KeepAble helps you achieve good practice support planning

Amongst the myriad of practices required by those working in the aged care sector, support planning has struggled to be recognised for the pivotal role it plays in providing a shared and well thought through understanding of how a person will be supported.

Most importantly from a good practice perspective, the support plan communicates why, how and what is to take place over what time frame from the moment a client accesses support from an organisation.  

While working with clients who wish to improve or maintain their independence when performing daily tasks, it is crucial that not only the initial plan provides clear communication between all parties, but the planning processes commence at the time of assessment and is aligned and continued throughout a client’s tenure with the organisation even when ongoing support is required.

Whilst recognising the challenges that may come with ensuring a client’s involvement at every step, plans are complete and done in a timely manner, appropriate access to the plan is provided and plans are reviewed and updated as required. The potential positive outcomes of ensuring support planning is given its rightful place within the hierarchy of practices when delivering aged care in the community has many benefits for the client, staff and organisation.  

Good practice support planning will assist carers and families to understand what the client wants to achieve and how.

Clarity of the aims of support, how this will be achieved and who is responsible for each of the tasks provides both the client, their carer or family members and support staff a shared understanding of what is important and how they are going to achieve their goals including the important role each is to play to ensure the best outcome. It can be encouraging for both the client and staff to review what has been achieved, celebrate progress, or tweak strategies to ensure changing needs are met.

Good practice support planning will assist carers and families to understand what the client wants to achieve and how, lessening the confusion or anxiety related to the acceptance of formal support. Good practice plans can provide staff with support related boundaries, assisting them to understand what is important to each client and the parameters of their role when supporting the client towards achieving their goal.

New bite size modules from KeepAble

To assist you and your organisation with good practice support planning the KeepAble team at iLA has been working with service providers to develop tailored bite size (30 minutes) professional development sessions designed to be delivered at the Organisation’s convenience, either in a team meeting or a dedicated professional development session.  

We are pleased to be able to share our latest Bite Size Sessions; Support Planning and Delivering Reablement Parts 1 and 2. Part 1 aims to raise awareness of the importance and elements of good practice support planning while working with clients to achieve their goals, providing an opportunity for participants to reflect and identify improvement activities to incorporate good practice support planning into their role.  

Part 2 for staff who develop support plans, provides an overview of the importance and elements of good practice support planning and an opportunity to apply this knowledge through development of a plan.

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iLA is a Western Australian not-for-profit organisation with a focus on individualised assessment, peer navigation, and community and sector capacity-building initiatives.

KeepAble was created by iLA’s Sector Support & Development (SSD) team and is one of a range of activities that the team undertakes through SSD funding from the Australian Government, Department of Health, Commonwealth Home Support Programme.