2018 Allen Martin Research Scholarship winners announced

Communications
15 November 2018
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The winners of the two $5000 2018 Allen Martin Scholarships have been announced.

Clinical neuropsychologist and Monash University Research Fellow, Dr Kate Gould (pictured above, left), received a scholarship for her Australian first research to help protect people with acquired brain injury (ABI) from cyber scams

“This will be the first study to investigate how common cybercrime is for individuals with ABI,” Dr Gould said. “We will look into the types of cybercrime experienced and factors which may contribute to this vulnerability.”

She said understanding, preventing and effectively managing the impact of cybercrime had the potential to enhance quality of life for people with ABI by maximising their safety and confidence in accessing the internet, email, social media and other online activities.

Danielle Sansonetti (pictured above, right), an occupational therapist and senior clinician at the Alfred Health ABI Unit, will look at ways to optimise independence for individuals with ABI through successful application of daily routines after they transition to the community.

This will assist clinicians to better understand those interventions that can be applied in rehabilitation in order to achieve clinically important long-term outcomes.

“Investigation of an individual’s ability to maintain their daily routines in the community following discharge from residential rehabilitation will provide clinicians with important information around the factors that contribute to long-term sustainability of routines in the community,” she said.

About 40 people attended the Allen Martin Memorial Lecture and scholarship announcement on 14 November.

The lecture was presented by Professor Fary Khan, who discussed the “evolving role of rehabilitation in global health”.

The Allen Martin Research Scholarships are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kew and Robinson Gill lawyers.

Royal Commission into Aged Care

Communications
09 October 2018
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ROYAL COMMISSION UPDATE

In September Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a Royal Commission into Aged Care.

The commission’s interim report is to be provided by 31 October 2019.

CEO Luke Bo’sher and policy manager George Taleporos met with Royal Commissioner Lynelle Briggs and her team in November. We are very pleased to report that young people in residential aged care and the issues related to this group are a high and early priority for the Commissioner.

We talked to the Commissioner about the importance of providing a range of options for people to tell their stories, and will be working closely with the Royal Commission to support young people to have their say.

If you or a family member would like to have your say please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates, contact us directly or you can contact the Royal Commission by visiting: agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

You can watch the announcement of the Royal Commission by the Prime Minister here.

You can view the Royal Commission’s Terms of Reference here and read our statement regarding the Terms of Reference here. You can read our briefing paper about the Royal Commission here.

Welcome to the Spring 2018 edition

From Hospital to Home – Summer Foundation Annual Public Forum 2018

Communications
05 October 2018
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CFC UPDATE – SPRING 2018

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We welcome the Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s announcement of a Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Prime Minister Morrison purposefully included mention of young Australians who live in residential aged care.

The Royal Commission will look at the quality and safety of care in aged care. It’s not clear if it will also look at the system changes that need to happen to stop young people ending up in aged care in the first place. We think it’s really important to include this in the Royal Commission, so that young people will stop being forced to live in aged care because there are no other suitable options. Read more

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Support coordinators are among the most critical professionals assisting people to achieve positive outcomes under the NDIS. It is support coordinators who assist young people to explore their housing options and find alternatives to residential aged care.

Penny’s story

In 2009 Penny suffered a stroke. Four years later a motor vehicle accident caused further injury.

Through her NDIS plan Penny was funded for home and car modifications, support hours and equipment.

Her first plan increased her independence and social interactions – she says:[it was] a good package and opened up my world. I felt liberated.

However, at subsequent reviews items were removed. Penny’s informal supports had also broken down in the meantime and despite needing additional support hours, her package was reduced. Getting less support at home resulted in more frequent hospital admissions
for Penny.

Penny has been forced to pay for the community nursing and items not covered by health or disability funding out of her own pocket, which means less money for food and other essentials.

Penny has worked in the disability sector for a number of years, so is well informed and has a good understanding of the sector, but she too has had to work tirelessly to navigate the health and disability systems.

Penny will be speaking about her discharge experiences with the NDIS at the upcoming Annual Public Forum
on October 11.

NURSING, SUPPORT AND THE NDIS

The NDIS is still working out what is reasonable and necessary for people with disability and complex needs. Difficulty accessing appropriate health supports is one of the reasons young people are admitted to aged care.

So we were pleased with the decision by the Administrative Appeal Tribunal (AAT) in relation to Mazy v. the NDIA. Mazy requested the provision of care by a registered nurse to administer regular insulin, which was declined by the NDIS. After an internal review, Mazy took her case to the AAT. The AAT found that it was a reasonable and necessary support for a registered nurse to administer her insulin (in accordance with s 34(1) of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)). For details of the decision: http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/AATA/2018/3099.html

If you need access to nursing care to live well in the community you may want to print this decision to take to your planning meeting. Or, if your plan does not meet your needs, consider seeking advocacy support to request a review. To find an advocate see https://disabilityadvocacyfinder.dss.gov.au/disability/ndap/

MAINSTREAM HOUSING GUIDE

We’ve written a useful guide to help you navigate your way through the search for mainstream housing. “Mainstream Housing Options” is written specifically for people with disability and is part of a series of guides that we put together to help people with disability find suitable housing.

PAYING AGED CARE FEES

The Summer Foundation has produced new resources that explain residential aged care fees and what charges are covered by the NDIS.

Welcome to the Spring 2018 update

Communications
21 September 2018
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SUMMER FOUNDATION UPDATE – SPRING 2018

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Welcome to our Spring update. Looking back over the past few months, it is gratifying to see the positive strides we are taking on a number of issues that contribute to keeping young people out of aged care.

We welcome the recently announced Royal Commission into Aged Care. Our hope is for this Royal Commission to look beyond just making aged care better for young people. The Royal Commission needs to identify the solutions that help young people avoid entering aged care in the first instance. We encourage you to consider responding to the Government’s call for input into the Terms of Reference for this Royal Commission. Timing is tight – find out how to make your contribution here.

Summer Foundation has been focusing on the need for improvements to the health and NDIS interface over the past few months. The hundreds of health professionals and executives across the country who have attended our conferences, seminars and training sessions this year are strongly endorsing this focus.

Housing update: Rapid Housing Project & SDA in Tasmania

RAPID HOUSING PROJECT

When someone with complex support needs is ready to leave hospital, a lack of suitable housing often results in them having to stay for longer periods of time in hospital or rehabilitation or they are forced to move to aged care. While this option may be seen as a temporary solution, often people remain there for many months, or end up staying permanently.