Senior Smart Homes - Big Brother or Brave New World?

High tech developments in home automation and health monitoring devices are revolutionising senior living and aged care.

New devices geared to suit older people offer the potential to stay living independently for longer, and defer or even avoid entirely the need to move into a health care facility. They include home sensors, medication and health alerts, GPS locators, remote fall monitors, webcams and even robots. The Australian Government has just announced funding for an e-health pilot scheme under the National Broadband program.

Brave New World or Big Brother? What will this mean for you and your family? 

Read more and find links to more information on these developments in the article on the Seniors Housing Online News and Information page

The economic potential of older Australians.

The Advisory Panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians presented the final report to the Federal Government on 12 December 2011.  The panel’s series of three reports together identify the issues, barriers and possible solutions to realising the economic potential of senior Australians. After consulting across the country with every sector of the community (government, not-for-profit organisations, academics, peak representative bodies and individuals) the panel makes recommendations in its third report, "Realising the economic potential of senior Australians: turning grey into gold".

The Government established the Advisory Panel in March 2011 to identify and examine the economic and social opportunities presented by the growing community of older Australians. They looked at participation in its broadest perspective, to ask how Australia can best harness the life experiences and intellectual capital of senior Australians.

The Advisory Panel was chaired by Mr Everald Compton AM who was at the helm of National Seniors Australia for 35 years until the end of last year. The two other members of the Advisory Panel were Professor Gill Lewin and Professor Brian Howe AO.

The panel’s recommendations cover all eight terms of reference originally provided by the Government, covering the areas of  the National Broadband Network, the environment, age discrimination, workforce participation and learning, health, volunteering, housing, and planning.

Everald Compton, the Chair said: “to make the most of Australians’ achievement of living longer and healthier lives, individuals, organisations and the nation must anticipate, plan for and invest in this longer life.”

“We see housing as fundamental to enabling individuals to participate in society. Without secure, appropriate and affordable housing individuals face great difficulty engaging in daily life. The importance of the supply of affordable housing for older Australians is reflected in our final report along with a number of other strategies to position Australia now, and into the future”.

“Of particular importance will be the ability of seniors to stay in the workforce for a significant period after they reach the ‘traditional age for retirement’ and their ability to serve Australia as volunteers. We also want senior Australians to help turn Australia into a powerhouse of philanthropy”.

“As the ageing of the population will coincide with a revolution in technology, we will need a holistic, creative approach by governments to implement policies that facilitate the participation of older people in all aspects of the economy, community and society”.

Read more on the Seniors Housing Online News and Information page.

Monitoring Australian Aged Care Facilities.

High level aged care services with more intensive medical and personal care services are provided in an accredited residential care facility.  (Unlike retirement villages which provide mainly independent living units for residents able to care for themselves, with some additional support services if required).  Residents must first be assessed as needing higher level care by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) before they can be placed in a residential care facility.

If you have a family member requiring intensive support and personal care who is already in an aged care facility, or if you are currently looking for a permanent or respite place, you need to know that Australian residential care homes are monitored and accredited by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

You can search for the most recent government audit of any residential care home by using the search by state, suburb or name of the residential care home using the Agency’s online search tool.

You can also find out more about government regulation of aged care facilities or lodge a complaint using the website.

Regulation of Australian aged care services will change under reforms released in August 2011, as discussed in previous Seniors Housing Online news articles. The Productivity Commission report “Caring for Older Australians” recommends staged introduction of the reforms over a 5 year period and protection of those currently receiving aged care services during a transition period.

Aged Care Reforms - impact on current recipients of services.

For those who are currently receiving Australian aged care services or who are awaiting the provision of services, there is anxiety about the impact of proposed reforms – whether their arrangements will change and if so how soon that will happen.

The Productivity Commission report “Caring for Older Australians” recommends introduction of the reforms over a 5 year period and a transition period for protection of those currently receiving aged care services.

You can read more and see links to relevant sections of the Productivity Commission report "Caring for Older Australians" on the News and Information page at www.seniorshousingonline.com.au

Retirement village and aged care reforms are imminent.

A final report on "Caring for Older Australians" by the Australian Productivity Commission is due this month, focussing on the regulation and public funding of retirement villages and aged care services. Some important reforms are expected to be recommended to the Federal Government which may affect your retirement plans or the support services available for older family members.

Proposals under consideration include the introduction of a compulsory insurance scheme to help broaden the aged care funding base. The Federal Government is investigating how best to improve the supply of affordable housing and aged care for older Australians as greater longevity and the retirement of the babyboomer generation is set to increase the cost to Government.

The draft proposals released to date include:
- remove restrictions on community care packages and aged care bed licences
- restrictions on accommodation bonds and uncap accommodation charges
- means testing of co-contributions for community and residential care
- maximum lifetime cap on co-contributions to prevent excessive care costs
- new Australian Pensioners Bond scheme - exempt from assets and income deeming tests
- new Government backed equity release scheme to fund care and also retain home ownership
- a proportion of accommodation to be available for the financially disadvantaged
- scheduled price regulation and indexation
- new flexible care system to replace care packages
- providers to receive case mix payments for delivering palliative and end of life care
- changes to Government block funding of care and support programs
- expanded use of health in-reach services to residential aged care and visiting multi-disciplinary health care teams
- availability of interpreter services and culturally appropriate assessment of care needs
- new national approach to home modification and maintenance services
- new building design standards for residential housing for older people
- new national policy framework for provision of cost effective housing to cater for an ageing population
- retirement village regulation to be nationally consistent and separate from aged care
- new Carer Support Centres to improve access to services and respite care
- improved employment conditions and training for aged care workers
- new regulatory agency "Australian Aged Care Regulation Commission" (AACRC) for accreditation and complaints, and with more effective penalties
- transitional arrangements to allow the sector time to adjust and minimise disruption

The Productivity Commission published a discussion paper earlier this year, and invited public submissions before the release of the final report to Government, which is now imminent.

We'll be watching these developments closely and we'll keep you posted. You can view more articles on the News and Information page on the Seniors Housing Online website, and sign up to receive regular newsletters at http://www.seniorshousingonline.com.au/

Australian Federal Budget 2011 - impact on seniors.

The Australian Federal Government Budget for 2011 introduces income test changes and free digital TV set top boxes for aged pensioners.

From 1 July 2011, Australian age pensioners who work will be able to earn up to $250 per fortnight above the income test threshold before their pension is affected, with an extra $25 million available for eligible age pensioners in 2011‑12.

Those on the maximum pension rate will also be eligible for a free digital television set top box with installation, so they are ready when the old analogue television signal is shut down in the next few years.

http://www.seniorshousingonline.com.au/

Australian Health Reforms.

The Australian Government has announced a series of health reforms, after consultation with state and territory governments, aiming to offer better access to medical services and reduced hospital waiting times for public patients.

These reforms also include more aged care places and better aged care services. You can read more about what these changes will mean for you and register for email updates about your local area by visiting the government's website at http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/reformQA03

You can also visit the Seniors Housing Online website at http://www.seniorshousingonline.com.au for other useful links relating to retirement living and aged care.