Useful Definitions

Act

Means the Aged Care Act 1997.

ACAT: Aged Care Assessment Team/Program

The core objective of the Aged Care Assessment Program is to comprehensively assess the needs of frail older people and to facilitate access to available care services appropriate to their needs. In meeting this objective, ACATs also determine eligibility for Commonwealth Government subsidised residential aged care, Community Aged Care Packages and some flexible care services, including Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH).

Accommodation Bond

An amount of money that does not accrue daily and is paid or payable to an approved provider by the person for the person's entry to a facility through which care is, or is to be, provided by the approved provider. A bond is repayable when the care recipient dies; the care recipient ceases to be provided with residential care by a facility conducted by the approved provider; or the facility ceases to be certified.

Accommodation Charge

An amount of money that accrues daily and is paid or payable to an approved provider by the person for the person's entry into a residential care service or flexible care service through which care is, or is to be provided by the approved provider.

Aged Care Commissioner

A person appointed by the Minister. The Commissioner holds a statutory appointment and is able to review certain decisions made by the Complaints Investigation Scheme, examine complaints about the Complaints Investigation Scheme and the Aged Care Accreditation Agency and conduct own motion investigations. The Commissioner reports to the Minister and is independent of the Department of Health and Ageing and the Aged Care Accreditation Agency.

Aggrieved Person

Means a care recipient of the relevant approved provider, or his/her representative, to whom a matter under investigation relates.

Allocation of Places

The number of beds in a facility which are Commonwealth funded.

Approved Provider

A person or company or organisation who has been given approval by the Commonwealth Government (under Part 2.1 of the Aged Care Act 1997) to provide residential care which will be eligible for funding by the Commonwealth.

Accreditation

The evaluation process which residential aged care services must undergo in order to continue to receive Commonwealth Government funding (residential care subsidy) under the Aged Care Act 1997 after 1 January 2001. The process involves a self-assessment by the service, which is then validated by an assessment team by desk and site audits. Following this, an accreditation decision is made by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

Accreditation Standards

Facilities applying for accreditation will be assessed against the four Accreditation Standards:

  • Management Systems, Staffing and Organisation Development
  • Health and Personal Care
  • Resident Lifestyle
  • Physical Environment and Safe Systems

Each Standard is divided up into a number of expected outcomes. There is a total of 44 expected outcomes across the four Accreditation Standards.

Authorised Officer

An officer, appointed by written instrument, with certain powers, including monitoring powers. Approved providers have a responsibility under the Act to co-operate with an authorised officer exercising their powers; an approved provider who does not assist an authorised officer may not be complying with their responsibilities.

Community Aged Care Package (CACP)

Packages provide low level aged care in the home for people needing personal care, domestic assistance and similar services.

Delegate

The Secretary and Aged Care Commissioner are able to delegate certain powers. The relevant officer can exercise that power and is responsible for any decisions/actions they make in relation to that power.

Extended Care at Home Package (EACH)

Provides high-level care to people who need more help than a Community Aged Care Package can provide.

Extra Service

Extra Service involves the provision of additional 'hotel' type services or lifestyle extras, including higher standards of accommodation and increased entertainment and food choices. Residents are required to pay an additional fee for these services and may be requested to pay a bond for either high care or low care accommodation.

Facilities (or Services)

Residential aged care services which provide high or low care places, or both, often referred to as Nursing Homes and Aged Care Hostels.

Key Personnel

For the purposes of the Aged Care Act 1997 the following is one of an approved provider's key personnel:

  • A member of the group of people who are responsible for the executive decisions of the approved provider
  • Any other person who is concerned in, or takes part in, the management of the approved provider
  • Any person responsible for the overall nursing care provided
  • Any person responsible for the day to day operations of an aged care service

Non-Compliance

When a facility does not satisfactorily meet the legislated standards of care and accommodation.

Operators

Approved providers.

Protected Information

Information that was acquired under, or for the purposes of the Aged Care Act 1997 and is either personal information or relates to the affairs of an approved provider

Representative

Under the Accountability Principles 1998 a representative means the following person or bodies:

  • A person or body authorised by the Secretary to assess a residential care service for the purposes of certification
  • A person acting for an accreditation body
  • The Secretary
  • The Aged Care Commissioner

For the purposes of the Investigation Principles 2007, a representative of a care recipient includes:

  • A carer or relative of the care recipient
  • A legal guardian of the care recipient
  • An advocate for the care recipient.

Revocation of approved provider status

The withdrawal or cancellation of approval for the operation to provide residential care which will be eligible for funding by the Commonwealth.

Sanction

A penalty imposed by the Department on operators of residential aged care facilities in cases of serious non-compliance with the provisions of the Aged Care Act 1997. The decision to impose sanctions is not taken lightly and includes consideration of issues such as:

  • whether non-compliance is minor or serious
  • whether it has occurred before; and
  • whether it threatens the health, welfare or interests of the residents.

Different sanctions may be imposed depending on the circumstances of the non-compliance, but they may include revocation of approved provider status, loss of Commonwealth Government subsidies for new residents or revocation of allocated places (beds). When a sanction is imposed, letters are sent to the residents of the facility and their nominated family members / carers advising then of the sanction, and that the approved provider (operator) has been asked to hold a meeting with the residents and families to explain how necessary improvements will be made.