Community Care News Digest - Resources & Services - Western Sydney Community Forum

RESOURCES & SERVICES

Home Matters – Rethinking Aged Care Design Webinar Series

Dementia Training Australia has collaborated with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to create a free national eight-part webinar series which reconsiders how we design aged care environments. This series explores how improving design can improve the quality of life and wellbeing of older people, and can provide safe aged care workplaces for workers. Case studies, tools and strategies informed by industry experts and lived experience are included in these webinars.

My Aged Care Assessment Manual

This manual guides good practice in assessing the support needs of older people and their eligibility for Australian Government–subsidised aged care services under the Single Assessment System. This manual contains information on the Aged Care Act, the Single Assessment System, registration and screening, undertaking assessments, the types of aged care available, supporting diverse needs, fees and payments, and more. This manual aims to help achieve the delivery of high-quality assessment services.

Places to People – Fact Sheet for Providers

This fact sheet contains the answers to some frequently asked questions regarding government-funded residential aged care. Topics covered include changes to allocation of places, offline bed reporting and varying registration, priority categories, and other guides available for older people and aged care providers.

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Organisational Chart

This organisational chart lays out the structure and roles within the Department, including divisions, branches, statutory office holders and high priority taskforces.

Keep Able: Community Aged Care Wellness & Reablement Approach Resources

Keep Able is a digital platform designed to make free, evidence-based resources available for the purpose of helping services deliver the wellness and reablement approach in community aged care. Resources include planning tools and templates, professional training and other strategies to improve the quality of life and encourage independence for older people.

About the Alternative Entry Pathway

This factsheet provides information about the alternative entry pathway, which fast tracks the process of accessing aged care services for older people with urgent or immediate aged care needs. The alternative entry pathway applies to any eligible person, not only those accessing services through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFACP) provider or Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) service. However, alternative entry does not apply to Support at Home.

Free Dementia Training – DREAM Program

The Dementia Respite Education and Mentoring (DREAM) program supports providers in delivering high-quality dementia care. This program is free, moderated by experts, and aims to upskill providers in the aged care workforce through educational modules, a network of peers in the workforce, and direct access to Dementia Support Coaches across Australia.

GPMS Registered Provider Portal Resources

Resources are available for providers to assist them in matters relating to the Government Provider Management System (GPMS). Resources include user guides, quick reference guides, fact sheets, videos, frequently asked questions and other publications.

Western Sydney Community Forum 2026 Community Care Forum Calendar

Throughout the year, Western Sydney Community Forum delivers a range of events to support organisations and their staff to engage with others in the sector and stay up to date with reforms, training, and best practice. These include Community Care Forums tailored to those on the front line of the aged care, disability and community care sectors, and Community Care Leaders Forums to provide leaders, managers and CEOs with the latest resources, collaboration and training opportunities across Western Sydney. To get ahead on these events, as well as access information on related forums convened by others in the Western Sydney region, see our 2026 Community Care Forum Calendar.

Policy and Practice Support and Advisory Service

Western Sydney Community Forum provides a support and advisory service to disability advocacy organisations, CHSP providers and other community organisations. This service provides assistance with enquiries relating to policy, governance and operations and on a range of areas including sector reform and impact on operations, evaluation and measurement, leading consultation, engagement and inclusive practices, and much more.

First Nations CHSP Support Advisory Service

A First Nations CHSP support advisory service is offered to providers by Gilgai Aboriginal Centre. This is to support First Nations organisations and CHSP providers who work with First Nations older people. For more information, contact Gilgai on 02 9832 3825 or at [email protected].

Customised Training and In-House Facilitation

Western Sydney Community Forum can deliver customised training and in-house facilitation services to the human services industry. The facilitators’ areas of speciality include (but are not limited to) strategic and business planning, project planning and development, and review and evaluation sessions. And training can be tailored and delivered at a venue of your choosing, and can cover areas such as governance, leadership and evaluation. Our members are also entitled to subsidised services.

Customised training

In-house facilitation

Western Sydney Community Forum Affordable Translation Services

Western Sydney Community Forum offers a trusted document translation service for small and large organisations and businesses. We use NAATI-accredited translators with expertise in translating a range of documents to assist with your service delivery, from simple brochures to complex and sensitive publications. Members can access this service at a subsidised cost.

For more information, contact [email protected].

Community Care News Digest Feedback Survey

The News Digest is primarily focused on disseminating information about aged care and older people, and disability and disability advocacy. It also shares information that is useful to people working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, LGBTIQA+ communities, and people with disability, and other areas that may intersect with aged care and the older population. We welcome feedback on how you use the News Digest, whether the information distributed has been valuable for your work, and if there is anything else you would like to see added into the Digest. The survey will remain open for ongoing feedback.

Access the survey

My Aged Care consumer resources

The My Aged Care website features a range of resources for you to share with consumers about how to get started with My Aged Care.

These resources include case study videos for:

people who speak languages other than English
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
You can view or download all of these resources from the My Aged Care website.

Free guide: Adding value to governance in aged care

The Governance Institute of Australia has a free guide, ‘Adding value to governance in aged care’ to help providers manage their governance responsibilities.

The free guide addresses a broad range of issues including: