Home care conference explores challenges to come
People across the home care sector are invited to register for an online conference taking place at the end of the month.

People working across the home care sector are invited to register for an online conference taking place at the end of the month.
Running over two days, 29 and 30 November – and called Change is Gonna Come! – the online event consists of presentations, plenaries and panels exploring what’s happening nationally in the community aged care space.

“It’s a conference run by Support at Home providers for Support at Home providers,” sector support and development officer for eastern Sydney, and member of the organising committee, Tim Horton told Community Care Review. “It’s got the latest in research, the latest in policy, and innovative care.”
One hot topic of discussion will be the new, and delayed, Support at Home program, said Mr Horton. “They’ll be people talking about the new Support at Home program and looking at alternatives, or better ways to do it … to meet the challenge of support at home, particularly around technology and workforce issues.”
Workforce issues will also feature prominently during the event, Mr Horton said. “One of the main things we’re hoping for is to promote discussion around improving the workforce because the issues are complex, and we want to move that forward.”
Other topics up for discussion include:
- how to boost the skill set of Aboriginal employees
- how to help people from culturally and linguistically diverse populations navigate their way through the home care system
- how mainstream providers can deliver LGBTI-inclusive services
- how to effectively cater to women’s care needs.
“You also get a chance to hear from people at the highest level of policy, including the Minister [for Aged Care] and one of the leaders in the Department of Health and Aged Care,” Mr Horton told CCR.
An app will also allow delegates to network, said Mr Horton. “It gives people the chance to communicate directly with one another as delegates so you can take part in discussions with your peers.”
As well as practical advice and guidance, the event aims to celebrate the people working in the home care sector, said Mr Horton. “To celebrate the successes that people have made through the Support at Home program because it’s the most popular aged care program and it’s the one that older people love the most.”
Volunteers and community members can attend the online conference for free – names need to be sent to chspconference@outlook.com for registration. For all others, there is an attendance fee of $100.
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A problem that needs to be discussed is the continual loss of community aged care allied staff due to poor wages. Aged care community allied health provide direct care in clients’ homes, yet weren’t included to receive the 15% wage increase. There is little interest to fill vacant positions due to higher wages in other areas. This is causing gaps in services and long waitlist to service the elderly on packages in their homes. Increased in wages needs to occur to retain allied health staff and attract new staff
Home Care funded care needs a portfolio of its own in Aged Care so as to review and re calibrate 1. Lack of consistency in the costing of Care per category of care level by Home Care providers.There is guide lines for Home Care Provider, but no fee structure consistent for all to follow 2. A review of all RTO’s ‘training in aged care’, appropriate with central TAFE training and focusing on culturally experienced staff as needed in a, culturally diverse and ageing population. 3. Appropriate payment of such skilled aged care staff similar to nursing. 4. Caring for someone at home is best done in the not for profit sector in alignment with other funded organisations who provide social support (Volunteer Services such as Community Visitors) Caring for someone at home is acombination of ones physical and psychosocial needs.
Allied health staff charge excessively high rates for their services at home (called in as private providers) such as physio and O.T. that either drains very quickly the H.C. package or is limited to funding available, as priority is given to personal care , meal prep etc. H.C. packages have been designed to care for those in need at home…. seems to me a large private industry has grown around it…draining very needed funding for those most in Home Care need.