Aged Care Services - FAQ
Important information concerning the interpretations of legislation and other policies contained in this page. It is recommended that the Disclaimer be read in conjunction with the information provided.
Aged Care Services
Within the Huon Valley Council municipal area there are a range of home and community-based services, and recreational services, which help people to live in their communities for as long as they are able and choose to do so.
The delivery of aged care services varies for each Tasmanian council. Most services are not funded by councils but by the state and federal governments. This differs from mainland councils whose service level is different.
For each aged care service, private service providers are also available as an alternative to using the services listed below. These can be found in the yellow pages under various headings.
These services are available through a variety of providers, including:
- Community health centres funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania;
- Services funded under the Joint Commonwealth/State Home and Community Care (HACC) Program;
- The Commonwealth funded Veterans' Home Care; voluntary support services; private agencies.
For Detailed information on services:
- Phone your local Commonwealth Carelink Centre on freecall 1800 052 222;
- Visit the electronic ADCIS Directory at http://www.adcis.org.au/:
- Visit the HACC website at www.health.gov.au/acc/hacc;
- Contact the Huon Valley Council on 6264 0300.
Heart Foundation Walking Groups in the Huon Valley
Do you want to:
-
Start walking with a group in your area?
- Increase your health and fitness levels?
- Start a Heart Foundation walking group in your local area with your current friends, or make new like-minded acquaintances?
- Be part of a recognised walker recognition scheme entitling you to 30% discount on Heart Foundation merchandise?
- Be part of Australia's largest walking group network?
The major objective of Heart Foundation Walking Groups is to provide a free and ongoing support system to encourage people of all ages, to be involved in physical activity and do some gentle exercise.
There are a number of ways to be physically active, but walking is the number one activity most Australian adults do on a regular basis. Walking is so popular because it is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. It can be done just about anywhere and is free. Walking also has a very low risk of injury and does not require any special equipment or training.
Huon Valley Walking Groups:
Geeveston Gaitors
Walking 10am Tuesdays
Start from the front of Geeveston Community Hall, Brady Street in Geeveston
Huonville Heartbeats
Walking 9.00am Thursdays
Start from inside PCYC Huonville,
*** In conjunction with the Huon Valley Health Centre
Cygnet Walking Group
Walking 1pm Tuesdays
Start from Burtons Reserve in Cygnet
Dover Dawdlers
Walking 10am Tuesdays
Meet at the Dover Old School
The Heart Foundation Walking program is free and is funded with monies from the Department of Health and Ageing, through the Heart Foundation in Tasmania and the Huon Valley Council.
For further information, contact the Seniors Health Officer on 6264 0300 during business hours or via email hvc@huonvalley.tas.gov.au
Monday Mind Games
Monday Mind Games is a great opportunity to meet people, have fun and keep your mind active.
Come along and play a range of games including Mah Jong, Cribbage, Euchre and Scrabble.
Monday Mind Games is held from 10am to 12.30pm at the Huon Community Health Centre, Sale Street in Huonville.
Gold coin donation.
For more information, phone the Seniors Health Officer on 6264 0300
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What is Home and Community Care?
- What is home help/domestic assistance?
- What is home maintenance and modification?
- What is personal care?
- What is Community Nursing?
- What is Allied Health?
- What is Respite?
- What is Social Support?
- Is there Meals on Wheels in my area?
- Are there any Senior Citizen groups in my area?
- What leisure activities are available?
- Am I eligible for a Seniors Card?
- How do I apply for Residential Aged Care?
- What other aged services are available?
The Home and Community Care (HACC) Program is a joint Commonwealth/State funded program that offers a range of services that provide community care to frail aged and younger people with disabilities and their carers. The program supports people to maintain their independence in their home and in their community, rather than being prematurely admitted to long-term residential care.
Services provided include: home help, home maintenance and modification, personal care, community nursing, allied health services, in-home and centre-based respite, social support, transport, food services, advocacy and information.
There is a minimal fee schedule for HACC services with a waiver system in place for those who are unable to pay.
People do not need a referral to contact a HACC funded service.
For information on individual HACC services in your municipal area, call your local Commonwealth Carelink Centre on Freecall 1800 0523 222 (if you need an interpreter, call The Translating and Interpreting service on 13 14 50 and they will help you make the call) or look up the electronic "ADCIS Directory" at http://www.adcis.org.au/.
Huon Valley Community & Health Centre - 6264 8850
Home help/domestic assistance describes housekeeping tasks such as laundry, cleaning and vacuuming. {General}
For further information, contact the Huon Valley Community and Health Centre on 6264 8850
Home maintenance and modification includes garden clean-ups, minor repairs and general household maintenance, the most important being those that affect safety and security. Tasks may include the installation of equipment such as rails, wheelchair ramps and smoke detectors, and jobs such as cleaning gutters, changing light globes and tap washers, and repairing door locks. In general the person receiving the service supplies any materials needed, and the labour is provided at a discounted rate.
For more information, contact the Huon Valley Community and Health Centre on 6264 8850
Personal care provides assistance with showering, bathing, dressing, toileting and other personal tasks.
For more information, contact the Huon Valley Community and Health Centre on 6264 8850
Community nurses provide professional care, including administration of medication, changing dressings, wound monitoring and pain management, to clients in their own homes.
For more information, contact the Huon Valley Community and Health Centre on 6264 8850
Allied health services include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, speech therapy, nutritional advice, continence services and social work.
For more information, contact the Huon Valley Community and Health Centre on 6264 8850
Respite services help carers to take breaks from their care role. Respite can occur in the client's own home, at a day centre, in the wider community (eg outings) or in a residential aged care facility. Flexible dementia- specific respite is also provided for carers of people with dementia and challenging behaviour. {General}
For more information, contact the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre on 1800 059 059 or 6264 2800
Social support, usually provided by volunteers, can include assistance with shopping, taking people to medical appointments, befriending lonely or housebound people, assistance with gardening or telephone support services.
For more information, contact the Huon Valley Community and Health Centre on 6264 8850
A national network of Meals on Wheels services operates throughout Australia to cater to the needs of the frail, aged, younger people with disabilities and their carers. It is a voluntary organisation, partially funded by the State and Commonwealth governments, that delivers a three course midday meal usually Monday to Friday, at a subsidised price. Frozen weekend meals and meals for special dietary requirements are also available.
If you would like to start receiving Meals on Wheels you can be recommended by your doctor, other health care professional, family or friends, or you can contact the organisation directly. The Meals on Wheels email address is mowtas@bigpond.com.
For more information please contact Meals on Wheels in:
Huonville: 6264 1964
Geeveston: 6297 1258
Dover: 6298 1599
Various senior citizen and social clubs operate throughout Tasmania and offer a wide variety of activities and outings on a regular basis. The Aged and Disability Care Information Service (ADCIS) has an on-line search facility, "The ADCIS Directory", that can be found at www.adcis.org.au. This database provides access to seniors clubs, as well as community, government and health services throughout Tasmania.
For more information, contact one of the following groups in your area:
Cygnet Senior Citizens: 6297 8173
Dover Senior Citizens: 6298 1317
Huonville Senior Citizens: 6266 6207
With our culture placing more emphasis on health and fitness, many centres have developed programs of moderate physical activity specifically designed for older or special needs groups.
"The ADCIS Directory", at www.adcis.org.au, provides details of sport and recreation and leisure activities and how to access these services.
Council also produces the Council and Community Information Diectory which lists local sporting, recreational and social clubs. For a copy call the Council on 6264 0300.
In Tasmania, seniors cards are available to people over the age of 60 who are in paid employment for no more than 20 hours per week. The Seniors Card entitles its holder to various business and government discounts. For more information of the benefits of a Seniors Card and for an application form visit: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/seniors/card or contact the Tasmanian Government department of Health and Human Services on Free Call 1800 678 174.
Two types of residential care are available in Australia - low level (hostel) services, and high level (nursing home) services.
In a hostel you are still able to live independently but receive assistance with meals and laundry, and personal tasks such as washing and dressing. Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) can also provide this level of assistance in people's own homes. A nursing home provides 24 hour care by nursing staff and includes all of the previously mentioned services.
To be eligible for CACPs or residential aged care, an individual needs to be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). The easiest method of arranging an assessment, which is free of charge, is to talk to you doctor who will refer you to the nearest assessment team. The ACAT will discuss the outcome of your assessment and give you details regarding available places in residential care. For information about residential aged care homes in your area, call your local Commonwealth Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222.
In the Huon Valley, aged care is provided at:
Esperance Multi Purpose Health Centre: 6298 9200
Huon Eldercare: 6264 7100
In addition to the services already discussed in the previous questions, there are further home and community services for frail older people and those with disabilities, and their carers. These range from counselling to carer support and palliative care.
Commonwealth Carelink Centres hold contact/eligibility/cost information on these services and can also link you to a wide range of other organisations such as the Tasmanian Deaf Society, Paraquad Association of Tasmania, the Dementia and Alzheimer's Association, the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre or the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre, all of which can provide you with information pertinent to their specific fields.
Your local Commonwealth Carelink Centre can be called on Freecall 1800 052 222.
This information is also available online via the ADCIS Directory at http://www.adcis.org.au/.
Contact details: 03 6264 0300
USEFUL LINKS
http://www.aboutseniors.com.au/
http://www.continence.health.gov.au/
www.health.gov.au/acc/rescare/resentry.htm
USEFUL PUBLICATIONS
A Guide to Aged Care in Tasmania, published by Commonwealth Carelink Centre - Southern Tasmania, 2003
Home and Community Care (HACC) in Tasmania, published by the Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania, May 2003
Home and Residence Choices for Older People, published by Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, 2002. A free hard copy is available from the Commonwealth Carelink Centre or from the internet at: www.facs.gov.au/harc
Crime Prevention for Seniors: a guide to personal and financial safety, a National Crime Prevention publication, 2002. This publication also available on the internet at: http://www.crimeprevention.gov.au/
2003-2004 Tasmanian Government Concessions, published by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tasmania, 2003
2003-2004 Tasmanian Government Concessions, published by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tasmania, 2003
5 Steps to Entry into Residential Aged Care, published by Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, March 2003 (available on the internet www.health.gov.au/acc/rescare/resentry.htm)
NATIONAL HELPLINES
Aged Care Information Line - 1800 500 853
Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres - 1800 242 636
Commonwealth Carer Respite Centres - 1800 059 059
Commonwealth Carelink Centres - 1800 052 222
National Continence Help Line - 1800 003 066
National Dementia Behaviour Advisory Service - 1300 366 448
National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline - 1800 880 052
Telstra Disability Enquiries Hotline - 1800 068 424
HELPLINES IN TASMANIA
Statewide Cancer Helpline - 13 1120
