Aged Care & Rehabilitation Clinical Services Plan 2007 – 2012

Aged Care & Rehabilitation Clinical Service Plan 2007 - 2012APPENDIX 1PRINCIPLES, FRAMEWORK FOR THE INTEGRATED SUPPORT ANDMANAGEMENT OF OLDER PEOPLE IN THE NSW HEALTH CARE SYSTEM2004 – 2006• The majority of older people can live independently within the community with varying degrees ofsupport• Older people may need to be in contact with a range of organisations in order to maintain,improve or prevent deterioration in their health and quality of life• Smooth transition between services should be possible, particularly across organisationalboundaries• An acute episode (health, social, emotional, economic) may trigger the need for:- Adjustment to existing support system- Acute health care (with or without associated post acute, mental health, rehabilitation andcommunity services)- Change in accommodation arrangements• The likelihood of return to previous lifestyle is optimised by:- Early response to acute episode, including identification of problems and assessment ofneed- Timely access to least disruptive intervention options- Timely service or intervention delivery with minimal disruption to current lifestyle- Appropriate brokerage of support services to optimise outcomes• Older people need:- Access to safe and appropriate care and support- Access to information about their health care and service availability- Access to ongoing support through effective partnership of service providers- Coordinated continuity of care, including regular assessment• Core values of care and service delivery should include:- Forming a partnership with older people and their families and carers to achieve the bestoutcome- Respect for older people and their values- Client and family/carer satisfaction- Respect for the privacy, dignity and cultural diversity of individuals- Respect for the views of older people and their family/carers• No person or group should be discriminated against on the grounds of age- Age should not be used in eligibility criteria or policies to restrict access by older people andtheir families/carers to available and needed services- Older people should be able to access mainstream health promotion and disease preventionprograms, as well as activities specially tailored to benefit the older person• Australian and State government and non-government agencies need to work in partnership tosupport and enable older people to live as fulfilling lives as possibleAGE FRIENDLY PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES: MANAGING OLDER PEOPLE IN THEHEALTH SERVICE ENVIRONMENT (Source: AHMAC 2004)Principle 1: Health treatment and care delivered to older people will be based on strong evidenceand have a focus on maintaining, improving and preventing deterioration in their healthand quality of lifePrinciple 2: Health services will recognize and address older people’s complex needsPrinciple 3: Health treatment and care are respectful and recognize individual differences andspecific needs, such as cultural, religious and sexual differencesPrinciple 4: Health treatment and care are delivered in a coordinated and timely manner acrosscare settingsPrinciple 5: Unnecessary admission to hospital and extended hospital stays of frail elderly peopleare avoidedPrinciple 6: The care of older people is a primary focus of all health servicesPrinciple 7: Where safe and cost-effective to do so, older people receive health treatment and carein a setting that best meets their needs and preferencesPage 95