A fortnightly newseltter from National Director Claerwen Little.

To read the issue go here.

Introduction

• Somerville Community Services
• Northern Synod
• Final issue of Connecting

Random drug testing problematic

UnitingCare Australia Submission to the Review of the National Aged Care Quality Regulatory Process

Roadmap to healthy ageing vital for all our futures

Equally Well: Improving the physical health and wellbeing of people living with mental illness in Australia

Forntier Services makes it to final in Rural Hero Grant

Homeless Week - 'Action and Innovation'

Recent submisisons and media releases

Calendar

Community service agencies of the Uniting Church make up one of the largest aged care provider networks in the country, with some 200 residential aged care facilities operating around 15,000 aged care beds. It also delivers care and support for thousands of older people who live in their own homes. In total, Uniting Church agencies are responsible for about 10% of community –based and residential services nationally.

The nation’s largest provider of aged care services has supported the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) call for a national approach to combatting elder abuse in its Elder Abuse - A National Legal Response report, released yesterday.

A fortnightly newsletter from National Director Claerwen Little.

To read the issue go here.

Introduction

• Following up the Federal Budget
• National Office working on draft strategic plan for UnitingCare Australia
• 40 Days of Prayer
• Visit by Assembly General Secretary Colleen Geyer

Aged care update

• Aged Care Network update
• Submissions
• Shadow Minister Helen Polley's dementia policy roundtable

Social Policy Network update

CYPF Network update

Women and Employment Demonstration Project

Frontier Services

Rob Floyd new Associate General Secretary

ReGen on proposed drug testing of welfare recipients

Uniting Church President Stuart McMillan condemsn inflamatory comments made by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton about asylum seekers

National Reconciliation Week

New App assists with home modificaitons for those with a disability and those who are ageing

Recent submissions and media releases

Calendar

Apart from fixing some nomenclature issues, a revision of the Act is needed to ensure it correctly articulates the new and changed commitments made by the Australian Government in the Living Longer Living Better package of aged care reforms, and the different context for provision of aged care services as a result of these changes.

This submission is written in response to the National Standards for Out of Home Care Consultation Paper. It answers the five consultation questions provided in the paper and additionally recommends the establishment of a National Children’s Commissioner to oversee the national OOHC standards.

UnitingCare is pleased to contribute a response to thirteen recommendations related to aged care services that were developed by the Productivity Commission in its review of regulatory burden on business in June 2009.

The current model for provision of services for people as they get older is no longer relevant or appropriate and does not meet the needs or expectations of older people or their families now, and will not in the future. Consider these facts:
• 50% of women and 40% of men aged 65 years in 2008 will be placed in an aged care residential facility before they die;
• There will be a fourfold increase in demand for aged care services over the next generation;
• The majority of residential care facilities operated at a loss in 2007;
• 60% of people aged 70 and older have expressed a clear preference to remain in their own homes supported by a range of services
• Many facilities cannot operate at full capacity due to staffing shortages, despite strong demand;
• Staff shortages are compounded by frustration with regulation and compliance burdens diverting staff time from delivering quality care and promoting quality of life for residents to administrative tasks.

In this submission “UnitingCare” and “UnitingCare agencies” refer to three particular UnitingCare network agencies, Blue Care in Queensland, Uniting Aged Care Victoria and Tasmania and Uniting Church Homes in Western Australia.

UnitingCare provides services and supports in all states and territories to people living with a disability and their carers and families through a wide range of programs and initiatives. Many of these are specifically targeted at people living with a disability, many others have a broader target and support clients who are living with a disability – such as accommodation and housing support, financial services, employment programs, family support programs and respite care. This provides UnitingCare with a very broad understanding of the needs of, and constraints faced by people living with a disability and their carers and families throughout their lifetimes. This understanding informs this submission which draws on the experience and expertise of staff in the UnitingCare network throughout Australia. It highlights key issues faced by people who are ageing with a disability, and provides examples of promising practices in this area from UnitingCare service providers, and the broader service community in Australia and overseas.