss of urine output and loss of sweating.
If you are feeling unwell, contact your local GP or telephone Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222. For immediate medical attention telephone 000.
For more information on extreme heat visit this website
State Emergency Service Heatwave Information Guide
Please click here for a copy of the Guide.
Telecross REDi service for vulnerable South Australians during heatwaves and extreme weather events
The Telecross REDi service supports all vulnerable South Australians during heatwaves and other extreme weather events. The service will be activated by the Department for Families and Communities when an extreme weather event is declared. Red Cross volunteers will call pre-registered clients up to three times a day for the duration of the event to discuss how clients are coping and remind them of important measures to assist them through the weather event. Clients can self refer or register for the service through your agency.
Red Cross is accepting registrations until the end of November from agencies who have any vulnerable, isolated clients who would benefit from this service in the absence of other daily checks during a heatwave. A Vulnerability Assessment Tool exists for organisations who wish to use it in assessing the level of client vulnerability during a heatwave or other extreme weather event.
If you would like more information about the Telecross REDi service a Fact Sheet is available on the Red Cross website ator you can contact the following Red Cross staff:
Rosalie Pace, 8100 4626
Rebecca Whellum, 8100 4658
Lisa Clark, 8100 4657
National News
Round 2 of Housing Affordability Fund now open
Who is eligible to apply for funding?
Organisations eligible to apply for funding under the Housing Affordability Fund Round Two are local governments, Local Government Associations and State or Territory Government Departments or Agencies. Joint venture applications between a governmental body and a developer are also welcome, provided the organisation lodging the application is one of the government organisations mentioned above.
Funding agreements can be signed with private developers, but only where this is the most efficient way to guarantee the outcome sought by the joint venture parties.
The Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, has released the terms of reference for the Government’s review of the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI). Please click here for a copy.
Salary Sacrifice arrangements under the Fair Work Act 2009
Mr Greg Mundy (Chief Executive Officer, ACSA) recently received a letter from the Office of the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, responding to a query regarding salary sacrifice arrangements under the Fair Work Act 2009.
Russell Kennedy’s Spring 2009 Aged Care law newsletter
Articles within this issue include:
- Building and construction issues faced by the aged care industry
- Health profession national registration scheme
- Changes to the Coroner’s Act 2008 (Vic)
- Does your proposed retirement village require a Cultural Heritage Management Plan?
- Is 55 years the age limit for entry?
- Aged care, skills shortages and labour agreements
- The right to decide about that which sustains us
Local News
ACS SA & NT response to Advertiser article 'Aged Scare' re accommodation bonds
Please click here for Alan Graham's response (published 11 November) to an earlier article published in The Advertiser (6 November) regarding accommodation bonds.
ACFI Review - your input needed
Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) and the state associations including ACS SA&NT are preparing for the upcoming ACFI review. A meeting is being held on Thursday 19 November 2009 in Melbourne to discuss and prepare for the submissions.
ACS representative at this meeting will be Natasha Forward, a member of the residential advisory committee and Director of Care at James Brown Memorial Trust.
Natasha is keen to hear your comments/concerns about ACFI. If you have any issues please pass them on to Natasha by cob Wednesday 18 November.
Your input is very valuable as we need to pool our experiences to contribute to this important review.
Day Therapy Centres - application process for continued funding
The recent invitation to apply for continued funding under the DTC program created concern amongst members with regards to the application process, new Guidelines and the Funding Agreement. ACS advocated on behalf of members at both state and national levels and, in conjunction with ACSA, highlighted a number of issues for the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to address. Alan Graham and Pat Sparrow met with Keith Tracey-Patte, Assistant Secretary, Community Care Branch, DoHA, in Canberra to seek an extension to the application deadline and to discuss member concerns and actions DoHA could consider to address these issues. A letter and paper detailing the issues were sent to Keith following this meeting.
The Community Care Committee has identified the DTC Program as a key area of work for 2009/10 and will be taking action to reinforce to government the essential role the program has in supporting older people to remain at home.
The release of the interim report into the February Victorian bushfires has prompted considerable interest amongst an array of organisations. In response to the release of the report, the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) organised a seminar for industry representatives in late September. Responding to the issues raised, ACS will be implementing a staged approach to inform members about the need to be prepared, having revisited and reviewed current emergency planning arrangements.
The DoHA seminar was very useful for putting the issue into context. It is timely that we remind ourselves about what we need to do to ensure the safety of residents is maximised. The responsibility rests with the individual aged care provider. It is also worth reminding members that the issue of emergency planning will be a key focus of attention during visits by departmental and accreditation agency staff to facilities. It is also a requirement of the next ACAR round.
The first stage of the ACS response involved a representative from the SA Country Fire Service speaking at recent regional forums (6 & 9 November) where the importance of preparedness was highlighted. The sessions were very useful and appreciated by attendees. A copy of the CFS Bushfire Survival plan is available for information. I urge members to take the time and look at the material.
Further stages of the ACS response will include a free metropolitan ½ day information seminar (details will be provided shortly) which will include presentations by the MFS and CFS and some ‘case studies’ featuring a couple of member sites.
ACS is also an active participant in the recently formed Department of Health (State) Aged Care Fire Evacuation Group.
Industry guideline for administering drugs of dependence by care workers in residential care facilities
Click here for a summary of a meeting held at Drug and Alcohol Services SA, 4 November 2009, about preparing an aged care industry guideline for administration of drugs of dependence by care workers in residential aged care facilities.
For further information please contact Neville Stephens, Residential Services Manager, 8338 7111.
Coming Events
Wellbeing at Work - Build resilience and create safe, supported workplaces
Don't miss this fantastic FREE opportunity to hear an interstate speaker on personal and organisational resilience - still places left at Naracoorte.
Tuesday 24 November 2009, 9.00 am–5.00 pm
Settlers' Cafe, NARACOORTE
Your level of stress, happiness, anxiety, depression and tiredness can directly affect your risk of injury. Your psycho-social wellbeing also influences absenteeism, poor morale, turnover, grievances and productivity.
Rhonda Brand from Victoria will discuss how you can build personal and organisational resilience by identifying and assessing psycho-social hazards and implementing the Cambridge Systematic Approach to workplace stress prevention.
This information-packed seminar is provided free by ACS with funding from Employers Mutual Ltd and is supported by SafeWork SA.
Monday 30 November 2009, 9.30 am-12 pm (includes morning tea)
Free entry
To register, please phone Alison or Kaylene on 8338 7111 or email
This session will present the results of the Stewart Brown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey for the year ended 30 June 2009 and give an opportunity for existing survey participants to ask questions and give feedback on this service. The session will also provide an opportunity for other aged care providers to hear about the survey and the industry results, and to ask questions.
ACS Housing Forum - LAST housing-related event for 2009
Thursday 3 December, 9 am-1 pm
The program for the last housing-related forum in 2009 is a concentrated explosion of learning, networking and expanding your thinking on topics you are grappling with now. It includes lunch but you will be back in the office for the afternoon!
- What to do with your ageing stock - Detonate, renovate or liquidate?
- Apartments Vs medium density living - The great debate
- Put in place a marketing strategy to beat all marketing strategies - Fattening the pig until market day
- Point your residents in the direction of local facilities, services and activities without it costing an arm and a leg - Connecting with your local government community
Thursday 3 December, 9.30–10.30 am (ACS members only)
Do you have clients who find it hard using the phone because they are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment? The National Relay Service gives Australians who are Deaf or have hearing or speech impairment the opportunity to communicate by phone more easily with businesses, professional services, friends and family, whether they are living in their own home or a residential care centre.
This session will be particularly useful for people working in community care and HACC services, but also relevant to residential care.
Electronic Medication Management in Aged Care - Workshop in Adelaide
Thursday 3 December 9.30 am-12.30 pm
Aged Care Association Australia-SA: Cnr Avenue Road and North Street, Frewville
ACSA and ACAA through the Aged Care Industry IT Council are working on a project to implement Electronic Medication Management (EMM) in the aged care sector.
What is the project?
The proposed EMM system will enable the electronic transfer on medication and clinical care information between GPs, pharmacists, Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) and hospitals as well as providing common access to a common electronic medication record. This will improve the quality of care provided and reduce the risk of adverse events caused by poor communication and errors in transcription and interpretation of medication information.
How you can help
The workshop on 3 December will provide an overview of the project and seek your input on requirements that will inform the future design of the system. We are looking for providers in aged care, general practice, pharmacy and anyone with a special interest in the area to attend the session. Background information and workshop topics will be sent to all registered participants prior to the workshop.
To register, please email; phone inquiries to 8338 6500. There is no charge for attendance. Click here for the flyer.
ACS Education & Training Events
ACS 2009 Training Program
The 2009 Training Program is constantly updated. Registration forms for the events will be placed on the website as they are prepared, and also sent to members. Please mark this page as a bookmark and return to it regularly to view any changes and additions.
Free workshops on the Fair Work Act 2009 - November to December
FREE Fair Work Act information session
Are you aware of your obligations under the new Commonwealth Fair Work Act which commenced in part on 1st July 2009? Places are still available in sessions being held in the following areas - Berri, Whyalla, Darwin and Alice Springs. Please book ASAP.
These FREE information sessions cover:
- Minimum standards for employees including wages, hours, leave, entitlements, protections, agreements, unfair and unlawful dismissals.
- Operation of unions including collective bargaining
- Establishment of a specialist commission that helps resolve disputes and sets standards
- Industrial action
- Modern awards – Aged Care Award and Nurses Award including leave obligations, shift work loadings, ordinary hours, breaks between shifts, and overtime.
Upcoming RDNS clinical courses
ACS is pleased to provide information about upcoming RDNS clinical courses and education events.
The RDNS Education Centre is excited to offer its new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, tailored to the health and community services industry, and available from October this year. This course joins the new Certificate III courses in Disability and Home and Community Care also launching in October. The Education Centre’s popular education consultancy service is undergoing an upgrade with new content soon to be released including male catheterisation training and education on how to navigate the constantly changing health system. For further information contact the RDNS Education Centre on 08 8208 5300 or visit the website.
Papers and Presentations from ACS Forums
Papers and Presentations from some of the recently held ACS Forums are available for members-only access. Click here to view the list of presentations available.
Visit the ACS Training & Events Program
Industry Supporter News
Corporate Health offer from Mutual Community
We want you to get more from your corporate health cover. That's why we'll waive the 2 month waiting period so you can claim immediately on most extras*. Plus, you’ll stand a chance to win a $500 Rebel Sport voucher^. To be eligible, you need to join both hospital and extras cover through the corporate health plan before 31 December 2009.
Please click here for more details.