Aged Care Information and Services
The PHN provides links and resources to groups that advocate for older people and general information about the health and wellbeing of, and care for, older people.
Care for Older People
PHN funding under the Australian Government Aged Care Reform Package focuses on delaying older Australians’ entry into Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs), reducing avoidable hospitalisations and improving equitable access to the services that older Australians require.
The Care for Older People team supports health services, professionals, aged care providers, community support services, consumers, carers and families to improve people’s experience and health and wellbeing outcomes.
Current initiatives include:
- Aged Care information and services
- Aged Care Emergency (ACE) information and resources
- The care finder service
- Early intervention - frailty and wellbeing initiatives
- Grant funding applications
- Telehealth between GPs and RACFs
- Palliative care needs assessment, monitoring, evaluation, support and resources
- Aged Care services evaluation
- Future modelling opportunities for integrated care activities in scope for aged care, palliative care, after hours and allied health
- COVID-19 outbreak support
Current aged care initiatives
Aged Care Emergency (ACE)
The Aged Care Emergency (ACE) program supports the staff of Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) to care for residents with acute, non-life-threatening conditions and potentially avoid unnecessary transfer to the hospital.
Aged Care Mental Health Pilot Interventions
Our PHN has funded a variety of service providers to establish new mental health interventions under the funding from the Commonwealth Government's Primary Mental Health Care for Residential Aged Care Facilities program.
Capacity Tracker
Capacity Tracker is a free online tool that enables General Practice (GP) and Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) to quickly and easily alert the PHN to current or potential issues that impact operations, and activate PHN support.
Dementia - Timely Diagnosis and Management
PHN activities help to improve the timely diagnosis, management, and support of people in the region who are living with dementia, as well as their carers and families.
Mobile Aged Care X-Ray (MACX) Service
The Mobile Aged Care X-ray (MACX) service operates on the Central Coast and offers onsite, non-urgent diagnostic imaging for residents of aged care facilities.
The service is intended to reduce the need for frail, elderly or disabled patients to be transferred by ambulance to emergency departments or offsite to private radiology facilities for selected non-urgent x-ray examinations.
Telehealth in Aged Care
Telehealth enables GPs and other health providers to see patients remotely. It is particularly helpful for patients with viruses and mobility issues, as well as for people in remote areas.
Advance Care Planning
This section contains information, links and resources about advance care planning for patients, carers, GPs and health professionals.
Healthy Ageing and Frailty
Frailty is a common syndrome which occurs due to a combination of de-conditioning and acute illness on a background of existing functional decline that is often under recognised. Frailty is more common in females and the risk of frailty increases with age.
Care finder Service
Care finders support vulnerable people to learn about, apply for and set up aged care services and other supports in the community.
Memory Assessment Program (MAP)
The PHN commissions HealthWISE to deliver the Memory Assessment Program, supporting clients and their carers in the Tablelands region to access local dementia and carer support services.
Care for Older People health topics and resources
The Care for Older People team supports medical professionals and residential aged care facilities with resources, training and information on COVID-19, aged care, frailty, chronic disease management, cancer, mental health and other topics.
Care for Older People education, communications and media
The PHN provides links to organisations, education providers, newsletters and other communications that advocate for and provide information relating to health, wellbeing and care for older people.
COVID-19
The Primary Health Network has supported residential aged care facilities (RACF) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine rollout.
COVID-19 information is available on the HealthPathways site for your region:
Immunisations and vaccinations
The Australian Government provides information on immunisations for adults and seniors (aged 65 years or over). Topics include vaccinations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with medical risk conditions, missed vaccinations and booster vaccines.
Cancer screening and care
The PHN provides information and resources on screening and care for people with various types of cancer, including bowel and breast cancer.
Bowel screening
Breast cancer screening
Health assessments for people aged 75+
The 75+ years aged health review is a comprehensive medical review structured to identify health issues and conditions that are preventable or amenable to interventions, to improve health and or quality of life.
Chronic disease management
The PHN provides information, presentations and resources for people living with chronic disease.
Diabetes
For more education videos and webinars please visit the PHN education library:
Frailty, sarcopenia and falls prevention
Frailty is a common syndrome that can affect up to 25% of patients aged 70 and over. It can increase their risk of falls, prolong hospital stays and cause decline in function. It also increases the likelihood of institutionalisation and death. However, while frailty is linked with getting older, effective early intervention can help people stay healthy and active for longer.
Mental health
The PHN provides information and resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of older people.
Veterans' health
The PHN provides information and resources to support the health and wellbeing of veterans of the armed forces.
Medication management
The PHN provides information, templates and resources to support health professionals - including GPs, nurses, pharmacists and aged care facility staff - in managing medications appropriately.
Domiciliary Reviews
Residential Reviews
Capacity
This section contains information, links and resources about how decision-making capacity is determined and related legal matters.
Dementia
The PHN provides information and resources for GPs and health professionals on older people living with dementia.
Palliative care
The PHN has been provided funding by the Department of Health and Aged Care under The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care (GCfAHPC) measure to coordinate palliative care through Primary Health Networks (PHNs). For more information, visit the Palliative Care page.
Palliative Care Needs Assessment
The PHN undertook a palliative care rapid literature review and needs assessment to understand the current palliative care needs of the region.
The purpose of these activities was to inform decisions on how to allocate the “Greater Choices for Palliative Care” funding to identify and respond to the palliative care needs of people living in the HNECC region. View the Palliative Care Needs Assessment August 2023
Care for Older People team
Collaboration with stakeholders is crucial to help us understand emerging issues and their impact on the community, focus on the right topics at the right time and develop resources that are fit for purpose. We value your contributions and invite you to connect with us by contacting the Manager Palliative Care and Care for Older People.
Care for Older People Reference Group
In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care, Quality and Safety, the PHN received new funding from the Australian Government to support initiatives aimed at addressing the complex issues faced by older people, and people receiving palliative and end-of-life care.
As part of our initiatives and responses, the PHN has established a quarterly Palliative Care and Care for Older People Reference Group to provide feedback, multi-disciplinary input, lived experience insights and advice on the implementation of the Palliative Care and Care for Older People Strategy and contribution to a continual review of the operational objectives.
Participating in the reference group will inform the PHN and allow it to develop appropriate interventions and innovations and deliver better outcomes for the population.
RACF Grants
To support our vision of Healthy People and Healthy Communities the PHN delivers an annual Grants Program.
The program addresses local health needs and priorities by providing grant funding for innovative programs and projects throughout the region. Grants are one-off funding opportunities and do not guarantee on-going funding.
Residential Aged Care Facilities: Telehealth and Digital Health Grants 2023 are currently open.
Latest care for older people news
October 12 2023
Research Opportunity - Residential Aged Care: Tell us your research priorities
Aged care is currently experiencing immense change based on the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Much of this change is being led by the Australian Government and by aged care providers. As researchers, we want to understand how we can best support this change. We want to know what you think are most critical areas to research in residential aged care.
June 30 2023
PHN Launches Frailty Early Intervention Program
In June 2023, the PHN launched an early intervention pilot program for General Practices to participate in a frailty screening program using the FRAIL Scale, a validated screening tool.