Maroondah City Council will this week launch a change to their Maroondah Home and Community Care program as part of the Department of Health’s newly developed approach to service delivery.

The changes are a State Government legislative requirement aimed at improving services for frail older people, people with a disability and their carer.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the changes would result in more flexible, personalised services which promoted wellness to maintain and or improve an individual’s capacity to live as independently and autonomously as possible.

“The services will not be a one size fits all approach, Council has adopted the wellness approach which is centred on assisting each client with their individual nutritional, social and cultural needs,” Cr Makin said.

“This includes encouraging and assisting people to continue their hobbies, walk around their communities and maintain their levels of activity. The changes will help clients and their carers to establish goals and supply them with the relevant services to enable them to best meet their goals,” Cr Makin said.

“It is about providing services which promote capacity building and restorative care so that people can stay involved in everyday activities, maintain or rebuild their confidence and strengthen their capacity to adapt to changing life circumstances,” Cr Makin said.

“Growing evidence suggests that being physically active, having a nutritious diet and remaining mentally and socially engaged with friends, family and the broader community can help to reduce the impact of some conditions associated with ageing,” Cr Makin said.

“So with the assistance of these services hopefully more and more people can maintain their independence for longer and avoid premature admission to long term residential care,” Cr Makin said.

Services provided through HACC include:

• Meals on Wheels
• Planned activity groups
• Carer support
• Social support programs
• Domestic assistance
• Personal care
• Respite care
• Home from Home pilot program
• Support Residential Services
• Integrated Holiday Program
• Property Maintenance

Councillor Makin said while the services being offered were still the same, the way they will be delivered to clients will change.

“The service will be a person centred approach. Clients will continue to be assessed by Council officers in their own home and a Wellness Action Plan will be prepared identifying goals they would like to achieve,” Cr Makin said.

“These will vary for each person but could include things like building up the strength to be able to clean their own home, or being mobile enough to do their own shopping,” Cr Makin said.

“During this initial phase clients and their carers will be provided information on a range of other HACC services which would also enable them to live more independently, remain active members of the community and achieve the goals of the Wellness Action Plan,” Cr Makin said.

“Supporting an individual in this way is a shared responsibility and where appropriate, clients, family and friends will be encouraged to be involved in preparing and maintaining the Wellness Action Plan,” Cr Makin said.

People eligible to receive HACC services are the frail older people, and people with a disability and their carers. Services are provided on the basis of eligibility, assessed need and within service resources.

While Council provides the HACC services, the Department of Health is responsible for managing the program under the Home and Community Care Act 1985.

Maroondah City Council has already received recognition for the transition into this new approach being a finalist in the Award for Outstanding Program or Project (Grant Based) category at the LGPro Aged and Disability Services Awards. The award recognises the development and implementation of a project or program which has achieved a significant service improvement though an effective and innovative approach.

For more information contact Council’s Aged and Disability Services on 9294 5729.

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