Care Connect’s workforce evolution: Why multidisciplinary teams are key to home care reform

As Care Connect marks 30 years of supporting older Australians to live independently, the home care provider is doubling down on a future-focused strategy that places workforce development, client empowerment, and multidisciplinary care at the heart of its growth.

With the Support at Home program just over four months away, providers across the aged care sector are accelerating their transformation strategies. For Care Connect, that transformation is grounded in workforce expansion, technological renewal – and most critically, a shift toward multidisciplinary care teams. “We’ve grown our workforce to nearly 400,” said CEO Lynda Chalmers, up from 279 just a year ago. “That’s been a really deliberate strategy.”

Multidisciplinary teams: A new standard for care

A key component of that strategy is Care Connect’s emphasis on multidisciplinary care teams. The organisation has built out its direct care workforce to include not just care workers and care managers, but also social workers, nurses, and allied health professionals such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists. “This holistic model allows us to meet the increasingly complex needs of our clients,” said Lynda. “You need that blend of clinical, psychological, and social expertise to really keep people well and at home.”

She says their model draws on existing programs like the federally funded Care Finder initiative, which Care Connect operates in Victoria.

That program supports vulnerable older people – including those with dementia, no family support, or homelessness risk – who would otherwise struggle to access aged care.

Partnerships, not just brokerage

Although Care Connect has historically operated on a brokerage model, Lynda emphasises that they are evolving – not discarding – it.

“I don’t look at it as moving away from brokerage. I look at it as building strong partnerships,” she said.

“To really support people to remain at home, we need integrated connections with GPs, community providers, allied health, and beyond.”

Having clinical and allied health roles in-house strengthens Care Connect’s ability to build these partnerships and offer continuity of care – especially for clients with complex needs.

Reablement and restorative care in focus

One of the most exciting elements of the Support at Home reforms, Lynda believes, is the explicit focus on wellness, reablement, and preventative care.

“That’s always been part of Care Connect’s DNA,” she says. “It’s great to see the system shifting toward that approach.”

While clinical care currently makes up just 20% of home care, the exemption of clinical and allied health services from consumer contributions is likely to drive demand – especially for providers positioned to offer early intervention.

“If we can catch people early in that restorative space, we can really help them stay at home longer,” Lynda said.

Navigating uncertainty with long-term vision

Despite ongoing ambiguity around pricing models and capped care management, Lynda remains optimistic. The organisation has conducted extensive financial modelling but is clear that client care comes first.

“There’s a lot of change ahead, but we’re not just focused on the next 12 months – we’re looking five to 10 years out,” she said.

Care Connect is already investing in predictive tools and interactive care planning, enabled by a new IT backbone. The organisation recently implemented Microsoft Dynamics – a fully custom, cloud-based platform that lays the groundwork for predictive analytics and integrated care planning.

“People plan for retirement, but they don’t plan for care,” explained Lynda. “We want to create a future where planning for care is just a natural part of life."

Find out more about Care Connect

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