NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Ageing Disability & Home Care (ADHC)
Target Group
Persons with problems relating to dementia who are living in the community and who, in the absence of basic maintenance and support services are at risk of premature or inappropriate long term residential care.
What is the aim of the program?
The aim of Social Support is to maximise an individual’s ability to continue living independently at home and assist in meeting the person’s need for social contact.
The program serves HACC-eligible clients who are at risk of social isolation because of a number of risk factors such as:
Low income;
Living alone;
Lack of access to transport;
poor mobility; and
poor health status including poor cognitive functioning.
The aims of Social Support are achieved by increasing each client’s social networks and participation in meaningful and enjoyable activities which are appropriate to the individual’s needs, interests and abilities.
What service does the program provide?
Social Support refers to assistance provided by a companion (paid worker or volunteer) either within the home environment or while accessing community services, which is primarily directed towards meeting the person’s need for social contact and/or accompaniment in order to participate in community life. Social Support includes friendly visiting.
The following are the major activities that may form part of the Social Support service:
Meal assistance (Assistance with the preparation of meals are part of the Social Support service to provide social participation. The service may include practical assistance with the tasks of eating as required.)
Outings and day trips (Outings and excursions may form part of a Social Support program. Excursions may include visits to places of interest that promote social interaction and community inclusion and/or maintain practical life skills, e.g. shopping, visiting the bank, paying bills)
Telephone based monitoring services (It may be appropriate to contact the client regularly by telephone to provide Social Support and companionship. This may be particularly applicable to clients living in remote areas.)
Friendly visiting (Involves visiting the client in their home and providing companionship and Social Support.)
Letter writing, other correspondence
Accompanying to appointments and social activities (Involves accompanying the person to an appointment, such as a medical appointment. This may include transportation, where the major need is to have someone with them, rather than getting from one place to another.)
Minor garden and home maintenance (Where the worker assists the client in gardening or home maintenance activities)
daily activities (Social Support can include assisting clients with planning their daily schedules and coordinating appointments as the need is identified.)
What is the program’s assessment and review process?
Phone assessment if appropriate; face to face assessment as required.
Re-assessments (reviews) will generally be conducted on an annual basis, more frequently if appropriate
When does the program operate?
Services are generally provided weekdays, Monday to Friday between 8:00 and 17:00, not on Public Holidays.
What partnerships does the program have?
NSW Health (Community Nursing, Hospitals), Private Hospitals, Aged Care Assessment Teams, GPs, other HACC providers,
Program Fees
$10 per hour for pensioners, $15 per hour for non-pensioners
Who can refer to the program?
Self, family, friend, neighbour, other (HACC) service providers, Aged Care Assessment Team, GP, Hospitals, agencies or anyone in the community that has concerns for someone.
How do you refer to the program?
Customer Service Centre on 1800225474
Any other information
In using an enabling approach, the individual requiring support becomes an active decision-maker in the planning and implementation of their community care support arrangements. As they become involved in identifying goals that are important and meaningful to them, and participating in decisions that affect their lives, their confidence and personal wellbeing is enhanced.
Referral Criteria:
Who is eligible?
People who are HACC eligible, i.e. people
with a functional disability due to dementia who experience difficulty in carrying out tasks of daily living, and
people living in the community who, in the absence of basic maintenance and support are at risk of premature or inappropriate long term residential care
Who is not eligible?
People who are not HACC eligible
People who don’t experience problems relating to dementia
HACC eligible people who are already receiving similar services from other government program
Is priority access given?
It is the aim of the program to provide the most benefit to the greatest number of people. Priority of need is based on the following factors:
The vulnerability of the individual to further deterioration
The effect of service delivery on the carer
The likely effect of the service provided in assisting individuals to attain their goals, for example reduce risk of admission to residential care or maintaining quality of life in the community
