Summary

This report includes information from the 2007-08 Younger People with Disability in Residential Aged Care Minimum Data Set (YPIRAC MDS). It summarises the characteristics of people who were 'on the books' during 2007-08 and the YPIRAC services they received. People included in 'on the books' are those who accepted YPIRAC services in 2006-07 and continued to receive services (including monitoring only) in 2007-08, along with new starters in 2007-08.

  • The 2007-08 financial year saw the addition of 376 new service users. As at 30 June 2008, a total of 580 people were accessing YPIRAC-funded services.
  • 2007-08 saw a shift in focus from relocating people living in residential aged care accommodation (target group 1) to diverting people living in the community who were at risk of admission to residential aged care (target group 2) (Table 3.1 and Figure 4.1).
  • As at 30 June 2008, 398 YPIRAC service users were living in residential aged care; 162 were living in other settings, including private residences and domestic scale disability accommodation; 20 people were in hospital.
  • The program continued to focus on the initial priority age group, under 50 years, which accounted for 83% of service users in 2007-08.
  • Acquired brain injury (ABI) was the predominant primary disability group-46% of service users-and more than half of service users with ABI recorded as a primary disability were in residential aged care awaiting alternative accommodation. Neurological disability was the second most common primary disability, though these users were more evenly spread across the four target groups than service users with ABI (see Chapter 2).
  • Around 46% of service users (265 people) received a support services package, while 14% (79 people) received an alternative accommodation placement (Table 3.1).
  • Service users in the 'at risk' group (target group 2) were more likely than those who chose to remain in residential aged care (target group 3) to receive a support package (72% compared with 38%; Table 3.1).
  • Service users in target group 1 tended to receive YPIRAC assessment followed by monitoring, while they waited for alternative accommodation to become available. Only 42% of target group 1 received a support package. It is reasonable to assume that support packages will be arranged or continued when a person moves from residential aged care to new accommodation. A period of service support from YPIRAC before moving out of residential aged care may help to establish services and rapport between support workers and their client, and provide service continuity.
  • Service users in target group 2 tended to receive a YPIRAC assessment followed by a support package (Table 3.6).
  • Support packages varied in composition-common service types were attendant care/personal care (accessed by 20% of users), community access (other than day programs) (18%), assistive products and technology (17%) and individual therapy support (16%).
  • Only 3 continuing service users (from 2006-07) received YPIRAC-funded respite care, compared with 13 new users of respite care in 2007-08. This at least partly reflects the shift towards in-home support packages for people at risk of entering residential aged care.