Nillumbik Shire Council will be stepping in to help reduce isolation and loneliness and improve access and support among its older residents as the new Federal Government aged care system is set to be rolled out.
The Federal Government is introducing major changes in aged care services which take effect from July 2020.
With the increased choice of service providers for residents, Nillumbik Council has decided not to continue with some of the services it currently offers because these will be provided by competitive operators in the market place, with funding to be directed to clients.
Council has consulted extensively with older residents and has identified their top three concerns, being social isolation, lack of transport and difficulty in navigating the new aged care system.
From July 2020, Council will offer the following services to address these concerns:
- Support services to address social isolation and lack of transport including community-based meals
- Ongoing information and support to help clients understand and access the new services
- Regional Assessment Services where Council will be able to assess clients’ needs and identify what they’re entitled to. Council will continue with this until the government says otherwise.
Commonwealth Home Support Program services Council will no longer provide beyond June 2020 are:
- Domestic assistance
- Respite care
- Personal care
- Delivered meals
- Home maintenance.
Mayor Peter Clarke said Council would work closely with older residents and clients to ensure they were supported during the transition.
“We’ll be providing support for them to get the best out of the new system,” Clarke said.
Community Services Chair Jane Ashton said extensive consultation meant Council knew which issues were of most concern to its residents and how it could not only help fill gaps in the new service, but ensure it stay connected to its ageing community.
“We’ll concentrate on addressing their concerns and making the transition as seamless as possible,” Ashton said.
