Your Aged Care Update # 13/24
Notable dates
Aged Care Worker Survey 2024
Closes 30 April
Webinar: Aged care cost data collection
10 April
In this issue
Sector news
Provide feedback on Quality Standards resources
There are only a few weeks left to provide feedback on the draft guidance documents for the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission developed the resources to help providers understand and meet the strengthened Standards. Your feedback is important to make sure they are useful.
Share your feedback by completing an online survey. The survey will take less than 20 minutes.
The survey closes on 30 April.
Visit the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website for more details.
Residential care
Request for proposal open: Menu and mealtime reviews
The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards require providers to develop menus with the input of an Accredited Practising Dietitian. They also require an annual menu and mealtime assessment.
To prepare services to meet this new standard, we are seeking a supplier to manage and deliver up to 1,000 menu and mealtime reviews (MMRs).
The MMRs will need to be delivered:
by Accredited Practising Dietitians, preferably with existing experience in the aged care sector
onsite in Residential Aged Care Services and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program services.
Potential suppliers can submit a response to the Commonwealth’s Request for Proposal on AusTender.
Submissions close on 29 April 2024.
Expressions of Interest for providers to take part are now open.
Visit Menu and Mealtime Review for more information about the program.
Using topical antimicrobials to treat infections
The National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey has released new data and national recommendations for using topical antimicrobials in aged care.
Topical antimicrobials are creams, ointments, gels and drops that are applied to skin, mucosa and eyes to treat infections.
Overuse can cause antimicrobial resistance so it’s important to understand and follow the recommendations.
Read the advice from the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship.
Webinar: Adapting cognitive behavioural therapy for residential aged care
Join Swinburne University Wellbeing Clinic for Older Adults for a webinar on adapting cognitive-behavioural therapy for people living in aged care homes.
This webinar is for people working in aged care, as well as psychologists, social workers, counsellors and volunteers who work with older people.
When: Friday 19 April, 4:45 pm to 6:00 pm (AEST)
Presented by a panel of clinical psychology practitioners, this webinar will cover how therapy can be tailored to accommodate aged care residents with cognitive and physical difficulties.
Register now.
For more information visit the Webinar Schedule 2024.
In-home care
CHSP growth funding forecast opportunities
Forecast opportunities for 2 upcoming Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) growth funding grants have been published on GrantConnect.
Growth Funding 2024-25
The CHSP Growth Funding 2024-25 Grant Opportunity seeks to increase availability of domestic assistance, allied health and therapy, transport services and home maintenance in a range of identified Aged Care Planning Regions.
Current CHSP providers, as well as service providers across aged care, disability, health and veterans care sectors are eligible to apply.
First Nations Growth Funding 2024-25
The CHSP First Nations Growth Funding 2024-25 Grant Opportunity seeks to expand delivery of culturally safe CHSP services for First Nations older people.
Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations with experience across aged care, disability and primary health care are encouraged to apply.
Read more about the CHSP growth opportunities.
Workforce
Webinar: Supporting multicultural people to access aged care
The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing (Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care Victoria) is hosting a free webinar for people working in the aged care sector.
The webinar will provide information on the care finder program and specialised support services that help older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds access and navigate aged care services.
When: Tuesday 30 April, 2 pm to 3 pm (AEST)
This webinar is part of the interactive series Cultural Diversity in Ageing 2023-2024 and may assist providers to meet aged care quality standards. For nurses, it may be counted as continuing professional development for registration.
Register now.
You can also watch recordings of previous webinars from this series.