With just three weeks until the new Aged Care Act takes effect, Australian Unity's forecast it will take 90,000 hours of additional work to regenerate all 25,000 client contracts and care plans, and explain the changes to consumers, still holds.

Elizabeth Albury, General Manager Service Delivery, Australian Unity Home Health, told The Weekly SOURCE, "This engagement takes time but it’s essential to ensuring older Australians can continue to age at home with dignity and confidence.

"We’re continue to work closely with our customers and their families to ensure they understand the Support at Home reforms and what the changes mean for their care ahead of the 1 November transition date. 

"This work involves explaining the reforms and their implications as well as developing new care plans, budgets, and service agreements with each customer."

Australian Unity Home Health will monitor demand closely once Support at Home is in place, amid concern planned co-payments could result in consumers missing out on essential care.  

"While current customers will not be impacted, our concern is that new customers are likely to decline these services due to cost.

"This is particularly worrying given that personal care – such as showering, medication support and bowel care – is akin to clinical services, often being the first line of defence against deterioration, falls, and hospitalisation.   

"If we are to deliver on the goals of the reform, personal care must be treated as essential, not optional," she said.