On-demand home care training launched
Community care workers now have access to new on-demand and online education training programs after the Aged Care Channel launches into the home care market with the assistance of 12 community care providers.
The Aged Care Channel (ACC) Team at last Thursday’s launch of ACC Home Care progams in Sydney. Front (L to R): Lesa Sutherland, Marjorie Reid, Rick Versteegh; Middle (L to R): Bente Ryan, Raewyn Oades, Amanda Terranova, Kate Larpent; Back: Russell Bricknell
By Natasha Egan
Home care workers can now access better practice training aligned to community care standards, anywhere, anytime, following the expansion into the home care market by Aged Care Channel (ACC), which has been producing accredited education and training programs for residential care staff for 10 years.
Representatives from peak bodies, community service providers, guests, and AAA joined the ACC team in Sydney on Thursday for the official launch of ACC Home Care Programs, a collaboration between ACC, the Department of Health & Ageing (DoHA) and 12 founding members from the community care sector.
There are four programs already available from a total of 40 ACC will produce over the coming four years, all of which will be aligned to the Community Care Common Standards introduced in 2011.
The online on-demand delivery is ideal for home care workers who are usually isolated from an office work environment, said Russell Bricknell, ACC chief executive officer.
“People can now access quality training anytime they want and in a place of their choosing,” Mr Bricknell said.
“The programs are designed to benefit care workers directly involved in care of elderly people in their own homes.”
In a recorded video message also played at the launch the Minister for Ageing, Mark Butler, said ACC had an impressive track record providing education and training programs to aged care providers.
Above: ACC CEO Russell Bricknell interviewing Living Care Community Services client and training video star Emilie
The home care programs feature real care workers and clients, shot on location in the clients’ actual homes.
Guests at the launch saw highlights of the pilot program, Privacy, Confidentiality & Dignity, which as the title suggests, looks at the essential aspects of promoting and maintaining client privacy, confidentiality and dignity in community care.
Two of the stars of that program, Mollie and Emilie, who are both clients of Living Care Community Services, were interviewed by Mr Bricknell at the launch.
Both spoke of the importance of being able to stay in their own home. On the pilot program’s topic, Emilie (pictured), who was celebrating her birthday on the day of the launch, said: “I want to be respected. I’m still a human being.”
Collaboration
ACC Learning and Development manager Kathryne Purvis said they sought advice from frontline staff as well as operational managers, quality managers and learning and development managers to identify the most appropriate format, style and key requirements for learning resources relevant to home care workers.
“ACC Online, our custom-built platform to deliver better practice training on demand for home care staff, will ensure busy mobile staff can access education anywhere, anytime.
“We have received direct feedback from community service providers that ACC Online meets the need of current group training arrangements as well,” she said.
The availability and flexibility of program delivery will serve the requirements of the large and dispersed community care workforce especially in regional and remote Australia, Ms Purvis said.
Mr Bricknell said the 12 innovative founding members (listed below) will guide the development and production of the programs.
They are involved in the decision making process about program content, production scheduling and learning resource development.
The founding members, along with representatives of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), form part of the Home Care Advisory Committee, which seeks to ensure programs align with issues identified in the department’s quality review processes and the roll out of the Community Care Common Standards, Mr Bricknell said.
The three other home care programs currently available are: Recognising & Communicating Changing Client Needs; Responding to Emergencies: Disaster Preparedness; and Understanding the Community Care Common Standards.
ACC members can access better practice programs by Live To Air TV, DVD or ACC Online. See ACC’s website for full program details.
Home Care Founding Members
