Residential Aged Care

Residential Aged Care Facilities FAQ

• What are Aged Care standards and how do you help facilities achieve compliance?

  Aged Care standards are guidelines set by the Australian Government Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, these are updated each July.

  Facilities are routinely audited to assess if they are meeting best practices and the new Aged Care standards, as well as ACFI requirements.

  We work with the facility to ensure that the Allied Health Provider (Physiotherapy, which is us) is in touch with the new aged care standards and delivers those standards to the facility.

  We incorporate AFCI interventions, as well as strength and mobility rehabilitation exercises, we feel this combined approach gives a better outcome to the residents.

• How would Total Health Choice handle negative feedback from a facility?

  We really value structured criticisms.

  If there was feedback, whether part of our team or the service that we’re providing, we would look into the cause of the issue and try and make amends, change and improve.

  We believe the key to avoid that is to work closely with the facilities, the managers, the care coordinators so we can provide high quality service. We’re very hands on and present.

• Can you give an example of initiatives Total Health Choice has implemented?

  Total Health Choice’s team leaders have a structured handover process.

  This process essentially ensures our clinicians touch base with appropriate facility staff to update them on assessments, changes in mobility, and the work we have performed.

  The handover is a great process to keep all parties synchronised.

• What are review schedules?

  We maintain a transparent review schedule to evaluate the outcomes of interventions

  We conduct a minimum of biannual reviews of the residents of the facilities.

  For residents that are part of our pain management program, which we call the Wellness Center Program (a holistic improvement on the pain management program), we do three monthly assessments for monitoring purposes.

  Furthermore, whilst each resident does have a six-monthly review, we also conduct reviews if there are changes in mobility.

  For example, we often receive referrals, where, unfortunately, the resident has seen a recent change in their mobility, as a result of:

  • Recent hospital admission
  • Recent fall
  • Problems with their mobility equipment
  • Rapid decline in mobility due to age or comorbidities
  • Change in medication

  At Total Health Choice we pride ourselves on the stability and quality of care for the facilities and residents we serve.

• Do you work with your own or the facilities document management systems?

  Both.

  Total Health Choice stores its own data using cloud-based software.

  We work with facilities to maintain accurate document management systems. From a document-patient perspective, the facility’s staff can access our notes and assessments through their system at any time.

  We use a priority system that ensures residents are treated in the appropriate order. For example, post-fall reviews or post-hospital assessments would take precedence at times.

• How does Total Health Choice try to synergise with facility staff?

  Total Health Choice is liaising with families, healthcare companies and other parties on a daily basis. We are a multidisciplinary team, and we know we’re only as good as the team around us.

  Our hands-on approach allows us to work very closely with other teams, we especially try to benefit nurses, clinical coordinators and unit managers of the facilities we partner with.

  Connecting with the residents, the care staff, lifestyle team and volunteers is critical in order to foster a culture that improves the emotional and physical well-being of the residents.

  We know close working relationships are primary to deliver the best outcomes for the residents!