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Latrobe City Council Aged Care and Services to undergo significant changes from July 2022

Council services will undergo significant changes across Latrobe City with council set to transfer the Aged Care and Home and Community Care Program for Younger People services to new providers in July 2022.

By news@gippsland - 14th April 2022 - Back to News

In July 2019, Latrobe City Council endorsed exiting the Aged Care and Services sector in July 2022 following major Federal Government reforms to the sector including home based aged care. Latrobe City will be among the last Gippsland councils to exit service delivery after working with the Federal and State Governments to identify new providers. Council is confident the new providers will offer the same level of quality care and staffing support as currently experienced.

Please join one of the facilitated discussion groups, register and you will be able to select which session you will be attending

Potential employment opportunities

There are also potential employment opportunities for existing staff with the new service providers. The Federal Government has selected Benetas as the new provider of Aged Care services within the Commonwealth Home Support Programme for people aged over 65 for the Latrobe City and Baw Baw Shires from 1 July 2022. Benetas is a not-for-profit agency and part of the Anglican Aged Care Group.

Council has been advised by the State Government that Uniting Vic. Tas has been appointed as the new provider of Home and Community Care Program for Younger People. Uniting is a community service organisation operating across Victoria and Tasmania, and is locally known as Uniting Gippsland.

Council is working with both Benetas and Uniting Gippsland to ensure effective transition of services for Commonwealth Home Support Programme clients and Home and Community Care Program for Young People clients by 30 June, 2022.

Supporting older people needs

We understand and acknowledge that these changes will result in a period of uncertainty for our clients, their families and carers, along with our staff and volunteers, who are valued members of our Aged and Community Care Services teams.

Residents who currently receive Aged and Community Care services do not need to do anything. Individual clients will be directly notified before any changes occur and council will work with clients to ensure they are supported with any transition arrangements.

Join the discussions

Council values the contribution of all members of our community and will continue to invest in services that meet and support the needs of older community members. Council will work with the community and key partners to ascertain the council's future role, in line with our:

• Council Plan
• Municipal Health
• Wellbeing Plan
• Positive Ageing Strategy

In the coming month, council will host a series of discussion groups enabling members of the community to have their say about what's important to them to ensure Latrobe City remains age and disability-friendly.

To attend a discussion group, bookings can be made at Eventbrite's Ageing Well in Latrobe City page.

Responsible approach to changes

Latrobe City, like many other Victorian councils, explored the changing service environment and reviewed their current Aged Care Services to determine the potential impacts on service delivery, including the community's ability to access quality aged services.

One of the changes being implemented by the Commonwealth Government would require significantly higher ratepayer investment, and would not allow councils to offer the suite of services expected as a funding package.

Council has taken a considered and responsible approach to changes in the Aged Care sector to ensure that the community has access to local services that are responsive, affordable and of a high quality to support and enable older members of our community to remain living at home.

Pictures from Latrobe City Council Facebook page.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com