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What the government’s changes to home care mean for ageing Australians

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The Albanian government announced this week that it would introduce certainly one of the biggest reforms thus far in the Australian aged care sector.

The package includes an investment of A$4.3 billion in home care, currently calledSupport at home”, which is able to come into effect from July 2025. This reflects each the desire of many individuals to remain at home as they age and the Government’s desire to reduce the cost of residential care for older people.

What changes are the government making to home care packages? And what is going to these changes mean for ageing Australians?

Reducing waiting times

One of the foremost complaints about the current home care system is the long waiting times. Estimates suggest that there are Waiting time 6–12 months for higher home care packages 3 and 4. For individuals with the biggest needs this is unquestionably too long.

In March this yr, roughly 45,000 people were waiting for any level of home care. An additional 14,000 people were already receiving the package, but at a lower level of home care than they were entitled to.

Thanks to the additional funds, the recent system will probably be support more participantsThe aim is to shorten the waiting time a median of three months from July 2027

Changes in services

The recent system will replace the current 4 levels of home care packages eight classifications Funding for services. During the assessment of participants, they will probably be assigned the most appropriate category. There is currently little or no details about these classifications, but the idea is that they’ll provide more targeted services.

There may also be a spread of short-term supports available. These include assistive technology (comparable to mobility aids) and home modifications. Some people will have the opportunity to access 12 weeks of restorative care – a more intensive programme designed to construct function after injury or illness – in addition to palliative care support.

Currently, the wait for home care packages may be several months.
pixelstock/Shutterstock

The way through which several types of services are subsidized can be changing. Previously, the same means-tested co-contribution applied no matter the kind of service.

Under the recent system, services are classed as clinical care (comparable to physiotherapy or wound care), independence (comparable to help with bathing or cooking) and day by day living (comparable to gardening or home maintenance). The recent reforms will fully fund clinical services no matter income, while independence and day by day living services will attract co-contributions based on a method test.

For example, self-financed retiree would pay nothing out of pocket for physiotherapy, but would pay 50% for shower assistance and 80% for gardening costs. Someone on a full pension would also pay nothing for physiotherapy, but would pay 5% for shower assistance and 17.5% for gardening costs.

This is a positive change. Our research has previously shown an inclination for people using home care packages to select day by day living services comparable to gardening and cleansing and refusing clinical care services comparable to health care and nursing because a lot of these services are dearer.

These changes should increase the likelihood that older people will select clinical and related care services, which is able to help them remain fit and functional for longer.

Some challenges

For government reforms to deliver faster and higher support in the country, plenty of issues need to be addressed.

As people stay at home longer, we also see that persons are weaker and have more health problems than in the past. This requires a distinct and more qualified home care staff.

Current home care staff consists mainly of private care and home care employees, with a much smaller variety of qualified nurses and healthcare employees.

However, as the profile of individuals receiving home care changes, there’ll need to be a greater give attention to maintaining functional ability. This may mean that greater input from allied health services comparable to physiotherapists and occupational therapists will probably be required.

It is difficult to discover a suitably expert workforce throughout the sector and almost unattainable in other sectors. rural and distant areasAlternative models, comparable to training personal care employees to act as healthcare assistants and effectively using technologies comparable to telehealth, will probably be needed to meet demand without compromising the quality of care.

One example of the need for upskilling in specific areas is dementia care. The majority of individuals living with dementia at home receive care from family carers, supported by home care employees. It is very important that these care employees have the appropriate knowledge and skills specific to dementia.

However, research has shown that home care staff can lack of understanding and skills provide the best care for individuals with dementia. Specialist dementia training for home care employees is effective in improving knowledge, attitudes and sense of competence in providing care. It must be implemented across the sector.

A woman sits at a table with an older man and looks at a pack of pills.
Many older people living at home receive support from family caregivers.
Campus Production/Pexels

What about unpaid home care?

Unpaid caregivers, comparable to members of the family, provide significant amounts of care for the elderly. The value of this unpaid care is estimated to be in the billions. As older people stay at home longer, this amount will increase much more.

However, caregivers with a high caregiving burden are particularly vulnerable to poor physical and mental healthWithout appropriate support, we may find that additional caregiving pressures can lead to the breakdown of caregiving relationships and increased other healthcare costs for each the caregiver and the care recipient.

We must subsequently make sure that carers are adequately supported financially, psychologically and practically. However, the details of the reforms currently available don’t suggest that this has been adequately addressed.

With careful implementation and ongoing evaluation, these reforms have the potential to significantly improve the home care system. However, their success will depend upon addressing staffing issues, providing adequate support for unpaid carers and maintaining a give attention to the holistic needs of older Australians.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Whoopi Goldberg believes that financially prudent millennials choose not to have children because they are “lazy” – essence

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 09: Whoopi Goldberg attends the 2023 Bring Change To Mind Gala at City Winery on October 9, 2023 in New York City. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Our beloved EGOT winner left a few of us perplexed together with her recent tackle why millennials aren’t having babies at the identical rate as previous generations. According to her, that is not because of environmental issues, social justice or economics, but because of poor work ethic.

On a recent episode of The View, the favored daytime show moderated by Goldberg, she shared her views in her signature, straightforward style.

“I’m sorry, you already know, listen, every generation comes and desires to do higher than their parents. But I’m sorry, in the event you only want to work 4 hours, it’s going to be harder for you to discover a home,” Goldberg said.

When her co-host identified that millennials are in a worse financial situation than their parents, Goldberg doubled down, suggesting that the group is lazy.

“I feel sorry for anyone who feels this, but I’m sorry, we busted our asses, we had to bust our asses because we had no way to come back. We had different things.” She adds: “You know what, people pick up on it, they do what they do, and they grow up,” the EGOT winner continued. “This is what you have to do. That’s called being a very good citizen.”

The data suggests this is simpler said than done.

AND December 2022 study of over 300 Gen Z adults (ages 18-25) surveyed online by The Harris Poll and DailyPay told the story of many young people delaying maturity due to rising costs of living that keep many Gen Zers within the homes where they grew up. Specifically, as many as 54% of individuals aged 18-25.

As previously reported by ESSENCE, the report found that only 28% of Gen Zers said they were able to pay all their bills on time, according to the survey results.

Do you agree with Whoopi?

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rising among middle-aged and older people. We need to talk about this

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Common rates worldwide sexually transmitted infections (STI) is increasing among people over 50 years of age. In some cases, rates are rising faster than among younger people.

Last data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that among people aged 55 and over, the incidence of gonorrhea and chlamydia, the 2 commonest sexually transmitted diseases, greater than doubled between 2012 and 2022.

Australian STI surveillance data reflects similar trends. Between 2013 and 2022, there was a gradual increase within the number of diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis among people aged 40 and older. For example, in 2013, 5,883 cases of chlamydia were reported in Australians over the age of 40, compared to 10,263 in 2022.

AND 2020 survey of Australian women also found that between 2000 and 2018, there was a greater increase in sexually transmitted diseases among women aged 55-74 than among young women.

Although the general rate of common sexually transmitted diseases is highest among young adultsthe numerous increase within the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among middle-aged and older people suggests that we must always pay more attention to sexual health throughout our lives.

Why are rates of sexually transmitted diseases rising among older people?

STI rates are is increasing worldwide in all age groupsand the rise within the number of middle-aged and older people is consistent with this trend.

However, the rise in STIs among older people is probably going due to a mix changing practices around sex and relationships and hidden sexual health needs in this group.

The “boomer” generation got here of age within the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies. They are the generation of free love and their attitude towards sexat the same time as they age, it is totally different from the generations that preceded them.

Taking into consideration average age of divorce in Australia is over 43 years old, and the Internet has opened up latest possibilities dating after separationit isn’t surprising that middle-aged and older people explore latest sexual practices or find multiple sexual partners.

People can form latest relationships later in life.
Media Shade/Shutterstock

It can also be possible that middle-aged and older people haven’t had exposure to sexual health education at college or don’t address current secure sex messageswhich are mainly geared toward young people. Therefore, condoms could appear unnecessary for individuals who are not trying to avoid pregnancy. Older people can too lack of confidence in negotiating secure sex or access to screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

Hidden sexual health needs

In modern life, the sexual lives of older people are largely invisible. It is usually related to aging and an older body loss of power and attractivenesswhich is reflected within the stereotype of older people as asexual and in derogatory jokes about older people having sex.

WITH some exceptionswe see few positive representations of older sexual bodies in film and television.

The sexuality of older people can also be largely invisible in public policy. In Australian Politics Review Researchers found that middle-aged and older people were rarely mentioned when it got here to sexual and reproductive health.

Sexual health policies tend to goal groups with the best rates of sexually transmitted diseases, which excludes most older people. Because middle-aged and older people are beyond reproductive age, they are also not included in reproductive health policies. This means a general lack of any policy regarding sex or sexual health among middle-aged and older people.

Moreover, sexual health policy focuses on risk fairly than sexual well-being. Sexual well-beingincluding freedom and the power to enjoy sexis strongly linked to the general health and quality of life of adults of all ages. Including sexual well-being as a policy priority would enable a deal with secure and respectful sex and relationships throughout adult life.

Without this priority, now we have limited knowledge about what promotes sexual well-being as people age and limited funding for initiatives to engage with midlife and older adults on these issues.

One man working in his home office and happily chatting with another man.
Middle-aged and older people could have limited knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases.
Southworks/Shutterstock

How can we support the sexual health and well-being of older people?

Most sexually transmitted diseases might be easily cured. Serious complications nevertheless, it might probably occur when sexually transmitted diseases go undiagnosed and untreated for long periods of time. If left untreated, sexually transmitted diseases will also be passed on to others.

Late diagnosis is just not unusual because some STIs may cause no symptoms and many individuals don’t routinely screen for STIs. Older heterosexual adults are generally less likely to accomplish that than other groups seek regular screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

For middle-aged and older people, STIs can also be diagnosed late because some are diagnosed too late doctors don’t start testing for fear of offending or assume that the danger of sexually transmitted diseases among older people is negligible.

Many doctors do are reluctant to talk about sexual health with older patients unless the patient specifically raises the difficulty. However, older people may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable raising issues related to sex.

A superb first step could be resources for healthcare professionals and patients to facilitate conversations about sexual health and STI screening with older patients.

We must also make sure that we address the rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases among middle-aged and older people. sexual health promotion targets these age groups and improves access to clinical services.

More broadly, it is crucial to consider ways to ensure sexual well-being is a priority in midlife and older maturity policy and practice.

A comprehensive approach to older adults’ sexual health that explicitly highlights the importance of sex and intimacy in people’s lives will enhance our ability to respond more effectively to sexual health and STI prevention across the lifespan.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Here’s how to cope with the holiday blues in a healthy way

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A young thoughtful African American woman drinks coffee by the window. Copy space.

Christmas will be extremely difficult for anyone who has lost a loved one in their life. Those who grieve the death of a loved one likely dread the holidays since it is often a joyful time reserved for spending time with members of the family and friends. The holidays may trigger painful feelings of longing and grief for the bereaved, and witnessing the happiness of others can trigger anger, resentment, sadness and pain, in addition to feelings of isolation and loneliness, especially in case you often enjoy indulging in holiday traditions. However, there are methods to cope with the holiday blues and feel supported, uplifted and supported during the holiday season. Here are some easy ways to cope with the complex sense of loss during the holiday season.

For those grieving during the holiday season:

Consider finding a grief support group: Joining a support group with other individuals who have experienced grief will be a great way to connect with others who understand what you’re going through.

Acknowledge your feelings: Sitting with your grief will be a complicated process, but it surely is essential to confront it with the hope of taking steps towards healing.

Talk to a therapist: If you’ll be able to’t cope with it, talking to a specialist will be very helpful.

Spend time with supportive family and friends. Surround yourself with individuals who make you are feeling loved, supported and never judged.

Get involved in your community: Volunteering or doing other activities to help others in need will help take your mind off the sadness and make you are feeling good.

Keep the spirit of your family members alive during the holidays: Decorate with their favorite colours or decorations. You may play their favorite Christmas songs, prepare their favorite dishes, take a look at their old photos and listen to their recordings.

Here’s how to deal with a grieving person:

Acknowledge their loss. There’s nothing unsuitable with telling them something about what happened. Avoid phrases like “at least,” “it was for the best,” or “they’re calm now.”

Be an lively listener. Let them discuss their family members and their sadness. Avoid giving advice and telling them how they need to feel.

Sit with them in their sadness: Sometimes it’s best to do or say nothing while a person is grieving. Let them feel your feelings.

Don’t tell them how to feel: Try not to impose their feelings by telling them how they need to feel. Instead, offer them a secure and soft space to land.

Offer real help: Instead of claiming, “Let me know what you need help with,” roll up your sleeves and offer practical support, like running errands, preparing a meal, cleansing up, giving them an Uber Eats gift card, or inviting them out for a drink. These small but doable acts of service will make their lives easier because most of their thoughts are consumed with grief and balancing life beyond the loss.

Be patient and understanding: Grief is a lifelong process that does not magically disappear overnight, because the person in your life who’s grieving needs gentleness, understanding and beauty. It is best to be compassionate and never judge their behavior or how they’re going through the grieving process.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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