Home services provide care and support services to help older people stay independent in their homes.
These services help them be more independent with domestic and community activities.
Providers that deliver home services need to deliver them in accordance with the Aged Care Quality Standards (Quality Standards). To ensure providers deliver safe and quality care, we conduct quality reviews and assessment contacts of home services. We assess home service providers' performance against the Quality Standards.
Older Australians receive home services through the following home services programs:
- Home Care Package Program
- Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
- flexible care services (short-term restorative care provided in a home care setting, also includes the Transition Care Programme).
We've developed a guide for delivering CHSP services (PDF 174KB).
Managing risks
It's important that home service providers work with people to ensure they remain safe in their homes when they receive aged care services. Older people that receive home services may be more vulnerable where they:
- live on their own
- are isolated or lack close relationships
- have few or no family or friends to check on them
- have cognitive impairment and can't problem-solve or speak up
- have communication difficulties
- have limited mobility
- are dependent on their caregiver
- have only one carer.
Providers can take steps to protect their most vulnerable care recipients.
To ensure the best possible care, providers should:
- conduct regular assessments for each recipient, identifying those most at risk
- review clinical governance arrangements
- consider allocating more than one carer over the week for vulnerable people
- do regular spot checks to ensure the best possible care
- identify improvements to care
- change the care and support in consultation with the consumer
- do recruitment checks for new staff, including police checks and references
- train and equip staff to deliver safe and quality care.
Guidance and risk tool
Self-assurance is central to managing risk. Applying systems to examine performance and care is essential.
To help, we've developed the Quality and safety in home services: guidance resource - 5 key areas of risk.
The resource includes a risk checklist tool. The tool helps measure and track critical risks.
Effective self-assurance practices allow providers to:
- identify and fix issues as they arise
- manage risks
- have confidence that they're meeting regulatory requirements.
