Royal Commission into Aged Care

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.

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

We are very pleased that young people in residential aged care and the issues related to this group are a high and early priority for the Royal Commission. You can read our briefing paper about the Royal Commission here.

GETTING INVOLVED

To see how the Summer Foundation can support you or a family member to have your say at the Royal Commission click here.

Or you can contact the Royal Commission at: agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx.

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.

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.

The Summer Foundation recently supported Kirsty Martinsen to speak at our Leaving Hospital Well National Symposium. Kirsty spoke about her experiences living with a disability and her hopes for the NDIS and health services to work together. She wrote this postscript:

Our Get Building SDA initiative has been launched in regional NSW.

Get Building SDA aims to increase the number of SDA properties for NDIS participants and, as a result, increase the hours of Supported Independent Living (SIL) delivered in NSW.

In its continuing work to resolve the issue of young people with disability being forced to live in aged care, the Summer Foundation has launched a $1 million research grants program.

We are assessing prospective partners for the high quality research that is needed to find ways to improve the lives of young people in aged care or at risk of entering aged care.