The Home and Community Care - Term Paper Example

Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 1.1 Program Background 2 2.0 Program Structure 3 2.1 Program Location 3 2.2 Targeted people 3 2.3 Expected benefits 4 2.4 Limitations 5 3.0 Means, Structure, and System 5 4.0 Means of implementation 7 5.0 The role of staff 8 6.0 Evaluation Process 9 7.0 Conclusion 10 8.0 References List 10 GoodWill Home and Community Care Program: Implementation 1.0 Introduction The Home and Community Care (HACC) program is based on a philosophy of supporting frail people in the society, which include the elderly and those with disabilities, making them to be more independent at home and in the community. This enhances the quality of life, which in turn prevents this frail group of people from being admitted to premature long-term residential care. The program targets marginalized groups, who mainly depend on help from guardians or other well wishers and in most cases are segregated to long term residential centers. HACC support services involve assistance with daily household activities and routines such as, helping them to achieve nutrition independence, ensuring strength and safety of these dependants, support to participate in either one-to one or in group activities, assistance to ensure independent self care in dressing, and assistance in essential activities such as banking or shopping, and assisting them to maintain their social contacts (Government of Western Australia, 2012). 1.1 Program Background HACC program started in 1984 through an agreement among Commonwealth States and Territories, and the Home and Community Care Act of 1985, after a report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee and Expenditure in 1982 (Municipal Association of Victoria, MAV 2010, 15). HACC consolidated a number of separately funded State and Commonwealth programs, including the Home Nursing Subsidy Act of 1957, the State Grants (Home care) Act of 1969, the Delivered Meals Subsidy Act of 1970, and the States Grants (paramedical Service) Act of 1969 (MAV 2010, 15). GoodWill HACC program would be based on this act, and all its operations and benefits will be as outlined under this act. This program will be based on the principle that wellness is something dependent on the dynamic relationships between people and the quality of their social and physical environment. 2.0 Program Structure 2.1 Program Location According to the States Government of Victoria (2012), more than 275,000 Victorians benefited from HACC program between 2009 and 2010. 63% of beneficiaries were 70 years or older, of which 63% were females. Moreover, 28% of above HACC beneficiaries were from 85 non-English speaking countries, while only 1% of the beneficiaries were from indigenous groups. Among the beneficiaries, 43% lived alone, while 32% had a family caregiver. In addition, inhe year 2010, the number of people over 85 years increased by 6.3% in Victoria (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010), implying there is a large number of people who need care at frail ages. There is a high number of people requiring HACC support and benefits across Victoria, hence GoodWiill HACC program will be operated across Victoria, and will mostly target the rural areas. 2.2 Targeted people The HACC program will be based in Victoria and will target vulnerable people in the community, specifically those with no essential maintenance and support services provided under a National Program Scope, and who face a high risk of unnecessary long-term residential care if no support is given. These groups include: Young people affected by severe or moderate disabilities Old and frail persons with moderate or severe disabilities, which prevent them from being dependent. Other people as agreed from time to time by the Commonwealth Minister, and the state minister as to qualify benefiting under HACC In addition, the other group eligible for this HACC program is unpaid caregivers or guardians responsible for taking care of the above vulnerable groups of persons, as assessed to qualify for the National Program’s group of concern (Commonwealth of Australia 2007, 12). Importantly, eligibility to the HACC program would mainly be based on physical, mental incapacity or age, leading to reduced functionality, in helping these vulnerable groups to meet their daily activities and needs. 2.3 Expected benefits The GoodWill HACC program will offer a wide range of benefits to its members, which are prone to changes from time to time as a result of program evaluation. These benefits will include: Meals on wheels (MOW). Will be provide to the program beneficiaries assessed as being at nutritional risk, or those beneficiaries with no alternative options to support their nutritional needs (Maroondah City Council, 2012). Domestic assistance programs. Will work with individuals to complete various household chores as outlined in the wellness Action Plan. Personal Care. Will involve supporting beneficiaries with a wide range of personal activities in enhancing their independence and improve their quality of life as outlined in the Wellness Action Plan. Home from Home Pilot Program. This service will mostly aim at offering a respite home for carers of people affected by an early stage dementia, and at a risk of social isolation. This will be delivered in a home environment comprising about a group of 5 individuals (Maroondah City Council, 2012). Property maintenance. The service will target the HACC eligible beneficiaries living in their original homes. The benefit involves carrying out minor repair works that would usually be performed by the householder. The service will also involve installing special living aids as assessed and referred by an occupational therapist, or any minor repairs that would be essential for the safety of the client (Maroondah City Council, 2012). 2.4 Limitations The Victorian wellness program would be a private initiative, which aims at helping the vulnerable in the community. However, any repairs above the cost of 10,000 pounds will not be catered for under this program. The client will be required to pay any repairs exceeding this amount, though they might be helped in installation processes. Only patients diagnosed with dementia and other advanced nutritional problems will qualify for more specialized care to improve their quality of life (Queensland Goverenment 2011, 3). Though no one may be denied the necessary services due to lack of contribution installments as would be agreed upon between the client and the company, such service would be restricted to the very essential services, such as provision of food and clothing, and necessary support services only. 3.0 Means, Structure, and System To enable an individual to be eligible under GoodWill Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia, EACHD or Extended Aged Care at Home, EACH care packages as will be provided under the care package, they would be required to be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team, ACAT in case of the frail elderly, or other relevant bodies for mentally challenged and physically disabled individuals to ascertain their qualifications (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, AGDHA 2006, 16). Any potential beneficiary must: Remain within the community Has to prefer to receive a package of care Has to be able to live at home with the assistance of such package as would be provided. This includes those living in retirement villages, or other collection centers, but requiring specialized care (AGDHA 2006, 17). The care to be provided has to be determined under the conditions listed below as provided under Aged Care Community Packages (AGDHA 2006, 17): Have to be referred for assessment to determine their suitability The individual has to be assessed by ACAT or other relevant bodies ACA has to decide the level of care and approve the most suitable care for an individual ACAT has to liaise with care recipient and the company to find suitable care The company shall accept to provide the care based on available resources The company will develop a Care Recipient Agreement and a Care Plan after consulting the client The company will provide, monitor, manage, and review the care services accordingly. The HACC service shall be provided to clients according to the relative need, cost effectiveness, and according to the individual’s needs as assessed through the above criteria. The structure of the service provided to clients aims at meeting the following objectives: To reduce the use of residential and acute care To assist clients with complex and high needs to remain in their community To reduce any risk of premature admission to residential and acute care To enhance the quality of life to clients To support carers And to reduce any unmet needs among clients (Commonwealth of Australia 2007,11) As required under the Home Community Care act under section 7 (Australian Government, 2001), the GoodWill program will be aimed at providing basic maintenance and support to the above groups, which will include the following: Home help or specialized personal care or both Food Transport Community nursing Education and training to service providers and users or both Information Community respite care Home maintenance or modification or both Communal paramedical services Any service that will be reviewed by the management, or under the act in which the program has to operate. To meet the above objectives, GoodWill program will involve recruitment of care nurse and personnel with relevant knowledge in elderly care treatment, or handling other specialized groups, which include the disabled and mentally challenged persons. The nursing personnel will be required to have essential qualifications in home nursing, with nutritionists being employed to regularly advise and formulate feeding patterns among the clients, to meet their nutritional needs. 4.0 Means of implementation GoodWill HACC program will be implemented in both home or personal based care, and communal based care. The program will in addition be provided in unstable housing such as in transient homes, or to homeless people, in retirement villages, or at the homes of individual clients (Australian Commonwealth 2007, 13). In homes, an individual nurse may be allocated one or several homes depending on the needs of the client to support the carer of such clients. On the other hand, in communal settings, special facilities and utilities will be provided to clients, with a group of nurses allocated these centers to ensure effective service delivery as required. Service delivery shall be in form of an integrated approach comprising the services listed above, depending on the needs of a particular client, and their place of receiving this treatment. Depending on particular needs of the client, these services may be changed to accommodate other interests, mostly in home based care system. To bridge the disadvantage that may surface in communal and home centers, those receiving care at their respective homes will be required to pay higher rates compared to those in communal centers. Extra funding for taking care of these groups will be sourced from the private sector , NGOs and any government organs that my chip in to help especially in clients who cannot afford the required rates but still require specialized care. 5.0 The role of staff The role of the staff will be in accordance to the Directions for Aged Care 2004-2011 as well as, in accordance with AASW guidelines. All the staff will be required to have a deep understanding of society and how the society has been developed; knowledge of social welfare arrangements; their history as well as organization and of the Australian Law; proper knowledge of the individual , which include human behavior and development, personality development, family and social networks, disability and vulnerability of these groups as well as the resilience of individuals; and being well versed with all methods relating to social work intervention. Others practice skills include interpersonal skills, skills in critical, reflective, critical thinking and analysis, data collection and management, among others (Australian Association of Social Workers 2003, 5). In addition, all the staff will have to abide to the following principles; dignity, independence, client focus, coordination, quality, access, quality, carer recognition and collaboration (Queensland Government 2011, 11). Application of these skills, practices, and principles will ensure the staff provide effective service to all clients to the best extent possible, and reduce subjective influence in the process of providing these services. 6.0 Evaluation Process In order to ensure the program meets the intended objectives, the program will require regular evaluation process for improvement and rectification where possible. All clients will be required to appraise their carers or nurses assigned to them through written or verbal questionnaires where possible. These will have a variety of questions related to the service provided under the program, and whether the client is satisfied or happy with how the service is being delivered through the provided staff. The questionnaires will then evaluated and the response of all clients taken into considerations in effecting improvements where possible. In addition, there will be a central office where clients will be required to call for any clarifications, dispute, claim, suggestion, or grievances, which will be taken to considerations in improving the program. On the other hand, all staff will have a dispute resolution mechanism where they will be required to report any dispute, views, problems faced when offering these services, the level of collaboration with clients, staff- staff disputes, and other issues that will arise in the process of offering these services. The dispute resolution office will handle all the grievances raised by staff accordingly, and appreciating their views with an aim of facilitating all staff to serve clients better. 7.0 Conclusion HACC is a program implemented under Commonwealth countries, with an aim of taking care of the old and vulnerable groups who require specialized care. The aim of HACC is to prevent these vulnerable individuals from being committed to long-term residential care prematurely, particularly in government funded centers that mainly take care of the old and the vulnerable groups. Beneficiaries do not qualify for HACC program due to advance age, but these beneficiaries must in addition portray the need to have specialized care without which they might be taken to the long term care centers prematurely. The GoodWill HACC program will be based on Directions for Aged Care 2004-2011, and Australian Association of Social Workers, AASW guidelines, which will be the baseline to formulate the services offered under this program as well as acquiring skills and practices that are in accordance with these guidelines. The success of this program will depend on a systematic appraisal system, while both the staff and clients will be empowered to give their views regarding the program for improvement. The program will not only target the aged but others with mental disabilities, physical disabilities and specialized care for elderly clients with Dementia. This empowerment will largely affect the success of this program. 8.0 References List Australian Association of Social Workers, 2003 Practice Standards for Social Workers. Available http://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/16 [Accessed 2012 May 19] Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010. Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, Jun 2010. ABS. http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/MF/3201.0 [Accessed 2012 May 19] Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2012. Community Packaged Care Guidelines. http://www.cpcguidelines.health.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/Community-Packaged-Care-Guidelines-Nov2011.pdf [Accessed 2012 May 19] Australian Government, 2001. Home and Community Care Act, 1985. http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2004C00501 [Accessed 2012 May 19] Commonwealth of Australia, 2007. National Program Guidelines for the Home and Community Care Program. http://www.health.wa.gov.au/hacc/docs/pg_npg.pdf [Accessed 2012 May 19] Department of Ageing Disability & Home Care, 2006. Guidelines for HACC program capital projects. http://www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0017/228203/CapitalGuidelinesFinal111206.pdf [Accessed 2012 May 19] Government of Western Australia, 2012. Introduction to HACC-Information for Consumers and Carers. Department of Health. http://www.health.wa.gov.au/hacc/consumers/introduction.cfm [Accessed 2012 May 19] Maroondah City Council, 2012. Home and Community Care Program. http://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/HACC.aspx [Accessed 2012 May 19] Municipal Association of Victoria, 2010. Induction resource for HACC Assessment. MAV. http://www.wimmerapcp.org.au/File/Objectify%20Uploads/Induction%20Resource%20for%20HACC%20Assessment%20Services%20(3).pdf [Accessed 2012 May 19] Queensland Government, 2012. Queensland Health’s Directions for Aged Care 2004 – 2011 http://www.health.qld.gov.au/publications/corporate/agedcare/287817_accru_5.pdf [Accessed 2012 May 19] Read More