March 2012 Newsletter - Western Linkages

Pathways Through the Maze Squalor &
Hoarding Conference 21 & 22 Feb 2012
Pathways Though the Maze was the second National Squalor and
Hoarding Conference following on from the success of the first in
2009. The conference aimed to further raise awareness and
highlight the need for action around squalor & hoarding at a
National level. Speakers presented on a comprehensive range of
topics including Law Reform, Ethics and Media, Funding for
Services, Improving Collaboration, OHS, Principles & Practicalities of
Intervention, the current and future Research Agenda and
Workforce & Professional Development. Conference presentations
are now available through the conference website
www.hoardingsqualorconference.com.au
Additional insight was provided by people with personal experience
of squalor and hoarding issues who spoke about their journeys
from a consumer perspective. Recent research has shown that
despite a long association with OCD, 80% of hoarders do not meet
diagnostic criteria for this condition. Hoarding Disorder has been
proposed for inclusion for the first time as a diagnostically distinct
entity in the revised DSM1V.
The NSW Government has recently committed $1.4 million to case
management and brokerage for squalor & hoarding through the
HACC program.
Western Linkages, In Home Services Workgroup, was invited to take
part in the participants’ stories interview presentations regarding
the work of the group to facilitate interagency cooperation around
squalor and hoarding.
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March 2012
In this issue………
Pathways Through the Maze –
Squalor & Hoarding
Conference 2012
Western Linkages Annual
Steering Committee Planning
Session, 17 April
Taxi Transport Project Update
Western Adelaide Dementia
Planning Group HACC Service
Principles in Dementia Care
Forum Tues 15 May 9.30 –
12.30pm
Social Links & Respite
Workgroup Update
Cultivating People, Programs
& Community Project Update
Collaborative Projects
Workshop with The Centre for
Social Innovation TCSI 2 nd &
10 th May
HACC Forum 12 June 2012
Project Officer:
Susan Sharp (Mon ‐ Thurs)
8440 6737
susan.sharp@dcsi.sa.gov.au

Around the workgroups…….
Pathways Through the Maze Squalor
& Hoarding Conference 2012 (cont..)
Conference participants worked towards further
identifying priorities for action. Recommendations
included;
• Establishing a National Taskforce providing
dedicated funding for this to occur and influence
public policy and developing links to COAG
• Building the National evidence base and
prevalence data. Fire Services in Victoria are
seeing a new case involving squalor & hoarding
every 7 – 10 days.
• Development of further staff training and
professional development opportunities.
• Exploration and use of new technologies to
support access to information and training
• Collaboration and the need for interagency
partnerships was emphasized including supporting
the roles of the Environmental Health Officers,
Metro Fire Service, RSPCA and the private sector.
• Secure pathways to further research. Hoarding
Disorder has been recommended to have its own
category in the DSM1V allowing further research
on the disorder in its own right. This would also
assist Mental Health Services to become involved
as a diagnosis of Hoarding Disorder will be
possible.
• Building resources and pathways for assistance for
family members and Carers
• A Squalor & Hoarding app can be downloaded free
from the app store or android market. This is a
squalor & hoarding toolkit designed to be used by
anyone, anywhere.
The conference also showcased a variety of staff
training resources. These included the audio resource
“Stuff Happens” ‐ collection of stories including the
perspectives of people who have direct experiences of
living with squalor and hoarding.
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The Victorian HACC Training Advisory Committee has
also developed a DVD entitled ‘Working with People
with Hoarding Behaviours’. This resource includes
Principles of Intervention, Health & Safety
Considerations and Practical Strategies. For further
information on obtaining the above resources please
contact the conference organizer Johanna Stewart
jstewart@chcs.com.au
Margie Pitcher, Domiciliary Care presented on the
evaluation of the comprehensive staff training package
and DVD developed by Domiciliary Care. For further
information about this resource please contact
Margie Pitcher margie.pitcher@dcsi.sa.gov.au.
Discussions are currently underway with regard to how
Western Linkages may support further training
opportunities in the region.
The In Home Services Workgroup meets on the first
Tuesday of every month 2.30 – 4.00pm, Domiciliary
Care, Woodville Park. The group has retained a focus on
squalor and hoarding since the amalgamation of the
group with the Complex Domestic Assistance workgroup
in 2009. The meeting provides an opportunity for a
broad range of agencies to come together to share
knowledge and expertise and encourage an inter‐agency
approach to situations where squalor and hoarding is an
issue.
The group includes representation from Non
Government Organisations, Local Government,
Domiciliary Care, SAPOL, Ethnic Link Services, Mental
Health Services, Disability SA and Environmental Health
and fosters links with SA Metropolitan Fire Service and
RSPCA.
The group has developed a range of resources to assist
service providers. A complex domestic assistance
referral pathways document has been produced, built
on the foundation work undertaken by the Partnerships
against Homelessness Project in NSW and the later work
undertaken by the Good Living Conditions Project in the
Illawarra. This has been customized to produce a referral
pathways document specific to the Western Adelaide
Region. Domestic Assistance Snapshots and a document
outlining further assistance resources have also been
developed. These resources can be accessed on the
Western Linkages website www.westernlinkages.org.au
For further information on the In Home Services
Workgroup please contact susan.sharp@dcsi.sa.gov.au
or ph: 8440 6737.

Around the workgroups …….
Western Linkages Annual Steering
Committee Planning Session
All Steering Committee members, participants in the
Western Linkages Workgroups, WLP Consumer
representives and other interested staff are invited to
participate in the Western Linkages Annual Steering
Committee Planning session.
Date: Tuesday 17 April
Time: 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Venue: Domiciliary Care, Seminar Room
21a Belmore Tce
Woodville
All Welcome
Afternoon Tea Provided
Registration required. To register please go to the
Western Linkages website
www.westernlinkages.org.au and follow the links.
Please note the planning session replaces the April
Steering Committee Meeting previously scheduled on
24 April 3 – 4.30pm.
Home and Community Care (HACC)
Forum 2012
The 2012 Home and Community Care (HACC) Forum
will be held 12 June at the Adelaide Convention
Centre.
The HACC Reform Reference Group Sub‐committee
assisted by DAC staff has been working to develop the
2012 HACC Forum.
This occasion will provide a time to celebrate the great
work achieved demonstrating the practical outcomes
of translating the HACC Service Principles into practice
and strategies for sustaining these practices. The
forum will showcase the work undertaken by the
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HACC Innovative Ideas Funded Projects,
Better Practice Projects and HACC Collaborative
Projects. Around 500 people are expected to attend
this event.
This forum presents an opportunity to hear 'where
to from here' from both the State and
Commonwealth.
Information regarding forum invitation, registration,
attendance and general information will be sent to
agencies during April.
In Home Services Workgroup
Taxi Transport Project
The In Home Services Workgroup is continuing to
maintain a focus on the Taxi Transport Project. This
project is a joint initiative with Taxi Council SA
working towards the mutual goal of continuing to
encourage strategies to improve the experiences of
older people and people with disabilities who use
Taxi Transport.
During February workgroup and Consumer
Representatives provided feedback to Taxi Council
SA on the content of the Taxi Driver Professional
Development Module 2. Taxi Council SA has
recently introduced presentations from SAPOL and
compliance officers as part of the further
development of this module.
The Taxi Transport Project is currently working on
the introduction of a consumer presentation to be
incorporated into Taxi Driver Training on a
fortnightly basis. The presentations would provide
an exciting opportunity for older people and people
with a disability to make a direct impact in shaping
the experiences of people who use taxi transport.
A meeting was held on Wed 4 April to explore the
next steps to progress this idea.
For further information on the Taxi Transport Project
please contact Susan Sharp email
susan.sharp@dcsi.sa.gov.au or ph: 8440 6737

Social Links & Respite Workgroup
Cultivating People, Programs &
Community Innovative Ideas Funded
Project
The Innovative Ideas Funded Project – Cultivating
People, Programs and Community is continuing to
progress well. This project is auspiced by Helping Aged
Care in partnership with Uni SA, Better Practice
Project, Anglicare and Western Linkages was funded as
a HACC Innovative Ideas Project. Western Linkages
Social Links & Respite Workgroup has continued to be
involved in the development of this project which aims
to translate the Uni SA Alone in A Crowd (AIAC)
research into practice, to inform and support service
providers assisting older Australians managing
loneliness.
Dr Mandy Stanley Uni SA and participants at the
Social Links & Respite Workgroup trial of the Better
Practice Project Module ‘ Keeping Connected’
During 2011 a series of 7 cross regional workshops
were conducted by the AIAC researcher Dr Mandy
Stanley. In Feb 2012 a workshop was run with training
providers to assist in embedding the research into
Certificate 111 and 1V training.
The next phase of the project has been to embed the
research findings into the Better Practice Project
Training through the revision of the ‘Keeping
Connected’ module
Around the workgroups …….
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On 13 March consumer consultation on the revised
module was held with consumer representatives from
Western Linkages and the Domiciliary Care Consumer
Reference group. Feedback was sought from
consumers to assist in shaping the training. A trial of
the revised module was conducted at the Social Links
& Respite Workgroup meeting on 28 March. Service
Providers were invited to provide further comment on
the revised module. When finalised, this module will
become part of the Better Practice Project Training
available to service providers. The project has
provided a valuable opportunity for Consumers and
staff to become involved in providing input into the
training received by Community Service workers.
Western Adelaide Dementia
Planning Group: HACC Service
Principles in Dementia Care Forum
Tues 15 May
The HACC Service principles underpin HACC Programs
in South Australia in maximising consumer choice and
control, capacity building and community
engagement.
Come and hear about the ways services in the West
are implementing the HACC Service Principles in
Dementia Care, from a service provider and Consumer
perspective. Presentations will also explore links to
complimentary service philosophies such as Dignity in
Care and the National Respite for Carers Program.
A workshop will provide an opportunity to share
learning and ideas between Dementia Care Providers.
Date: Tues 15 May
Time: 9.30 – 12.30am (registration from 9.00am)
Venue: City of Charles Sturt Civic Centre
72 Woodville Rd, Woodville
There is no cost for this session.
Morning tea provided.
Please click here to register , or visit our website
www.westernlinkages.org.au and follow the links.
(see flyer in this newsletter)

Collaborative Projects Workshop
with The Australian Centre for
Social Innovation
Over the last 6 months the Australian Centre for
Social Innovation (TACSI) has spent time in Salisbury
and Unley in the homes and lives of people in caring
roles and relationships. From lobster to love‐ins and
racing cars to watching wrestling, they've explored
what great living looks like in late adulthood and the
challenges and stress that get in the way.
Now they're developing 5 early ideas that they hope
to bring into the real world. During this workshop, the
TACSI team will update you on the ideas so far and
ask you for your input.
We're interested in hearing how you think we might
be able to work together and where we should head
from here. The next stage involves getting out into
the community and trying some of these ideas out.
We'll need your help if these ideas are going to be a
success.
We invite you to one of these two workshops
Wednesday, May 2nd
Enfield Community Centre
9:30am ‐ 11:30am
RSVP Here or contact Jenna Romaine at 0412 013 846
or jenna.romaine@tacsi.org.au
Thursday, May 10th
Fullarton Park Centre
2pm ‐ 4pm
RSVP Here or contact Jenna Romaine at 0412 013
846 or jenna.romaine@tacsi.org.au
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Continued…
We'll explore our ideas relating to
• Shaping minds ‐ A different way to connect
people with a range of ways to open stuck
mindsets.
• Restarting networks ‐ A new way for people to
eat with others and build relationships rather
than alone.
• Activating Family and Friends ‐ A framework to
help families and friends play a part in the lives
of older people.
• Diversifying Help ‐ Developing local know‐how
and passion into helpful mini businesses. It’s
help that’s about getting stuff done, enjoying
connecting and learning.
• Starting Relationships ‐ Creating friendly
neighbourhoods that provide new ways for
older people to do the things they love and get
the help they need.
Learn more about TACSI and our project at
http://tacsi.org.au/caring.
Questions? Contact Jenna Romaine at 0412 013 846
or jenna.romaine@tacsi.org.au