Home & Community Care Program
THE HOME AND COMMUNITY CARE (HACC)
The Home and Community Care (HACC) Program is based on the philosophy of supporting older people and people with disabilities to be more independent at home and in the community, thereby enhancing their quality of life and/or preventing their inappropriate admission to long term residential care.
INTRODUCTION TO THE WELLNESS APPROACH
Wellness – “It’s a different way of thinking about the capacities of frail older people and people with a disability – It’s about changing our perceptions.”
The Wellness Approach is a philosophical change in the thinking behind and delivery of Home and Community Care (HACC) services in Western Australia (WA).
It supports a move within the WA HACC Program towards developing and implementing service delivery models that have the potential to build capacity by actively working with the client to:
- Prevent loss of independence by focusing on the retention of existing skills and where appropriate,
- Focus on regaining of skills and a subsequent increased level of independence and well being, as opposed to a continuing or increasing dependence on services being provided by others.
Client benefits from the wellness approach
- Maintains dignity
- Partnership rather than carer role
- Promotion of positive mental and physical health
- Sense of achievement
- Based on need not want
- Potential to remain longer at home
“Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up your independence wrinkles the soul”
HOW TO OBTAIN THE SERVICE
Your family, friends, neighbour, doctor, nurse or anyone can refer you to Community First Int. Community Services Programs.
One of our Assessment team will visit you in your home to do an assessment and to discuss with you what services we provide and what services would best assist your needs. If Community First Int. cannot assist you, other services in the area will be discussed and a referral may be organised for another service provider at your request.
ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING
During the assessment process the necessary forms will be completed and a service support plan will be put in place, this will reflect the best way, along with the Wellness Approach, our Support staff can assist you with your requirements.
Reassessments are carried out on a regular basis, either by telephone or in person. If your needs or any details have changed since the original assessment a new Service Support Plan will be made noting these changes which you will receive a copy of.
EXPLAINING THE SERVICE
Your needs will be discussed with you at the time of your assessment and recorded on your service agreement. This agreement, along with other information will be left in your home when services first begin. The agreement is for your information and will also indicate to staff an outline of their duties while delivering the service to you.
If you have further requests outside of this agreement, please contact the Community Services Coordinator on 9581 9215. As Staff has limited time to complete your service needs and it may be necessary, at times, to prioritise the work that needs to be completed.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST
All new and existing HACC clients are required to complete a self assessment of their income to determine the amount they will be asked to contribute. If you are a carer, the person you care for will be assessed. You or your advocates have the right to appeal against a given fee determination
- Where a person is living alone, that person’s income is assessed (single).
- Where one member of a couple is a HACC client, the couple’s income would generally be assessed (couple).
- Where couples are both HACC clients, their combined income is assessed (couple).
INABILITY TO PAY FOR SERVICE
Services will not be withheld if you are unable to pay. If you are experiencing financial hardship or cannot afford the service, you may be eligible for fee reduction; if you feel you may fall into this category please discuss this with the assessor.
MONIES RAISED FROM FEES
The revenue from fees is to be used to enhance Community First Int. Community Services Centre within the community.
HOW TO PAY YOUR FEES
- You will receive a copy of your service plan outlining services and fees.
- Fees are to be on the day paid to the support staff providing the service; you will be given a receipt.
DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE
If Community First Int. Community Services Centre is providing you with Domestic Assistance, where possible, the following items need to be supplied:
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Bathroom, Toilet – products of your choice
- Dusting – cloths or product of your choice
- Floors – broom, dust pan and brush, floor washing equipment and detergent
- High Cleaning – step ladder
- Cleaning chemicals
- As we provide a support service and we are not contracting cleaners we only supply a back up of products to our support staff.
PERSONAL CARE
Normally provided in the home, and includes helping the client with daily self-care tasks, including:
- Eating
- Bathing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Medication monitoring
HOME MAINTENANCE
Community Services Centers, Home Maintenance Support Staff are fully equipped to meet most of your needs, should you require any additional work which falls in the category of tradespersons we would be unable to meet these needs and you would have to arrange a private contractor to be employed at your own expense
FUNDING
Community First Int. Community Services Centre is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments.
WAITING LIST
Community Services Centre funding is limited and the demand for services often exceeds its capacity to satisfy all requests. In this situation Community First maintains a waiting list.
Clients on the waiting list are contacted regularly to find out how they are managing and to update them on their place the waiting list, this is determined by a needs priority. If a client’s situation has deteriorated Community First will endeavour to implement the service as soon as possible.
IF GOING ON HOLIDAYS OR WILL NOT BE HOME ON DAY OF SERVICE
It is important to advice the Community First Int. Office if you will not be home or if you are going on holidays. If we arrive and find that you are not at home, it is part of our duty of care to attempt to locate you.
PLEASE TELEPHONE 9581 9215 OR HAVE A RELATIVE OR FRIEND CONTACT THE OFFICE
