Strathdon
Community provides 100 Community Aged Care Packages for people living
in the municipalities of Knox, Manningham, Whitehorse and Monash.
What is a Community Aged
Care Package?
A
Community Aged Care Package provides supplementary supports for
frail aged and older people with disabilities, to enable them to
continue living in their own homes.
Because of their complex care needs,
they might otherwise require admission to low level residential
care, e.g. Hostel or Supported Residential Services.
Who is Eligible?
People who
have been assessed as eligible by the Aged Care Assessment Service
and who:
wish to remain
living at home, who have complex physical, medical, emotional and
social needs
need assistance
to acquire appropriate services
need help to
manage the services they are receiving
have no appropriate
services due to cultural and other factors
who live alone
without adequate support from family, friends and neighbours.
Who is Not Eligible?
People who:
require short
term help in a crisis
need short
term help following discharge from hospital
live in supported
accommodation and are already receiving government funding for similar
services
are assessed
as needing high level residential care.
How Are Services Received?
1.
Clients must
first be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS). ACAS
send a referral on behalf of the client to local agencies, such as
Strathdon, who provide Community Aged Care Packages.
2.
When a vacancy
arises on the program, the client is contacted and then assessed by
a member of Strathdon Community's Community Aged Care Packages management
team. They will be informed as to whether they have been accepted
onto the Community Aged Care Packages program and if so when the services
will commence.
3.
Once accepted
onto the program, a case manager will be appointed to assist the client
(in consultation with their carer, family, GP &/or representative
of their own choice) to identify their most urgent &/or preferred
needs.
4.
A case manager
will develop a care plan that will ensure that the client receives
the most appropriate services suited to their needs.
5.
Services received
may include the following:
Personal Care, e.g.
showering, dressing
Home Care, e.g. housework,
cleaning, minmal gardening ie. mowing monthly
Temporary in-home
respite
Assistance with transport
for shopping & appointments
Assistance to access
social and recreational activities
Support & education
for carers & the client's family.
6.
The appointed
case manager will act as an advocate for the client and will negotiate
with other agencies to provide the required services, and will be
responsible for monitoring and reviewing these services and ensuring
the client's wishes are met.
7.
All matters
pertaining to the client and their care are strictly confidential.
What Does It Cost?
This
service is partially funded by the Commonwealth Government.
However, the client usually contributes a fee depending upon their
financial circumstances. An account is sent to the client or
carer each month for services received in the previous month.
No-one will be excluded from the program due to
financial hardship.
How Do I Refer Someone For
a Community
Aged Care Package?
Anyone can
make a referral for a Community Aged Care Package by utilising any
of the following means:
1.
Contacting
the Aged Care Assessment Service duty worker at the Peter James Centre
(Australia) on 9881-1875.
2.
If living in
the City of Knox (Victoria), contact the Outer East Assessment Team
duty worker on
9724-1610.
3.
Telephoning
Strathdon Community on 9877-5144 and asking for a Community Aged Care
Packages Case Manager who can provide further information regarding
referral.
NOTE: Clients &/or their carers remain fully responsible for
their own primary care. The Community Aged Care Packages program assists
to supplement existing care and support already in place.
