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How to compare and choose aged care homes
For many, choosing an aged care home comes down to budget.But even if a home has higher fees than you can afford, there might be room to negotiate.
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Waiting lists, signing up and moving in
Many aged care homes have waiting lists. When vacancies become available, they are allocated according to care requirements, urgency, time spent on the waiting list and suitability.If you land a place in an aged care home, it’s important to be organised. Some details you need to have include:
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Care and services
Residential aged care homes offer you a certain level of care, covered by the fees you have agreed to pay.
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How to get into an aged care home
Many aged care homes have waiting lists. When vacancies become available, they are allocated according to care requirements, urgency, time spent on the waiting list and suitability.If you land a place in an aged care home, it’s important to be organised. You’ll need:
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Assessments and government subsidies
Residential aged care costs are pretty complicated. There are forms and assessments and jargon and bureaucracy, but there are also people who can help, and – in the end – most people qualify for government financial support to pay some or all of the costs of care.
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How much is residential care?
Depending on your personal financial situation and your choice of aged care home, residential aged care can range from very expensive through to heavily subsidised. For your protection, there are annual and lifetime limits (known as caps) on the amount you pay (this doesn’t apply if you’re paying the full...
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Transitional residential care after hospital
After a stay in a hospital, some people need a bit of extra care and support. Transitional care is available and can be offered both in the person’s own home or – if their care needs are greater – in a ‘live-in’ environment such as a hostel or residential aged...
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Power of attorney
When you enter a residential aged care home, it can make life easier and more enjoyable if you have someone to help you with decisions about your money and medical issues.
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Dementia
People with a dementia diagnosis find that some aspects of their daily lives become gradually more and more difficult. While there are many ways to receive dementia care and support while living in your own home, sometimes staying at home is not practical.
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Respite care
Respite care gives caregivers and those being cared for a break from their usual care arrangements and includes anything from a short stay in care accommodation to help at home on a regular basis.
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End of life and palliative care in a home
The support offered by experienced carers in a residential aged care setting can make a person’s final weeks and days more comfortable and fulfilling. Drawing on advice from professional carers and nursing staff can also mean that family members and loved ones understand what is happening, and what services are available.
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Diversity in residential care
In Australia, it is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of race, religion or sexuality, and everyone here has equal access to care services provided or financially supported by the government. So whether you’re from a particular cultural, language or religious background, or part of the diverse LGBTI community, there...
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5 things to know BEFORE moving into residential aged care
It’s a big decision, and it’s natural to hesitate for a moment and wonder what to do next. If you’re considering going into aged care, take some time to have a good think about how to proceed.Here are the 5 things you should get your head around before you get going.
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Aged care costs and charges: a complete guide
One of the first things you’re going to discover when you start researching residential care is that there’s a maze of costs and charges to get your head around. It’s complicated at first, but once you understand the basics you’ll be in a good place to start making some decisions.To...
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Ways to pay for residential aged care
It’s no surprise that residential aged care is expensive, not to mention a bit complicated. Of course, in almost all cases the costs are worth it: it’s not just room and board, but a high level of professional care within a ready-made community of residents.
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How to find the right aged care home for you
Some decisions in life are hard to make, but the outcomes are not that important. Other decisions are more significant, yet not necessarily harder. Selecting the right aged care home doesn’t need to be difficult.Figuring out what you’re after in a home and making an educated decision will help find...
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Adjusting to living in residential care
Moving house is a time of big upheaval, none more so than when you move into a completely different environment. Aged care homes increasingly have a lot to offer, butthere’s no doubt that the transition to residential care can be challenging.Here are some tips on how you can better adjust...
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What is living in an aged care home really like?
What do you think of when you think about aged care facilities? If you’re like most people, chances are the words summon up visions of stern-faced nurses pacing under buzzing fluorescent lighting and tutting about spilled tea. Thankfully, modern aged care doesn’t have much in common with this dreary vision.
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Living in aged care and loving it! Our top 5 reasons to move in and start living it up
While living in an aged care home may not have been something you envisioned for yourself or for your loved ones, there are some huge benefits to making the move to a facility that is all about making life easy.
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How to tell when your loved one is ready for an aged care home
It’s not all that often that an elderly parent asks their child to start looking into aged care facilities. The fact is that the decision to move mum or dad into a home generally comes after some sort of physical or mental decline that jolts the family into action.
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What is the Rainbow Tick?
Does this colourful symbol look familiar? You may have seen it on the door of your fitness centre, aged care facility, local council or doctor’s office, to name just a few of the locations it can be displayed at.The Rainbow Tick was created in 2013, born out of a...
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Couple's options in residential aged care
For couples considering aged care, be assured that there are options available to ensure you are not parted. Separation is a real fear for many couples, who worry that they will be split up once they move into residential care, and this can prevent people from moving into facilities when...
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What to look for and ask for during a residential aged care home tour
When the time has come to tour residential aged care homes, you may feel a bit overwhelmed – there’s just so much to take in. To help you make the most of these tours, it’s helpful to prepare ahead of time.
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Residential care versus Supported Residential Services (SRS/SRF): What’s the difference?
When you’re looking at options for out-of-home care, Supported Residential Services (SRS in Victoria; Supported Residential Facilities or SRF in other states) might be a possibility, depending on your circumstances. They’re a private-sector alternative to residential care, registered and monitored by the Department of Health and Human Services but not...
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