How to stay at home as you age

Helping a loved one to stay at home as they age is not as daunting a process as it may seem. It comes down to two things:

1) Finding the right care worker and 2) Funding the care at home.

1) Finding a care worker

Having access to people who can provide the necessary care and support available to help an older person is key to enable an older person to continue to live happily and safely in their home.

The kinds of care and support required may be light touch -helping with shopping and running errands or may be more intense tasks like personal care including dressing, showering and wound care.

It is also very important that an older person is eating well, that the house and garden are looked after and that they have companionship and someone to talk to.

That’s why families are using the Careseekers platform to connect to care workers who can help their elderly family members in their home. Using the Careseekers platform you can find care workers who speak a certain language, live in your local area or have a certain type of personality.

You choose the care worker and you can have the same care worker every time. You can communicate with them directly to arrange the times and develop a long lasting relationship with them, after all they will be looking after your special family member.

The best part of it all is that you can use government funding on a care worker that you have handpicked from Careseekers. This brings us to…..

Funding at home care

It is essential that you are able to afford care at home as needs will probably only increase as time goes on.

At Careseekers we speak to people every day who don’t realise that they could be getting funding from the Government to help them stay at home as they age.

The government wants you to stay at home, they want you to stay at home safe and well and there is money available to help you do this.

Below all your questions are answered:

Am I eligible for funding?

You are eligible for Aged Care services at home if you are 65 years and over, or 50 years and over if you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

Ok I am eligible, what should I do now?

If you meet the criteria, contact the My Aged Care Centre on 1800 200 422 for an assessment. Eligibility for a range of services is determined by an assessment process which identifies the individual’s needs

What kind of funding is available?

There are two types of government funded services: Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and Home Care Packages (HCP). My Aged Care Centre will determine which type of service an individual should be assessed for.

But what is CHSP?

This gives you access to a range of individual services. Domestic Assistance, Personal Care, Food Services, Home maintenance and modifications, Nursing, Transport services, Allied Health, Respite and Social Support.

Assessment for this is conducted by RAS (Regional Assessment Service) assessors.

And what is HCP?

This gives you access to a coordinated package of care services, managed by a case manager. Personal Care, Domestic Assistance, Meal Preparation, Continence Management, Mobility, Nursing and Allied Health, Transport services, Socialisation

HCP services: Assessment conducted by ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) assessors.

What do I need to pay?

All services are subsidised by Government funding. Individuals accessing services are expected to contribute to the cost of the services. Service subsidies depend on what is affordable for the individual and may require a financial assessment.

Can I choose who delivers all these services?

Yes! With the introduction of consumer directed care you now have a lot more choice about which provider you choose and even which care worker you use.

If you are using a specific care worker and would like to use government funding to pay for some of the care chat to us at Careseekers and we can help you!

To become a care or support worker, please visit www.careseekers.com.au/carer

To find aged care services, please visit https://www.careseekers.com.au/services/aged-care-workers

To find disability support services, please visit https://www.careseekers.com.au/services/disability-support-workers