Council will transition Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services to the local aged-care provider nominated by the Australian Government, mecwacare, from 1 August 2022.
The decision, made at Monday night’s Council meeting, is a result of recommendations outlined in the Aged Care Royal Commission Final Report, which will significantly change the way aged care services are delivered. This includes the Australian Government introducing the new Support at Home program to replace the CHSP, which Council is currently funded to provide.
Support at Home program
The Support at Home program is designed to help senior Australians remain independent and in their homes for longer. It will combine Commonwealth-funded aged care services to provide a single streamlined system with more clarity, choice, ownership, and transparency for older adults to access the support they need.
The new program requires significantly more resources and specialised skills to deliver a broader range of personalised services, which an established aged-care service provider like mecwacare has the expertise to provide.
Transition of services
The needs and care of our community is our top priority. Transitioning CHSP services across to mecwacare will make sure clients can access a greater range of services which can be tailored as their support requirements change.
We have gathered feedback from clients and carers to help inform the transition plan. We will work closely with mecwacare to make sure there is a smooth transition of all services, and make sure each client’s individual needs are understood and met with no disruption.
We are committed to supporting impacted employees through this transition and provide access to an Employee Assistance Program, Change and Resilience programs, a Health and Wellbeing program and career transition support.
Local support services
We will continue to deliver local support services that are unique to Boroondara and help reduce social isolation among older people.
These include:
- community transport
- social support and opportunities to connect with others
- much-loved community events like the annual Boroondara Senior’s Festival and centenarian’s celebration lunch.
We will also provide support to residents who have questions about the new Support at Home program leading up to its introduction in 1 July 2023.
