Project to canvass views on “cashing out” home care budgets
A new project is underway to capture older people’s experiences of self-management and their interest in a cashed out funding model.
A new project is underway to capture older people’s experiences of self-management and their interest in a cashed out funding model.
The COTA Australia project is consulting with aged care consumers, family carers and home care service providers throughout October and November to identify factors for successfully self-managing a home care package at different levels.
This will include an examination of the tasks and abilities required of consumers and the information, support and staff training necessary to offer this choice to home care package clients.
Consumer views on self-management, including directly cashing out packaged funds will also be gathered. Cashing out care subsidies has been trialled with older people overseas and is available as an option under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, but take up has been low.
The findings of stakeholder consultations will be used to develop consumer and provider toolkits on self-management.
“Hearing the voices of older Australians, their carers and aged care providers is absolutely imperative in developing proposals to enhance choice and control within the home-care system,” said COTA Australia chief executive Ian Yates.
“These consultations are a timely opportunity for people with lived experiences in home care to share their thoughts on self-management, identify information gaps and workshop the training and development required to support self-managed home care,” he said.
Consultations will be hosted in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide. Click here for further details.
Older Australians, family carers and aged care providers can also participate in the project by taking part in a national online survey. Click here to complete the consumer survey and here for the provider survey.
The self-management in home care project is funded by a Dementia and Aged Care Services (DACS) Funding Round Research and Innovation grant from the Federal Government.
