FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AUSTRALIA

A. Definition of a Carer Carers are usually family members or friends who provide unpaid support to a person who has dementia, a disability, a mental illness, a chronic condition or is too frail to provide care for themselves. Carers are also known as Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAPs). UAPs usually perform the following duties: - Observing, documenting and reporting clinical and treatment information, including patients' behavioural changes - Assisting with motion exercises and other rehabilitative measures - Taking and recording blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiration, and bodyweight - Assisting with ambulating and mobilization of patients - Collecting specimens for required medical tests - Providing emotional and support services to patients, their families and other caregivers - Assisting with personal hygiene - Assisting with meal preparation, grocery shopping, dietary planning, and food and fluid intake B. Why extend the definition of paid carers to unpaid carers and Respite care In 2003, Australia had almost 2.6 million carers. One fifth of these carers were unpaid carers/family members. We must extend our definition to unpaid carers and to capture this 20% of the market. In 2003, an estimated 1.1 million people lived in households which had a severe or profound limitation in one of the coreactivities of communication, mobility or self-care, and needed assistance with at least one of a number of specified activities. Of these, 61% received help from a formal service provider, but 95% received help from an informal carer. It has been estimated that the value of services provided by all informal carers exceeded $27 billion in 200506. Respite care is also very common in Australia in the form of in-home respite, specialised respite, emergency respite, sitter companion services and therapeutic adult day care. These services are provided by governmental and non-profit organisations in Australia. C. Business potential In 2003, Australia had almost 2.6 million carers. One fifth of these carers were unpaid carers/family members. The figure must have doubled by now. Assuming a 1 % penetration rate for a course costing $50, this will result in $1.3m a year. This is a very conservative estimate. There are approximately 850,000 carers in NSW alone. Assuming a 0.5% penetration rate for a course costing $50 could result in revenues of $212,500 from NSW alone. This is only for 1 module. Over 3 million Australians live with limitations arising from disability or ageing. They need carers.

We must understand the psychology and motivations of Australians. The reasons why there would be a demand for various people are as follows: -To learn how to take better care of their loved ones -The certification will give them access to working in Respite services, kindergartens, hospitals and aged homes. -Australian states, by legislation, have to show that they have taken adequate measures to provide for the needs of Veterans, people with disabilities and the aged by training their carers. Therefore, they have to send carers to our courses. -Government wants to improve the efficiency of its health care facilities. Our courses will be a kind of continual professional education to staff working in aged homes and disability centres so that they can maintain or sharpen their skills and provide better care and handle more responsibilities. This will lessen the burden on the government to pay more staff to run their facilities. -In rural areas, the Government would like faster response to patients needs. Therefore, instead of waiting for the necessary person to become available and sending them over, they can ask the immediate carer to attend the course online and equip themselves with the necessary skills. The government may pay for the carers course. This reduces a lot of costs in the form of training, transportation and manpower. - Our courses will interest the Government because when carers are trained and are able to take care of their loved ones, there is reduced financial burden on the government to provide community services. Encouraging people to be self-sufficient and responsible for themselves is important. -336,000 carers are under the age of 25. The ease of learning online will interest many of these young people. The certification will give them job prospects and the government will be able to recruit more carers which they need. D. The potential for aged care training in Australia The proportion of Australians aged 65 years and over is expected to almost double by 2051, to 26 per cent of the population (or more than 7 million people). Ageing of the population presents several challenges for governments and the community including a demand for formal care services that assist older people. The Australia government is spending $486.9 million to support the development of more residential aged care facilities in areas of greatest need (including rural and remote areas) and $880.1 million to expand home care services over the next 10 years. Expanding home care facilities require more trained home care staff in courses such as palliative care. Furthermore, building more facilities only solves part of the problem. Training staff will allow them to be more confident in handling more responsibilities thereby increasing the efficiency of those facilities. In the context of aging populations and health care reform, UAPs are in growing demand in many countries. E. Our Strengths Our strength can only be in our certification and close ties and partnerships with various government agencies and organisations. This is because our course can be easily copied by another due to its elementary nature. F. Business Model

Our courses should be available ONLINE in Australia, UK and America for the following reasons: -Our courses are cheap. $50 per module. It doesnt justify having high overheads like training centres and staff. -Language and illiteracy in not a problem unlike the Philippines, Indonesia and the Middle East. A different model will have to be followed in these countries. -Australia, UK and USA are geographically very vast. It is impossible to target such an immense geography at once unless we have the reach of the internet to do the training. -Government organisations, non-profits will recommend carers to attend our courses. Some government agencies will make it compulsory for people to attend our courses and produce our certificate. -As a value add and also to cater to the needs of the Australian government, a component of our course could educate the homecare workers on legality and liability. This will interest the Government as they would like to regulate homecare workers and educate them on their rights, obligations and responsibilities. In the UK and USA, homecare workers have to conform to regulations. Australia may want a more regulated market as well. -Our courses will be in the form of many pictures and MCQs. It will be like a nursery book. Impossible to fail and very easy to understand. -Those who attend more than a certain number of courses can fly down to Sydney to sit a practical exam. If they pass, they will get a better certification gaining themselves the official term Licenced Assistive Personnel, Licenced Healthcare Professional, Licenced Healthcare Support Worker, Nursing Assistant, Nursing Auxiliary, Auxiliary Nurse, Patient Care Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Home Health Aide/Assistant, Geriatric Aide/Assistant, Psychiatric Aide, Nurse Aide, or Nurse Tech. These personnel are usually called Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP). We will give them the licence and make them known as Licenced Assistive Personnel. The Government may be interested in this as the addition of cheaper UAPs to the healthcare system may lessen the rising cost of healthcare. -Our courses can train Birth Assistants, such as doulas, childbirth educators and other persons providing emotional support and general care and advice to women and families during pregnancy and childbirth. They are distinguished from midwives, physicians, nurses, and other professionals who are trained and licensed to provide basic and emergency pregnancy and childbirth-related health care services and manage complications. -Surgical technologists are considered UAPs in the US, where they are also sometimes called "Scrub tech". However the title can mean different things in different countries. For example in Mozambique, surgical technologists are medical professionals trained and registered to perform advanced clinical procedures including emergency surgery. We can provide such courses. -UAPs can also be trained to assist paramedics in ambulances. The addition of these workers in emergency care will improve such services. -Our courses must be vetted by lawyers to make sure that we do not teach any procedures that would cause the carer to be liable and cause us to be sued as a result.

E. Our competitors Website: http://www.primarycaretraining.co.uk/

Let us look at the above competitor. They offer a course on Ear irrigation for Health Assisstants(the equivalent of a UAP) for 600 pounds! This course is conducted over 2 days. Another course, Wound Care for Health Care Assistants Accredited, costs 240 pounds and spans over 4 months with 200 hours of study. These courses are partially subsidised and credits are given towards whatever course of studies they are undertaking with the affiliated university. Therefore, there is a lot of potential in this area of training carers.

F. Our Marketing Plan The following entails how we can market our courses in Australia. This will be a great platform to promote our nursing courses later on. 1. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) This legislation will be voted on early this year. The NDIS will introduce lifetime care and support to participants so as to assist in their self-management and independence. It will be good if we can find out who the government intends to work with to provide the care and support. These workers could be trained by us. 2. NSW Government, ADHC (Ageing, Disability and Homecare) Website: http://www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/ The ADHC performs the following services: For older people: Help at home with personal care, domestic tasks and meals Respite and support for carers Community nursing and related health services For people with a disability: Supported accommodation in the community and in specialist centres which will require health care workers. Case management and access to therapy services including occupational therapy, speech pathology and physiotherapy which need the assistance of UAPs. For carers: Respite and support for carers Training for parents of children with an intellectual disability Help in managing challenging behaviour Support groups and networks

The ADHC also supports programs that raise awareness about the importance of carers and encourage the general community to offer them greater support and understanding. We can work closely with the ADHC to promote our courses as a means to encourage and support home carers as our courses will better equip them with the necessary skills, instil a sense of confidence and give them better prospects for employment in healthcare institutions. 3. NSW Carers Advisory Council Website: http://www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/individuals/caring_for_someone/nsw_carers_advisory_council The NSW Carers Advisory Council advances the interests of carers. The Council provides advice to the NSW Government on legislation, policy and other matters that have a significant impact on carers. The Council advises the NSW Government on the following priorities: - Identifying barriers and operational constraints that affect carers, and effective solutions. Our training courses could be a solution. -Raising awareness of carer services and supports and recommending ways to make the service system easier to navigate. Our programmes could be a solution. -NSW position in national reviews and reforms related to carers. Giving recognition to carers and training them could be a reform. -Supporting young carers and other priority carer groups. Getting the government to spend on their training could be a means of support. 4. The NSW Disability Service Act 1993 The above act requires that all NSW State Government departments have a publicly available Disability Action Plan. They have a reporting template to show that they have achieved all the requirements as stated by the act. Approaching the government departments to provide the necessary training to carers of those with disabilities can be a means in which they can show they are complaint to the Act. 5. Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing Website: http://www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au/ This government department facilitates community aged care services. These may include domestic assistance, home maintenance and modification, personal care, delivered meals and nursing. It also provides carer support and respite services. Providing carer support could be in the form of providing carers who are trained and accredited by us. They provide advice on and coordinated access to respite services in a carer's local area. Our courses can train temporary replacements and carers especially on the afflictions affecting the patient so that they can offer the care needed by the patient. Therefore, the response to the patients needs is much faster because it can be a 1 day course on a particular ailment, like cardiac care. If the carers attend the course, they can immediately take care of the patient instead of the department waiting for someone who is qualified or wait for some interdepartmental transfer which could take a while.

Whether youre caring for someone at home or considering an aged care home, the Department of Health And Ageing calls on its Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT or ACAS in Victoria) to check whether the person you care for is eligible for these services. This team will give your family member a free assessment. They will assess their ability to wash, dress, go to the shops and get through daily living activities. These teams can recommend to carers to attend our courses so that rather than sending their loved ones to a home immediately they can learn how to take care of their loved ones. This is the prerogative of the government because when carers are trained and are able to take care of their loved ones, there is reduced financial burden on the government to provide community services. Encouraging people to be self-sufficient and responsible for themselves is important. 6. Australian Government: Australian Institue of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) Program The Commonwealth HACC Program enables the development of a consistent aged care system covering basic care at home through to high level care in aged care homes. Older people will be able to move seamlessly from basic maintenance, support and care services through to more complex care packages or residential care as their needs change. The Commonwealth HACC Program provides services that support older people to stay at home and be more independent in the community. The services provided under the Commonwealth HACC Program include: -Nursing care -Allied health services like podiatry, physiotherapy and speech pathology -Domestic assistance, including help with cleaning, washing and shopping -Personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, grooming and eating -Assistance with food preparation in the home -Assessment, client care coordination and case management -Counselling, information and advocacy services -Centre-based day care -Support for carers including respite services We are able to contribute to the program in many ways. We can upgrade the skills of those providing domestic assistance and day care so that they can handle more responsibilities. The same carer delivering the food can conduct assessment and dressing. The government becomes more efficient in the provision of its services. 7. The Australian Government Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Veterans Home Care Program Veterans Home Care Program provides assistance to eligible veterans, war widows and widowers. One such program is the Veterans Home Care program which delivers in-home support services, mostly for low-level care such as domestic assistance and personal care. In 200910 there were around 77,000 clients for this program, making it second only to the HACC program in client numbers. This program can be the target of our courses.

The Transition Care Program This program is available for older people following a period of hospitalisation. It is a timelimited, goaloriented and therapy-focussed program. It provides older people with a package of services after a hospital stay that includes low intensity therapy (such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and social work) nursing support and/or personal care. It helps older people complete their restorative process and optimise their functional capacity, while assisting them and their family or carer to make long-term arrangements which may include a move into residential aged care. Our courses will help to facilitate this program. The Multi-Purpose Services program The program is specifically designed to deliver combined services (including aged care, health and community services) in rural and remote communities where separate services would not be viable. Innovative Care program To provide further flexibility for older people, innovative care arrangements and models of delivery are trialled under the Innovative Care program, prior to being formally assessed for potential of a mainstream roll-out. A current example is the Consumer Directed Care (CDC) program, a Community care service delivery model being tested across a number of community aged care environments. Our courses can form part of innovative care solutions and the CDC program. 8. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program The Australian Government provides services specifically for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSI Flexible Aged Care Program). The services funded under this program provide culturally appropriate residential and community aged care, mainly in rural and remote areas close to Indigenous communities. The aim of the program is to help older Indigenous Australians access culturally appropriate care services as close as possible to their own communities. We can introduce our courses under this program as well. This will be useful in these rural communities whereby access to healthcare is limited. We can train carers in such areas to attend to the needs of these communities. 9. Encouraging Better Practice in Aged Care Initiative (EBPAC) The EBPAC initiative aims to encourage and support the uptake of evidence-based, person-centred, better practice in Australian Government subsidised aged care services, through a focus on improving staff knowledge and skills and developing supporting resources, to improve outcomes for aged care recipients. While a number of evidence-based guidelines exist to assist aged care staff in providing appropriate care for residents and people in the community, it is recognised that there is a need to establish strategies to translate the evidence into everyday practice such as training programs, improved communication procedures and assessment tools. Our courses can be a medium for this.

10. NSW Government Health Department Website: http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/mch/family_care_centres.asp The NSW government operates family care cottages. These places can be platform to market our courses. 11. NSW Kids and Families Initiative Website: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kids/pages/default.aspx NSW Kids and Families champions the health interests of children and young people whether they are at home, in the community or in or out of hospital. This includes health services for babies, children, adolescents, mothers, parents and families. The continual improvement of the quality and safety of health care provided in hospital and community settings is a common goal of patients, the community and health care professionals. NSW Kids and Families will develop a long term, statewide strategic plan bringing together key parties to build a shared plan to guide the best possible health services for children and young people across NSW. NSW kids can market our course related to children. Our courses can include a component on health and safety before being marketed to carers of children. 12. Health care at Home, Australia Website: http://www.hah.com.au/ Healthcare at Home Australia is transforming healthcare with home infusions, home injection support and other clinical services that put patients and their families first, whilst improving treatment outcomes and reducing treatment costs. They administer 2 services: Medication home treatment Highly skilled and experienced nurses who can administer a wide range of medications such as chemotherapy, infusions and injections outside of the traditional hospital setting Cancer services Different cancer treatments and support services in patients' homes or a location of choice We could ask them to expand their service to include training for carers to take over some of the duties of nurses. 13. Carers Australia Incorporated Website: http://www.carersaustralia.com.au/how-we-work/national-programs/carer-advisory-service/

They work in collaboration with carers, Carers Associations, government and peak bodies to develop policy, advocacy, programs and events to improve the lives of Australia's 2.6 million carers. They provide a Carer Advisory Service, National Carer Counselling Program and Young carers Program. National Carers Counselling Program The National Carer Counselling Program provides short-term counselling and emotional and psychological support services for carers. The counselling helps reduce carer stress, improve carer coping skills and facilitate, where appropriate, the continuation of the caring role. The counselling program is delivered through the state and territory carer associations. They can recommend our courses as a means of support and continual education for carers. The Young carers Program Young carers are people up to 25 years of age who care in families where someone who has an illness, a disability, a mental health issue or who has an alcohol or other drug problem. Carers Australia runs the Young Carer Information, Advice, Support and Referral program and works closely with the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres. They can advocate our courses as a solution to the challenges that come with caring for someone. 14. Carers ACT Website: http://www.carersact.org.au/ Carers ACT is the recognised , expert voice with, and for, carers while being the major provider of carer services and supports in the ACT. They work closely with government and other support organisations to improve the lives of caring families and individuals throughout the ACT by doing the following: -Deliver carer services and support including: information and advice, counseling, respite, support groups, educational and social activities - Lead change with carers through representation, policy development and advice to government -Conduct monthly workshops are designed to increase the awareness and knowledge of carers and to give them information and skills to support their caring role while maintaining their own well-being. We can market our courses to them. 15. Cyclops ACT CyclopsACT is the ACT's website for young carers - young people who care for someone in their family who are affected by illness or disability. This website contains heaps of useful information about illness and disability, about caring and about where to get help when things are tough. Their website can be used to market our courses. 16. YMCA Canberra, Youth and Family Services Unit

Website: http://www.ywca-canberra.org.au/ The Youth and Family Services Unit strives to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable children, young people and their families by supporting them to reach their potential, make a contribution and share in the benefits of our community. They can utilise or market our courses. 17. MS Society Website: www.ms.org.au The MS Society assists people with MS and related neurological disorders and their families by offering counseling, information, referral, advocacy, community education, hospital and home visits and providing links with community services. They also provide a whole host of supports to people with MS in their home or at McKesson House. The MS society could market our courses so that we may teach people to take care of their families.

18. The Junction Youth Health Service Website: http://www.thejunction.org.au/ The Junction Youth Health Service provides a holistic and flexible approach to primary health care and support services for at risk young people aged 12 years to 25 years and their dependents living in the ACT and surrounding areas. They have a paediatric clinic, antenatal clinic and smoking cessation clinic that provide the following primary health care services to clients and their children: Immunisations Chronic disease management Cervical screening Wound care and dressings Sexual health Assessments and education Mental health care Venipuncture and pathology They also provide home visits, counselling service and outreach services. These service will need the trained carers. 19. Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) Website: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/about-fahcsia/publications-articles/corporate-publications/annualreports/2012

FaHCSIA is a key source of strategic advice to the Australian Government on social policy and works in partnership with other government and non-government organisations to manage a diverse range of programs and services to improve the lives of Australians. They help Australian families, people with disability, Indigenous people, seniors and people who require access to housing through a wide range of payments and services. They can advocate our courses. Young Carers NSW There are around 347,700 Australians, under the age of 25, providing care to a family member who has a long-term illness or disability. The aim of the Young Carer Program is to equip young carers with the resources they require to perform their roles. Our courses can be one of these resources. The program supports young carers by providing telephone support/information/referrals, newletters, Face-to-face counselling, Interactive young carer website and development of regional networks. We can work with this program to provide courses to young carers so that they may be well equipped to take care of their family members. 20. . A.C.T. Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service (ADACAS) Website: http://www.adacas.org.au/ The A.C.T. Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service (ADACAS), is an independent, not-for-profit, advocacy organisation helping people with disabilities, older people and their carers. The ADACAS educates individuals and the general public in the following ways: They provide information to people with disabilities, people who are ageing and their carers, so as to enable them to identify their rights and responsibilities and to be able to exercise them; They provide information to the general public, community groups, organisations and individuals, so as to raise awareness of general issues relating to disability, ageing and being a carer; Other forums where they provide education include education sessions regularly held in Residential Aged Care facilities; training provided to tertiary institutions, targeting community workers so as to enhance their understanding of advocacy; and training in self-advocacy for people with mental health conditions. Our courses could compliment the various education programs they provide. 21. Working carers gateway Website: http://www.workingcarers.org.au/ This website has been created to help people who are juggling working AND caring roles. They publish Work 'n' Care, a monthly newsletter. Our courses can be featured in their newsletter. 22. Victorian Carers Services Network

Website: http://vcsn.infoxchange.net.au/index.shtml The Victorian Carers Services Network is an online information resource, including information about the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres, carer benefits (such as Centrelink payments), news events and calendar. The website also provides contact details for regional carer services according to location. They can feature our courses our we can utilise their contacts(regional carer services) to broadcast our courses. 23. Australian Homecare Website: http://www.ahcs.org.au/ Australian Home Care provides in-home care and support services to people in need, to help them live as independently as possible in their own homes, and to live the lives they want, as best they can. They support people who have a disability, people who are recovering from an accident or illness, the elderly and war veterans. They also step in to help with respite care when the primary carer or family are in need of a break. Our Support Workers are passionate about making a difference and are trained to deliver the kind of high-quality care that really makes a difference to the everyday lives of our care recipients. Support Workers give care recipients the support they need while helping them maintain their independence in their own homes or in the community. These support workers can be told to spread our information of our courses which will be beneficial to carers. 24. CentreLink Centrelink is an Australian Government Statutory Agency, assisting people to become self-sufficient and supporting those in need. They can be advocates for our courses. 25. Australian Government, Department for human services This Government department provides Carer Payment, Carer Allowance and Child Disability Assistance payment and other forms of financial assistance if you provide care every day to someone with a disability, illness, or who is frail-aged. They can advocate our courses as a means for carers to be adequately educated before taking care of their families. 26. Commonwealth respite and carelink centres Website: http://www9.health.gov.au/ccsd/index.cfm Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres are information centres for older people, people with disabilities and those who provide care and services. Centres provide free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available locally, interstate or anywhere within Australia.

The network of 54 Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres has around 65 'walk-in' shopfronts throughout Australia. Many shopfronts are conveniently located near, or within, shopping centres. Their carelink Centre staff can recommend our courses to carers interested in equipping themselves with the skills to take care of their loved ones/patients.

27. Yooralla Yooralla provides essential services for children and adults with disability, their families and carers that include a range of accommodation alternatives, respite, in-home support, therapy, attendant care, specialised equipment, employment, recreation, information, education and training, and practical skills for daily living. Their Respite Information services support people with disability, their families and carers by providing up to date information regarding respite options. They can advocate our courses.

28. National Respite Association Website: http://www.interchangensw.com.au/ National Respite Association is the peak body for organisations involved in providing respite care, social support, and centre based day care services to families who have a member with a disability, or is frail aged. Their role is to support these organisations to help them deliver better services to families/carers in the form of training and newsletters. They also offer a range of networking and specialised training opportunities for staff, co-ordinators, managers and board members of member organisation. They can utilise our courses as part of the training offered. 29. Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education Website:http://www.innovation.gov.au/Skills/SkillsTrainingAndWorkforceDevelopment/NationalWorkfo rceDevelopmentFund/Pages/default.aspx Through the National Workforce Development Fund (NWDF) the Australian Government will provide $700 million over five years to industry to support training and workforce development in areas of current and future skills need. This fund can be used to subsidise our courses.