Right at Home, Australia's quality homecare provider, reminds the community that next week is National Advance Care Planning Week. An Australian Government Department of Health & Aged Care funded Initiative, administered by Austin Health, National Advance Care Planning Week aims to encourage all Australians, regardless of their age or health status, to make their future health care preferences known. 

At Right at Home Australia, we cannot emphasis enough, just how important advance care planning can be!

The below is taken from the ACPA’s Strategic Priorities Fact Sheet. We encourage you to read on and follow the link to learn more.  

The Vision 

Advance care planning is a conversation and a personal statement that goes beyond filling in a form. It’s a commitment to honour and respect an individual’s health care values, preferences, and choices. Advance care planning discussions should be part of routine health care conversations across Australia. 

The Purpose 

To support and enable a national collaborative approach to advance care planning. 

The Rationale 

Lack of awareness and understanding about advance care planning. 

There is a lack of understanding about the benefits and process of advance care planning in the community, amongst the aged care and health workforce, and health system. Only 15 per cent of the general adult community and 14 per cent of older people have an advance care directive. There are quality, transition, and storage issues with documents. We need to support the workforce to develop their understanding of their roles and responsibilities in facilitating and enacting advance care planning. 

System reform and policy and legislation challenges. 

There is no nationally consistent approach and scheme to advance care planning legislation and the recognition of advance care directives across Australia. Commissions acknowledge the need to improve access to advance care planning, palliative care, and end-of-life care for quality care but there is limited investment in national legislative reform, policy, systems, and quality measures to achieve this. 

Population changes. 

Across Australia, we have an ageing population where dementia is one of the leading causes of death. There are also increasing levels of chronic illness in the population with risks of fluctuating medical decision-making capacity.  

Right at Home Australia is a leading provider of quality in-home care. As Australians age, our mission is to improve their quality of life. We support people living with complex and post-operative care needs, dementia and cognitive decline, seniors, and adults living with a disability including NDIS participants. Our services help clients to remain safe and independent in their homes. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you in your advance care planning.  

Keep up to date with COVID 19 information on the following links: 

Australian Government Department of Health 

Victorian Health and Human Services 

NSW Health 

Queensland Health 

ACT Health 

WA Department of Health 

Tasmanian Department of Health 

Northern Territory Department of Health 

SA Health 

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care, and assistance to seniors (elderly and aged care), and any adult who needs our care at home including adults living with a disability who want to continue to live independently or age in their home. Right at Home is your local expert for issues related to caring for your loved ones and is dedicated to keeping you informed about home care. With no package management fees Right at Home allows you to get more care from your package or budget. 

Right at Home is a 'My Aged Care' government approved, home care provider for levels 1 – 4 and offers flexible in-home care services such as nursing care, after hospital care, post-operative care, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer's care. Right at Home also offers assistance with daily living and personal care such as grooming, hygiene, transport, shopping, meal prep, domestic services and social support, so your loved one can enjoy a more independent, vibrant life. Our nurses and caregivers are screened, highly trained, and insured prior to entering your home so you can trust us with the caregiving while you focus on your loved one. 

To find out more, please give us a call on 1300 363 802 or visit our website. 

Right at Home Offices in Australia: Adelaide Central; Brisbane Bayside; Brisbane North; Brisbane South; Brisbane West; Central Queensland & Wide Bay; Darling Downs; Far North Queensland; Gold Coast North; Gold Coast South; Greater Logan; Mackay; Moreton Bay Region; Noosa, Gympie & Hinterland; Sunshine Coast; Townsville; Central West New South Wales; Gosford; Hunter & Port Stephens; Macarthur Penrith; Newcastle; Northern Rivers; Padstow St George; Southern NSW; Sydney Central & Eastern Suburbs; Sydney Inner West; Sydney Liverpool; Sydney Lower North Shore; Sydney Norwest; Sydney Northern Beaches; Sydney Parramatta; Sydney Ryde; Sydney The Hills; Sydney Upper North Shore; Kalgoorlie Wheatbelt; Perth Como; Perth Midland; Perth Northern Suburbs; Perth West Coast; Southwest Victoria