In this story:
Provider striving for LGBTI inclusive services
Feedback sought on aged care principles
Kiama gets a dementia-friendly boost
Opportunity to support colleagues from developing nations
Seniors’ wanted for health, wellbeing and ageing research
Provider striving for LGBTI inclusive services
Melbourne residential aged care provider Lifeview is aiming to achieve a consumer-directed approach to meeting the needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and LGBTI-friendly accreditation.
The provider has appointed experienced clinician and manager Helen Povall to guide the organisation through the process to achieve the Rainbow Tick, which is a program developed by Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria.
The program guides organisations through a cycle of self-assessment and external review and comprises six standards that demonstrate LGBTI inclusive practice and service delivery.
Ms Povall said many LGBTI consumers wanted to know they could access services where their sexual orientation or gender identity would be valued and understood.
“Our aim is to establish services that will ensure a consumer-directed approach to meeting the often complex needs of older LGBTI people, resulting in appropriate and targeted services – it’s a whole of business approach”, Ms Povall said.
CEO Madeline Gall said all staff at Lifeview was committed to gaining the Rainbow Tick because they believed in homes that were inclusive and allowed everyone to age with grace, dignity, choice, and free from fear of discrimination.
Feedback sought on aged care principles
Feedback is being sought on the Aged Care Sector Statement of Principles, which were developed by government in close consultation with the Aged Care Sector Committee, recently released by Assistant Minister for Social Services Mitch Fifield.
The 17 principles across three broad areas — empowered consumers and informal carers, innovative and responsive services and a viable and sustainable system — aim to guide future changes in the aged care system and embed a constructive and lasting partnership between consumers, providers, the aged care workforce and Government.
The principles include an overall purpose statement, a partnership approach with the roles for each stakeholder type, and an explanation for each statement and feature four guiding themes for the aged care system of the future:
consumer choice is at the centre of quality aged care;
support for informal carers will remain a major part of aged care delivery;
the provision of formal aged care is contestable, innovative and responsive; and
the system is both affordable for all and sustainable.
The Aged Care Sector Committee is seeking feedback on how the principles could be used to guide future aged care policy including changes consistent with the principles along with the challenges and benefits of such changes.
Comments should be provided to local Aged Care Sector Committee representative by 27 March 2015.
Kiama gets a dementia-friendly boost
The NSW south coast region of Kiama is further along its journey to becoming dementia-friendly thanks to a $50,000 State Government grant that will fund a project worker for a year to implement strategies to improve community participation for people with dementia and their carers.
The Creating Liveable Communities Competition grant has been awarded to Alzheimer’s Australia, the University of Wollongong, and Kiama Municipal Council, which has been working together over the last 12 months to make the area more dementia-friendly.
Alzheimer’s Australia CEO Carol Bennett said collaboration has so far established the Local Dementia Alliance, engaged with people living with dementia in Kiama, conducted research, audited the environment and drafted a community action plan.
“This grant is a timely investment in the Kiama dementia-friendly communities’ project and will provide much-needed funding to further support the implementation of the local dementia friendly action plan,” she said.
Dr Phillipson from the University of Wollongong said the funding was critical to ensure that the valuable insights gained from people with dementia, their supporters and the broader Kiama community could be put into practice.
Kiama mayor Brian Petschler said the funding provided the resources to implement the project and help support the ageing population and make the Kiama Local Government Area (LGA) an age-friendly community.
Opportunity to support colleagues from developing nations
Contributions are being sought for a scholarship fund to bring aged care delegates from developing countries to the joint ACSA and IAHSA international aged care conference in Perth in September.
CommonAge, which is the body established to promote best practice in aged care across Commonwealth countries, is aiming to raise $100,000 to offer scholarships to 40 delegates from Commonwealth countries.
CEO Klaus Zimmermann is calling on aged care stakeholders to get behind the fundraising drive and help build a global ageing network. The CommonAge Scholarship fund has already raised $55,000, which should enable offering 15 to 20 scholarships, he said.
In the applications for the scholarships, which are currently open, individuals from organisations in developing Commonwealth countries are asked to demonstrate their commitment to the development of improved services for older people within their countries.
Supporters of the fund will be recognised by CommonAge, IAHSA and ACSA in publicity material and will be acknowledged for helping to extend Australian hospitality and generosity to developing countries.
Contact the CommonAge Secretariat by email at leonie.thomson@southernxc.com.au for more information on making a donation.
Seniors’ wanted for health, wellbeing and ageing research
Researchers from Curtin University are seeking people aged 60 and above who are not working to participate in a six-month study investigating the health and wellbeing of seniors and their views on ageing.
Postdoctoral research associate and study coordinator Dr Michelle Jongenelis said it was vitally important to conduct research that collected the opinions of seniors in this era of an ageing population.
“The sheer number of people entering older age groups makes the prevention of illness amongst older people an important and urgent task. It is also important to ensure that health, wellbeing, and quality of life in older age is optimised.”
Participants will be required to complete an initial questionnaire either online or in hardcopy and attend two interviews six months apart at either Edith Cowan University Joondalup or Curtin Bentley to undertake various health and physical assessments.
Participants will be reimbursed $200 at the end of the study and will receive a free detailed report on their health and wellbeing.
The team is recruiting throughout 2015.
People interested in participating should email Dr Michelle Jongenelis at michelle.jongenelis@curtin.edu.au or call 08 9266 4396.
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