Group Homes Australia is a network of residential care homes that believe people should live and thrive in a home environment. Each home can house six to ten residents and provides 24-hour care for residents in need of palliative, dementia, and respite care. This model of home-based care is particularly beneficial for elderly, frail, or otherwise ill individuals.
Group homes
Group Homes Australia is an innovative home care provider that focuses on helping people live as independently as possible. Their philosophy is based on the notion that people should be able to thrive in a familiar, home-like environment. The homes are situated on ordinary suburban streets throughout Australia and can accommodate anywhere from six to ten residents. The Group Homes Australia homes provide 24-hour support, palliative care, dementia care and respite care.
The homes are designed to look and smell like a home, and the homemakers focus on a resident’s abilities and needs instead of their disabilities. Group Homes Australia has no visible logos or branding, which makes the homes blend in with typical suburban houses and preserve the dignity of residents.
Supported living
Group Homes are designed to provide residents with a home-like environment. With a multidisciplinary approach, social workers and clinical staff work hand in hand to provide personalised care. Salesforce, Group Homes Australia’s resident database, allows everyone involved in the care of each resident to work together in a collaborative environment. This includes access to the social worker’s notes and insight on a resident’s progress and needs. A mobile app allows carers to update the profile of a resident from any location without interrupting care.
Group homes have become a common service delivery model for people with disabilities in Australia. As a result, many are being developed on a large scale. Currently, around 25 per cent of SDA places are in group homes. However, the reasons for their growth are unclear, and the evidence for their effectiveness is lacking. In the past, SDAs were supported by the government’s pre-NDIS system, which has separated support for both types of housing.
Respite
Respite care services are subsidised by the Australian Government. The government provides a certain amount per resident per day. This subsidy can vary. Some respite services will have no accommodation charge and no income-tested fees. Others may have a basic daily fee, capped at 85% of the single basic Age Pension.
The study was conducted between June and October 2015. It included a telephone interview of respondents and a semi-structured questionnaire. The participants were recruited from two areas of greater Sydney. The sample was not representative of all groups, and it did not capture the perspective of participants who had not used respite services. However, the study authors maintain that recruitment of respondents who actively use respite services would enable more rigorous assessment of effectiveness.
Behaviour management
Children with behaviour problems may become housebound and have trouble completing tasks. This can cause the child to be depressed and lonely. Children with such difficulties may also be unable to reach the academic and social milestones that they need to be successful. For this reason, behaviour management is extremely important in group homes.
An effective approach to behaviour management begins with developing a written policy and procedure. During the initial stages of the program implementation, this document is created based on the information and decisions that staff members elicit from the group. It also provides a framework for implementing the program.
Aged care
Group Homes Australia is a network of residential care homes in Australia. The homes are designed to encourage a home-like environment and offer 24-hour care. They also provide a range of services, including dementia, palliative, and respite care. Located on ordinary Australian streets, these homes are designed to meet the needs of individuals and their families.
Group Homes Australia focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to care, working with social workers and clinical workers to provide comprehensive care. They use Salesforce to create detailed resident profiles to ensure that everyone in the care team is on the same page. This software allows carers to check on residents’ progress, view social worker notes, and add insights.