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Home Care Packages: Is it worth the wait?
With wait times of up to a year, many people find that they need to fund their own care at home while they’re waiting.
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Applying for funding support
The government makes a subsidy available to some people who need home care. Known as a Home Care Package, the amount you could receive is based on an assessment of your personal care needs and financial situation.
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Choosing and switching home care
Under the Consumer Directed Care model, you choose who provides your care, and you work with them to develop your individual care plan. Depending on where you live and the level of care you need, you’ll probably have a choice of care providers.
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Types of care available in your home
There are many benefits to staying in your home for as long as possible.To support this, there are lots of different types of home care available.
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Spending your home care package
Once you’ve matched your care needs to a provider, and your package becomes available, the money in your Home Care Package (known as HACC in WA) is paid to the provider directly by the government. You’ll get monthly statements with all the details, but you don’t have to worry about...
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Power of attorney
Some aspects of aged care can be complicated, and it can be helpful to have a family member or friend help you.
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Dementia and home care
If you or a loved one has had a dementia diagnosis, it can be helpful to understand the support that’s available to you. While dementia is deeply upsetting, there are still lots of things you can do to continue living a fruitful and happy life.
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Transitional home care after hospital
Post-operative or transitional home care helps people move back home faster after a stay in hospital.
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End of life and palliative care at home
While it’s not an option for everyone, more people than ever are choosing to die in their own homes, surrounded by family, friends and memories.
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Diversity and home care
Everyone in Australia has equal access to the care services provided or funded by the government. So whether you’re from a particular cultural, language or religious background, or part of the diverse LGBTI community, there are home care options available to you.
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Caring for multiple people at once
As a carer, you may feel like you’re being pulled in lots of different directions. Being the primary carer for someone is a big job, so it goes without saying that looking after more than one person can increase the demands being put on you.This is a common scenario for...
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Planning in case of an emergency
IMPORTANT: If you’re here because there is an emergency, stop and call triple zero (000). They will be able to assist you in the emergency and how to provide first aid.
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Carer’s need care too
Self-care is a bit of a buzzword these days, but that’s because we all need it. Carers especially are in a role which prioritises the wellbeing of others, with their time and attention spent looking after someone else.
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On your own during the holidays?
You’re not being a Grinch if the thought of Christmas doesn’t fill you with joy. The big holidays, specifically the ones focused on family togetherness such as Christmas and Easter, can be a challenging time for many people.
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5 things you can do to keep your mind sharp
You’ve wandered into the kitchen and can’t recall what you wanted or how you got there. You’re always losing your keys and don’t quite know what day it is. If this sounds like you, be reassured that at least you’re not alone.
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Adjusting to having an outside carer in the home
Welcoming someone over for a visit is one thing, but getting used to an outside carer being a regular presence in your home is another. There will no doubt be an adjustment period as you get to know each other and understand the way you both like to do things.
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Caring for someone with changing behaviours
It’s all about planning.Providing care in the privacy of the home is one thing, but there will be times when you need to do so in public. This can provoke anxiety in some people, who may be worried that the person they care for may not be able to cope...
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How to tell when someone needs help at home (and how to approach it)
It’s not easy to ask for help, especially when we might not even realise we need it. That’s why family and friends can play a crucial role when determining if someone needs a little bit of a hand around the home.
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The benefits of living at home for people with dementia
A diagnosis of dementia is upsetting for the person receiving the news, and also for their loved ones.It signals the beginning of a difficult time of life; a time of change and upheaval. But people living with one of the various forms of dementia, don’t have to deal with the...
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The carer interview process
Once you’ve decided to get a bit of help at home, there are several steps you need to go through before the 'interview' process starts. It isn’t complicated but can take some time, so it’s best to get started as soon as possible.While each provider is slightly different, here is...
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Did you know your Home Care Package covers this?
Let’s face it, there’s nothing like having some money to spend on yourself tomake life a lot more enjoyable! Which is why striking gold with an in-home carepackage means it’s time to dream a little and start imagining how those prettypennies can help you help yourself! And while you can’t...
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Palliative care in the home
A good death is all anyone hopes for at the end of a good life. A death that is peaceful and loving, surrounded by family in a place that feels comfortable and familiar. But how do you manage that, for yourself or a family member, if a high level of...
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The carer- client relationship
If you ask Koula what it was like meeting 72 year-old Reggie for the first time, she’s very diplomatic. ‘It was…interesting!’ she laughs. Reggie himself is more expansive, ‘Come on, I was a curmudgeon. I got very cross that she was early and I didn’t even offer her a cup...
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Let’s talk incontinence
Ooops! Well, that was unexpected…Loss of bladder control – urinary incontinence – is extremely common, especially in women (thanks a lot, childbirth). Almost 5 million Australians experience unexpected spills of urine (discretely referred to as ‘leakage’). That’s around one in 5 people.
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Hacks to get you out of the house
As the weather cools, the sun goes into hiding and the days get shorter, it can be harder to leave the comfort of your cosy home. But getting out is just as important in the colder months; even more so if you’re prone to seasonal affective disorder (fittingly called SAD),...
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What are your options while waiting for your package?
Home Care Packages provide help with the costs of in-home care. And while everyone who qualifies on medical grounds is granted a package, the government only releases a limited number of packages at a time, meaning that even if you’re approved, you’ll likely have to wait before using it.If you...
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Questions to ask when researching home care providers
Researching different home care providers takes time, but you may have time on your hands if you’re waiting for your funding allocation to come through. Compile a list of questions you can ask each provider, in order to compare and make the best choice for you.
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What are the costs of in-home care?
Your mind is made up: you want to keep living at home. It’s a choice that lots of older Australians are making, and the government is backing them up, with a range of subsidies for in-home care services (although of course, the bureaucratic manoeuvres can be burdensome and the wait...
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How to look after yourself in your home
There are many benefits to staying in your own home, yet it can be easy to let things slide. Here are some tips on how to look after yourself:
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What to do if you are unhappy with your home care
It can happen: despite the best of intentions and careful case management, you’ve become unhappy with your home carer or other services that make up your home care package. Or maybe the problem is bigger than that, and you’ve lost faith in your provider altogether.
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Thinking of switching home care providers?
Since the Government changed to the Consumer Directed Care (CDC) model for home care early last year, it’s been possible to change care providers whenever you like. Consumer Directed Care means the funding package is in your hands, so if you choose to change providers, any unspent funds follow you...
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What is case management and what can it do for you?
Under the Consumer Directed Care model, your Home Care Package is yours to spend as you like. You choose a home care provider, and you advise them on the support services you want to spend your budget on.
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How to maintain your quality of life
How to feel satisfied & fulfilled
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How to avoid a fall at home
Ageing brings with it plenty of unwanted ailments. And while we can’t predict what might affect us in the future, we do know that our bodies will become increasingly frail over time. It can be a gradual process that goes unnoticed however, that is until a fall in the home...
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How to get a job in the aged care industry
Working in the aged care industry is a great way to make a difference in the lives of others. It’s also a career not limited by age, so don’t worry if you’re well past the school-leaving stage.
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