WHAT IS COMMUNITY CARE?

The Community Care sector is a group of services that have been established as a support system for frail older people, people with disability and the carers of both groups. These services aim to provide ongoing support to allow people to remain in the community and live in their own homes, as an alternative to institutional or residential care. Community care services exist across New South Wales, although they have tended to develop differently to meet the particular needs of each region or community.

Community care encompasses basic service types, with specifications under each funding program:

• Allied Health Care/Paramedical - Professional health care services (eg, podiatry/foot care, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, social work or dietetics).
• Behaviour/specialist intervention - Range of services relating to the management of challenging behaviours, including intensive intervention support, training & education in behaviour management, & consultancy services.
• Case Management - A collaborative & person-focussed process for managing support to people with chronic, ongoing or complex conditions or situations.
• Centre-Based Day Care - Structured group activities to assist with social interaction which are conducted in a centre-based setting; may include bus trips & outings.
• Counselling/Support, Information, Referral & Advocacy - Assistance with understanding & managing situations & relationships associated with the client’s need for care &/or their caring responsibilities (eg. one-on-one advice, information, training, assistance in dealing with other agencies; may include support groups).
• Domestic Assistance - Assistance with housework & chores (eg. cooking, cleaning, dishwashing, clothes washing & ironing, shopping & bill paying).
• Early Childhood Intervention - Support services to assist children up to 6 yrs old with a developmental delay to integrate with peers into pre-schools & the wider community.
• Home Maintenance - Assistance with home or yard upkeep & repair to ensure it is a safe place to live (eg. changing light bulbs, carpentry, replacing tap washers & replacing roof guttering).
• Home Modifications - Assistance with renovations or alterations to the client’s home to help them move safely around the home (eg. installation of handrails, ramps, emergency alarms, removal of shower hobs).
• In-home accommodation support - Individual in-home living support &/or developmental programming for people with a disability.
• Learning & life skills development - Ongoing day-to-day support to gain greater access & participate in community-based activities: focus on continuing education to develop skills & independence or enjoyment, leisure & social interaction.
• Meals - Preparation & delivery of meals to clients which contribute to their daily nutrition requirements & to meet special dietary or cultural needs (eg. Meals on wheels in their homes, either hot & ready-to-eat or with instructions for heating, or in a Community Restaurant centre-based setting).
• Nursing Care - Support in the management of particular health problems by a registered or enrolled nurse; in the home or in a centre (eg. diabetes or continence management, changing bandages & administering medication).
• Other Food Services - Assistance with meal preparation & cooking in a client’s home & provision of advice on nutrition, storage or food preparation.
• Personal Care - Assistance with daily self-care tasks (eg. eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, getting in/out of bed & moving about the house; may also include monitoring medication).
• Goods & Equipment - Loan or purchase of goods & equipment that help the client with his/her mobility, communication, personal care or health care (eg. wheelchairs, appliances & continence pads).
• Respite Care - Support to carers through the provision of flexible & responsive alternatives to the usual care arrangements (eg. a worker or volunteer going into the recipient’s home or with both carer & recipient on an outing).
• Social Support - Assistance in the home or community to meet a person’s need for social contact & help him/her participate in community life (eg. visiting & telephone monitoring, letter-writing).
• Transport - Assistance with travel to/from essential appointments & social activities, either directly (in a car or bus) or indirectly (through a taxi subsidy or voucher); for groups or individuals (eg. medical transport, non-medical transport, shopping buses, social groups).
• Packages of more than one of the above

KEY PROGRAMS

Home and Community Care (HACC) Program

came into existence through the Home and Community Care (HACC) Act, 1985 and is funded in each State by the Commonwealth and State/Territory governments. www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au & www.health.gov.au

Veterans’ Home Care (VHC)

is funded through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). www.dva.gov.au

Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs), Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) and EACH Dementia (EACH D)

are national programs funded by the Australian Government under the Aged Care Act 1997, which also covers nursing homes and hostels. www.health.gov.au

National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP)

is funded by the Australian Government under the Aged Care Act 1997. www.health.gov.au

Disability Services Program (DSP)

is a State program reflecting the principles of the Disability Services Act 1993, and with funding from the Australian Government through the National Disability Agreement (NDA). www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au

Attendant Care Program (ACP)

is funded under Section 6 of the NSW Disability Services Act 1993 and enables people with severe physical disabilities to move out of the restricted institutional setting of nursing homes and to live in their own homes in the community. www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au