Looking at residential care__________________________
Click here to find the latest Residential Care vacancies - like NOW.
New Aged care means assessment forms
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has released the new Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA486) digital form. Your clients can fill it in online, print and sign it and send it to DHS with their supporting documents. The digital form uses dynamic questions tailored to the customers’ individual circumstances.
For clients who would prefer to use our simplified paper forms, they are as follows:
These forms are all available on the DHS website. Tips on how to download the digital form can be found here.
We assess your financial details to work out how much you need to pay towards aged care.
Customers commencing a Home Care Package don’t need to fill in a form if they get a means tested income support payment from Centrelink or DVA.
Customers entering Residential Care don’t need to fill in a form if they:
It is important to make sure their income and assets are up to date when they enter into care to ensure their assessment can be completed automatically. They can do this by accessing their Centrelink online account or by calling Centrelink on 132 300 or DVA on 1800 555 254.
Department of Health
13 August 2019
How to get help for residential aged care
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/aged-care-means-tests/how-get-help-residential-aged-care
We assess your income and assets to work out how much you need to pay for residential aged care. We may include the value of your home in your assessment.
Read about residential aged care and costs and fees on the My Aged Care website.
- - - - - - - - -
Aged care residents will have increased access to their doctor through GP incentive
Older Australians in residential aged care will have better access to General Practitioners (GPs) thanks to a recent investment of $42.8 million to improve their face-to-face contact with health professionals.
Posted 1 week ago by Liz Alderslade
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Emergency Laws To Protect Families Pulling Loved Ones From Homes During COVID-19
By Caroline Egan. May 14, 2020 https://hellocaremail.com.au/emergency-laws-protect-families-pulling-loved-ones-homes-covid-19/
New laws will mean families can pull their loved one out of an aged care facility during emergencies without being charged additional fees and without fear of losing their bed. The new Bill, which the former Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt introduced into parliament on Wednesday, 13 May, will create a new type of ‘leave’ which can be used by aged care residents in emergency situations.
Previously, permanent residents of aged care facilities could take up to 52 days every year of what is known as ‘social leave’. But when a resident exceeded their 52 days, the provider no longer received a subsidy payment from the government, and the resident and family was expected to cover the cost of holding the bed, a charge of around $200 per day.
Emergency Leave Will Be Applied Retrospectively
The new laws will introduce a new type of ‘emergency leave’ for permanent aged care residents. The government will activate the leave during pandemics, natural disasters and other “large-scale emergency situations”, Mr Wyatt told parliament on Wednesday. The emergency leave will be available for a set period that will be determined by the government.
It can be applied across the country or just to a specific area or even in a single facility, and will apply in situations such as floods, bushfires and in potential future outbreaks of COVID-19. The laws will be applied retrospectively, dating back to 1 April 2020 to ensure residents who have already been financially impacted by the need to remove their loved one from an aged care facility will be adequately covered, and to ensure aged care providers are also not left out of pocket.
Many permanent aged care residents are seeking to temporarily relocate to stay with family and reduce their risk of exposure to the virus,” he said.
The only option available to these residents is to use their social leave or to remain in the facility. “The difficulty is that many residents will exceed their social leave before they are ready to return to the aged care home,” Mr Wyatt said. “If they choose to remain on leave, the additional charges that may be incurred to secure their room place a significant and unnecessary financial burden on families, carers and residents.
“In many cases, residents may simply not be able to afford the additional charges and therefore cannot take the leave they desire.”
- - - - - - - - - -
What types of services are available?
(b) maintaining continence or managing incontinence, and using aids and appliances designed to assist continence management;
(c) eating and eating aids, and using eating utensils and eating aids (including actual feeding if necessary); A provider cannot charge a resident for medically prescribed special diets or components of such diets - includes enteral feeding formula if needed;
(d) dressing, undressing, and using dressing aids;
(e) moving, walking, wheelchair use, and using devices and appliances designed to aid mobility, including the fitting of artificial limbs and other personal mobility aids;
(f) communication, including to address difficulties arising from impaired hearing, sight or speech, or lack of common language (including fitting sensory communication aids), and checking hearing aid batteries and cleaning spectacles.
Excludes hairdressing.
You will be given assistance if you need:
You will also be given the following if needed:
When a resident is first admitted to a nursing home, they generally undergo a range of assessments, including an assessment by a doctor.
In the first days of a resident’s time in care, it’s crucial the appropriate care regime is established from the start. The person’s likes and dislikes need to be established, their preferred routine noted, their medication schedule needs to be understood, and doctors and nursing home staff need to understand the new resident’s health issues.
Study: 10% Have No First Visit!
New research has shed light on just how important this initial doctor’s assessment is. The research by the University of Pennsylvania found that when older hospital patients were moved into a care situation, half were visited by a doctor within a day, and 80 per cent were visited within four days. However, 10 per cent weren’t visited at all.
The study found the patients who did not receive a visit from a doctor were nearly twice as likely to be readmitted to hospital than patients who did have an initial visit (28 per cent compared with 14 per cent). Tragically, of those who didn’t receive an initial visit, twice as many died within 30 days of admission (14 per cent compared with 7 per cent).
https://hellocaremail.com.au/delaying-doctors-first-visit-nursing-home-hospital-death/
15 April 2019
What are ‘fixed’ costs?
Care costs that are not tailored to individual resident needs.
What are extra-service aged care homes?
For an extra cost, some aged care homes can offer you a wider selection of meals, entertainment options (such as internet or pay TV) and a higher standard of accommodation. Homes will be able to apply to offer a capped number of aged care places dedicated to ‘extra services’, which will offer residents a higher level of amenities and hotel like services.
It doesn't mean that you will be given a higher level of care (such as nursing) because all homes must provide the same level of care to meet their residents' needs.
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 1 July 2021
This page provides the latest updates to aged care fees and charges.
[i] Residents in designated remote areas may be asked to pay an additional $1.06 per day.
[ii] This rate applies to residents who enter residential care within this time period but not to those who were already in care prior to this time period. The Maximum Permissible Interest Rate applicable for the calculation of a resident’s daily payments is fixed either at their date of entry to care (for a low means resident) or the date they agree to a room price (for a resident who is not eligible for government assistance with their accommodation costs).
and do remember that the daily care fee IS negiotable.
The fee for these extra services varies from home to home, so it's best to check how much it will cost directly with the aged care home.
If you choose an extra-service aged care home, then you must have an extra-service agreement between you and your aged care provider. The agreement should specify what the home will provide, how much it will cost, how often the fees can be increased and by how much. This extra-service agreement will be in addition to your normal resident agreement.
Additional fees for specified care and services:
You are looking particularly under Version history amendments (page 4), and then at Attachment A which deals with:
Additional reading:
http://www.agedcarecrisis.com/resources/nursing-home-checklist#care-and-services-what-s-included-extra-charges
How do I get these services?
To enter residential care in an aged care home, you will need a free assessment with an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).
Click to "You Need to be Assessed".
After your assessment, you can then find and apply to aged care homes in the area you would like to live in.
Click to Find an Aged Care Home - this is done through My Aged Care.
Armed with this knowledge, actually Visit each of your chosen selections
Tip – don’t just ring and ask for an appointment, just turn up unexpectedly, introduce yourself, and ask to see over the place. And SMILE J and remember to ask awkward questions too…
But DON'T go alone. Do have a friend drive you, and come in with you. This IS a highly emotional time. You will feel apprehensive, dread,
have the feeling that you are betraying your loved one, and an overwhelming sense of guilt. But you will do it because your loved one Needs YOU to do this.
And as you come out the front door again, immediately write down all your impressions, both good and bad. These notes are what will help guide you and your family to make the best decision; the best outcome for your loved one.
And remember, this decision is Not set in stone. If your loved one does not like the place, they can move...
Your choice is:
Now that YOU have taken that first step, do have a think about talking about and setting up your own Advance Care Planning in Qld
Advanced illness or serious injury can sometimes mean that people cannot make their own decisions about healthcare treatment. This can happen to people of all ages, and especially towards end of life. Writing an Advance Care Plan lets you say what you would want, if you are ever unable to communicate for yourself. Making healthcare decisions for others can be difficult. An advance care plan can give peace of mind and comfort as preferences are clear, understood and respected.
Advance Care Planning Advisory Service Support Care Planning is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEST
Just call 1300 208 582 and have a confidential chat. Do ask questions, as these are The people to ask.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
End of Life Law in Australia provides accurate, practical and relevant information to assist you in navigating the challenging legal issues that can arise with end of life decision-making.
As Australia’s population rapidly ages, legal and ethical issues at the end of life are arising more frequently. Research shows the law in this area is complex and often confusing for patients, families and health professionals, and that barriers to accessible information exist. Our goal is to support the community to know, and better understand, the law at end of life, enhance patient and family participation in decision-making, and improve end of life experiences.
The End of Life Law in Australia website seeks to assist people at all stages of life whether they are dealing with an end of life situation personally, or educating themselves about the law in this area. It addresses some frequently asked questions such as:
Laws relating to death, dying and decision-making can be complicated, and vary between Australian States and Territories. To help you navigate these laws and this website, the legal overview summarises key concepts. Where possible, this website provides external links to relevant publications, forms, organisations and other resources in each Australian State and Territory
Find out more about the law at end of life
For more information about the law at the end of life, select a topic below:
This website is an initiative of the Australian Centre for Health Law Research. It is designed to be used by patients, families, health and legal practitioners, the media, policymakers and the broader community to access information about Australian laws relating to death, dying and decision-making at the end of life.
These laws are very complex, particularly in Australia where the law differs between States and Territories, and where areas of uncertainty about the law exist. This website provides you with a broad introduction to these laws. It can also help you stay up to date with Recent Developments in the end of life area.
28 February 2019
We, the families, are Deeply Grateful for this website. Something that most of us were not aware of. Many thanks.
---------------------------------- -------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------
To immediately find a list of possible permanent vacancies in Your Area, click here.
Check out the Reports: just click on the Aged Care name.
Following the first round of hearings, the Royal Commission released its first background paper on Australia’s current aged care system.
Background Papers 1-8 is called Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system. It outlines different aspects of the aged care system, the services currently being delivered in Australia and the areas in need of substantial reform.
Background Paper 1 - Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia's current aged care system
Background Paper 2 - Medium- and long-term pressures on the system: the changing demographics and dynamics of aged care
Background Paper 3 - Dementia in Australia: nature, prevalence and care
Background Paper 4 - Restrictive practices in residential aged care in Australia
Background Paper 5 - Advance care planning in Australia
Background Paper 6 - Carers of older Australians
Background Paper 7 - Legislative framework for Aged Care Quality and Safety regulation
Background Paper 8 – A History of Aged Care Reviews
Research Paper 1 – How Australian residential aged care staffing levels compare with international and national benchmarks
Analysis of Consumer Experience Report data
The Commission has just released a new report detailing and analysing what consumers are saying about the quality of care in residential aged care services.
07 March 2019
Inform yourself and your loved one. Your nursing home Checklist.
and
Is what you see, what you get? Ask those awkward questions.
and those Extra Charges...
How do I get help to talk to My Aged Care?
If you are an older person who would like a family member, carer or someone else you trust, to help you find government subsidised aged care, setting them up as a representative with My Aged Care might be a good option for you.
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/06_2017/fact_sheet_rep_for_consumer_170627_v0.7.pdf
------------------------------
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission 1800 550 552 regarding a Commonwealth-subsidised residential or home-based aged care service
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us
Minister Wyatt announced that the Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency will form part of the New Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in January 2019. "I am confident the new Commission will better target sub-standard care. It will be a central point to identify failures, highlights quality concerns and have them rectified,” he says.
The Commission replaces the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner. Combining these functions into one independent agency strengthens the focus on consumers, streamlines regulation, supports better engagement with consumers and providers, and promotes transparency.
---------------------------
Unannounced audits have begun rolling out across Australia’s aged care homes. July 1 marked the start date for the new system, under which aged care homes will no longer receive notices for the dates of re-accreditation audits. The move was recommended in Kate Carnell and Professor Ron Paterson’s Review of National Aged Care Quality Regulatory Processes.
1 July 2021
Click here to find the latest Residential Care vacancies - like NOW.
New Aged care means assessment forms
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has released the new Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA486) digital form. Your clients can fill it in online, print and sign it and send it to DHS with their supporting documents. The digital form uses dynamic questions tailored to the customers’ individual circumstances.
For clients who would prefer to use our simplified paper forms, they are as follows:
- Home Care Package Calculation of your cost of care (SA456)
- Residential Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA457)
- Residential Aged Care Property details for Centrelink and DVA customers (SA485)
These forms are all available on the DHS website. Tips on how to download the digital form can be found here.
We assess your financial details to work out how much you need to pay towards aged care.
Customers commencing a Home Care Package don’t need to fill in a form if they get a means tested income support payment from Centrelink or DVA.
Customers entering Residential Care don’t need to fill in a form if they:
- get a means tested income support payment, and
- don’t own their own home.
It is important to make sure their income and assets are up to date when they enter into care to ensure their assessment can be completed automatically. They can do this by accessing their Centrelink online account or by calling Centrelink on 132 300 or DVA on 1800 555 254.
Department of Health
13 August 2019
How to get help for residential aged care
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/aged-care-means-tests/how-get-help-residential-aged-care
We assess your income and assets to work out how much you need to pay for residential aged care. We may include the value of your home in your assessment.
Read about residential aged care and costs and fees on the My Aged Care website.
- - - - - - - - -
Aged care residents will have increased access to their doctor through GP incentive
Older Australians in residential aged care will have better access to General Practitioners (GPs) thanks to a recent investment of $42.8 million to improve their face-to-face contact with health professionals.
Posted 1 week ago by Liz Alderslade
- CONSUMERS
- GOVERNMENT,
- HEALTH AND WELLBEING,
- POSITIVE AGEING
- SAFETY & SECURITY This funding initiative will encourage more GPs to enter aged care and visit their elderly clients. [Source: Shutterstock]The Australian Government wants to improve older residents' access to health care by facilitating more access with their doctors, which will overall strengthen the health and wellbeing of residents in nursing homes.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Emergency Laws To Protect Families Pulling Loved Ones From Homes During COVID-19
By Caroline Egan. May 14, 2020 https://hellocaremail.com.au/emergency-laws-protect-families-pulling-loved-ones-homes-covid-19/
New laws will mean families can pull their loved one out of an aged care facility during emergencies without being charged additional fees and without fear of losing their bed. The new Bill, which the former Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt introduced into parliament on Wednesday, 13 May, will create a new type of ‘leave’ which can be used by aged care residents in emergency situations.
Previously, permanent residents of aged care facilities could take up to 52 days every year of what is known as ‘social leave’. But when a resident exceeded their 52 days, the provider no longer received a subsidy payment from the government, and the resident and family was expected to cover the cost of holding the bed, a charge of around $200 per day.
Emergency Leave Will Be Applied Retrospectively
The new laws will introduce a new type of ‘emergency leave’ for permanent aged care residents. The government will activate the leave during pandemics, natural disasters and other “large-scale emergency situations”, Mr Wyatt told parliament on Wednesday. The emergency leave will be available for a set period that will be determined by the government.
It can be applied across the country or just to a specific area or even in a single facility, and will apply in situations such as floods, bushfires and in potential future outbreaks of COVID-19. The laws will be applied retrospectively, dating back to 1 April 2020 to ensure residents who have already been financially impacted by the need to remove their loved one from an aged care facility will be adequately covered, and to ensure aged care providers are also not left out of pocket.
Many permanent aged care residents are seeking to temporarily relocate to stay with family and reduce their risk of exposure to the virus,” he said.
The only option available to these residents is to use their social leave or to remain in the facility. “The difficulty is that many residents will exceed their social leave before they are ready to return to the aged care home,” Mr Wyatt said. “If they choose to remain on leave, the additional charges that may be incurred to secure their room place a significant and unnecessary financial burden on families, carers and residents.
“In many cases, residents may simply not be able to afford the additional charges and therefore cannot take the leave they desire.”
- - - - - - - - - -
What types of services are available?
- personal care to help you with dressing, eating, going to the toilet, bathing, moving around and maintaining continence
- allied health services such as physiotherapy (exercise, mobility, strength and balance), occupational therapy (help to recover, or maintain your physical ability), recreational therapy (exercises and activities) and podiatry (foot care)
- accommodation
- furnishings
- bedding
- cleaning services
- general laundry
- meals and refreshments
- staff to help if you need emergency assistance.
- Care and services – to be provided for all care recipients who need them
- Daily living activities assistance Personal assistance, including individual attention, individual supervision, and physical assistance with the following:
(b) maintaining continence or managing incontinence, and using aids and appliances designed to assist continence management;
(c) eating and eating aids, and using eating utensils and eating aids (including actual feeding if necessary); A provider cannot charge a resident for medically prescribed special diets or components of such diets - includes enteral feeding formula if needed;
(d) dressing, undressing, and using dressing aids;
(e) moving, walking, wheelchair use, and using devices and appliances designed to aid mobility, including the fitting of artificial limbs and other personal mobility aids;
(f) communication, including to address difficulties arising from impaired hearing, sight or speech, or lack of common language (including fitting sensory communication aids), and checking hearing aid batteries and cleaning spectacles.
Excludes hairdressing.
You will be given assistance if you need:
- emotional support
- rehabilitation support
- recreational activities
- help communicating with other people
- help if you have memory loss or you are confused.
You will also be given the following if needed:
- aids, such as a walking frame, to help you move around
- aids to help you to use the toilet and manage incontinence
- basic medical and pharmaceutical supplies and equipment
- help with medications
- short-term oxygen
- basic toiletries such as tissues, toothpaste, denture cleaning preparations, shampoo, conditioner and talcum powder.
When a resident is first admitted to a nursing home, they generally undergo a range of assessments, including an assessment by a doctor.
In the first days of a resident’s time in care, it’s crucial the appropriate care regime is established from the start. The person’s likes and dislikes need to be established, their preferred routine noted, their medication schedule needs to be understood, and doctors and nursing home staff need to understand the new resident’s health issues.
Study: 10% Have No First Visit!
New research has shed light on just how important this initial doctor’s assessment is. The research by the University of Pennsylvania found that when older hospital patients were moved into a care situation, half were visited by a doctor within a day, and 80 per cent were visited within four days. However, 10 per cent weren’t visited at all.
The study found the patients who did not receive a visit from a doctor were nearly twice as likely to be readmitted to hospital than patients who did have an initial visit (28 per cent compared with 14 per cent). Tragically, of those who didn’t receive an initial visit, twice as many died within 30 days of admission (14 per cent compared with 7 per cent).
https://hellocaremail.com.au/delaying-doctors-first-visit-nursing-home-hospital-death/
15 April 2019
What are ‘fixed’ costs?
Care costs that are not tailored to individual resident needs.
- Care costs that are not affected by changes in the needs of individual residents:
- Direct – eg, night staffing, dining room supervision
- Indirect – eg, clinical educators, care co-ordinators, quality managers, infection control, remote salary loadings, staff leave.
- May vary based on location, size, specialisation of facility
- Actual proportions of fixed and variable cost will come from resource utilisation study.
What are extra-service aged care homes?
For an extra cost, some aged care homes can offer you a wider selection of meals, entertainment options (such as internet or pay TV) and a higher standard of accommodation. Homes will be able to apply to offer a capped number of aged care places dedicated to ‘extra services’, which will offer residents a higher level of amenities and hotel like services.
It doesn't mean that you will be given a higher level of care (such as nursing) because all homes must provide the same level of care to meet their residents' needs.
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 1 July 2021
This page provides the latest updates to aged care fees and charges.
[i] Residents in designated remote areas may be asked to pay an additional $1.06 per day.
[ii] This rate applies to residents who enter residential care within this time period but not to those who were already in care prior to this time period. The Maximum Permissible Interest Rate applicable for the calculation of a resident’s daily payments is fixed either at their date of entry to care (for a low means resident) or the date they agree to a room price (for a resident who is not eligible for government assistance with their accommodation costs).
and do remember that the daily care fee IS negiotable.
The fee for these extra services varies from home to home, so it's best to check how much it will cost directly with the aged care home.
If you choose an extra-service aged care home, then you must have an extra-service agreement between you and your aged care provider. The agreement should specify what the home will provide, how much it will cost, how often the fees can be increased and by how much. This extra-service agreement will be in addition to your normal resident agreement.
Additional fees for specified care and services:
You are looking particularly under Version history amendments (page 4), and then at Attachment A which deals with:
- Item 1.1 Administration
- Item 1.2 Maintenance of buildings and grounds
- Item 1.3 Accommodation
- Item 1.4 Furnishings
- Item 1.5 Bedding
- Item 1.6 Cleaning services, goods and facilities
- Item 1.7 Waste disposal
- Item 1.8 General laundry
- Item 1.9 Toiletry goods
- Item 1.10 Meals and refreshments
- Item 1.11 Care recipient social activities
- Item 1.12 Emergency assistance
Additional reading:
http://www.agedcarecrisis.com/resources/nursing-home-checklist#care-and-services-what-s-included-extra-charges
How do I get these services?
To enter residential care in an aged care home, you will need a free assessment with an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).
Click to "You Need to be Assessed".
After your assessment, you can then find and apply to aged care homes in the area you would like to live in.
Click to Find an Aged Care Home - this is done through My Aged Care.
Armed with this knowledge, actually Visit each of your chosen selections
Tip – don’t just ring and ask for an appointment, just turn up unexpectedly, introduce yourself, and ask to see over the place. And SMILE J and remember to ask awkward questions too…
But DON'T go alone. Do have a friend drive you, and come in with you. This IS a highly emotional time. You will feel apprehensive, dread,
have the feeling that you are betraying your loved one, and an overwhelming sense of guilt. But you will do it because your loved one Needs YOU to do this.
And as you come out the front door again, immediately write down all your impressions, both good and bad. These notes are what will help guide you and your family to make the best decision; the best outcome for your loved one.
And remember, this decision is Not set in stone. If your loved one does not like the place, they can move...
Your choice is:
- Permanent
- Residential Respite Low Care
- Residential Respite High Care
- a short-term stay in a nursing home to have a break from the normal routine :-) A sort of 'try-before-you-buy' option!
After all, this will be YOUR Home now. Suggestion: Dip your toe in and try respite care for awhile. Let's you suss out the place without you having to commit to a long-term permanent placement.
Now that YOU have taken that first step, do have a think about talking about and setting up your own Advance Care Planning in Qld
- Ask yourself, what if YOU were very unwell, and not able to communicate your wishes to others,
- Who would you want to speak for you?
- What would you want them to say?
Advanced illness or serious injury can sometimes mean that people cannot make their own decisions about healthcare treatment. This can happen to people of all ages, and especially towards end of life. Writing an Advance Care Plan lets you say what you would want, if you are ever unable to communicate for yourself. Making healthcare decisions for others can be difficult. An advance care plan can give peace of mind and comfort as preferences are clear, understood and respected.
Advance Care Planning Advisory Service Support Care Planning is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEST
Just call 1300 208 582 and have a confidential chat. Do ask questions, as these are The people to ask.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
End of Life Law in Australia provides accurate, practical and relevant information to assist you in navigating the challenging legal issues that can arise with end of life decision-making.
As Australia’s population rapidly ages, legal and ethical issues at the end of life are arising more frequently. Research shows the law in this area is complex and often confusing for patients, families and health professionals, and that barriers to accessible information exist. Our goal is to support the community to know, and better understand, the law at end of life, enhance patient and family participation in decision-making, and improve end of life experiences.
The End of Life Law in Australia website seeks to assist people at all stages of life whether they are dealing with an end of life situation personally, or educating themselves about the law in this area. It addresses some frequently asked questions such as:
- Who makes medical treatment decisions for a person who is too unwell to make decisions themselves?
- Does a doctor have to follow the instructions in an advance directive?
- Can a dying patient or their family refuse or demand medical treatment needed to keep the patient alive?
- Is euthanasia and assisted suicide legal in Australia? In which State?
- Can a child with a terminal illness make their own medical treatment decisions?
- What happens if family members disagree with a person’s decision to donate their organs when they die?
Laws relating to death, dying and decision-making can be complicated, and vary between Australian States and Territories. To help you navigate these laws and this website, the legal overview summarises key concepts. Where possible, this website provides external links to relevant publications, forms, organisations and other resources in each Australian State and Territory
Find out more about the law at end of life
For more information about the law at the end of life, select a topic below:
- About
- Recent Developments - 28 February 2019
- Legal Overview
- Advance Directives
- Stopping Treatment
- Palliative Care
- Organ Donation
- Euthanasia and Assisted Dying
- Research Projects
- Publications and Presentations
This website is an initiative of the Australian Centre for Health Law Research. It is designed to be used by patients, families, health and legal practitioners, the media, policymakers and the broader community to access information about Australian laws relating to death, dying and decision-making at the end of life.
These laws are very complex, particularly in Australia where the law differs between States and Territories, and where areas of uncertainty about the law exist. This website provides you with a broad introduction to these laws. It can also help you stay up to date with Recent Developments in the end of life area.
28 February 2019
We, the families, are Deeply Grateful for this website. Something that most of us were not aware of. Many thanks.
---------------------------------- -------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------
To immediately find a list of possible permanent vacancies in Your Area, click here.
- Adherence to each standard will require a statement of outcome for the consumer, a statement of expectation for the organisation and requirements to demonstrate the standard has been met.
The standards will be enforced by the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, it came into force on 1 January 2019.
Providers will be held to the new standards from 1 July next year.
Check out the Reports: just click on the Aged Care name.
Following the first round of hearings, the Royal Commission released its first background paper on Australia’s current aged care system.
Background Papers 1-8 is called Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system. It outlines different aspects of the aged care system, the services currently being delivered in Australia and the areas in need of substantial reform.
Background Paper 1 - Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia's current aged care system
Background Paper 2 - Medium- and long-term pressures on the system: the changing demographics and dynamics of aged care
Background Paper 3 - Dementia in Australia: nature, prevalence and care
Background Paper 4 - Restrictive practices in residential aged care in Australia
Background Paper 5 - Advance care planning in Australia
Background Paper 6 - Carers of older Australians
Background Paper 7 - Legislative framework for Aged Care Quality and Safety regulation
Background Paper 8 – A History of Aged Care Reviews
Research Paper 1 – How Australian residential aged care staffing levels compare with international and national benchmarks
Analysis of Consumer Experience Report data
The Commission has just released a new report detailing and analysing what consumers are saying about the quality of care in residential aged care services.
07 March 2019
Inform yourself and your loved one. Your nursing home Checklist.
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Is what you see, what you get? Ask those awkward questions.
and those Extra Charges...
How do I get help to talk to My Aged Care?
If you are an older person who would like a family member, carer or someone else you trust, to help you find government subsidised aged care, setting them up as a representative with My Aged Care might be a good option for you.
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/06_2017/fact_sheet_rep_for_consumer_170627_v0.7.pdf
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Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission 1800 550 552 regarding a Commonwealth-subsidised residential or home-based aged care service
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us
Minister Wyatt announced that the Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency will form part of the New Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in January 2019. "I am confident the new Commission will better target sub-standard care. It will be a central point to identify failures, highlights quality concerns and have them rectified,” he says.
The Commission replaces the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner. Combining these functions into one independent agency strengthens the focus on consumers, streamlines regulation, supports better engagement with consumers and providers, and promotes transparency.
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Unannounced audits have begun rolling out across Australia’s aged care homes. July 1 marked the start date for the new system, under which aged care homes will no longer receive notices for the dates of re-accreditation audits. The move was recommended in Kate Carnell and Professor Ron Paterson’s Review of National Aged Care Quality Regulatory Processes.
1 July 2021