3. Staying at home
Topic 3 of 4
Finding help and getting the right support
Putting the right service in place, that your elder values and that values your elder, is a process. You may find a provider that fits very quickly or it might take a bit of time. You may even have to change providers. Here is some information about the next steps.
Select each heading to explore support options.
Planning support
Once you find a provider and sign the Service Agreement, your provider must prepare a Care Plan and budget with your elder before or on the day that services start. This will be done with a Care Partner or Care Manager who should develop a good relationship with your elder and with you, the carer to make sure they have all of the information they need to provide the right supports.
The Care Plan aims to support your elder in staying active, independent, and supported at home.
Select ‘Play’ and click the ‘Transcript icon’ for some helpful tips.
A home care plan is not one size fits all. It’s customised through discussions with your elder at their home, giving them choice and control over their care.
There are a number of questions your elder might consider when planning support.
- What is important to them?
- What do they want to maintain in their lives? For example, which daily tasks are possible and which are becoming difficult?
- What are the routines and tasks that they enjoy? For example, shopping, visiting friends, or having friends visit them.
- What do they need to remain independent? For example, cleaning, cooking, or modifications around the house.
- What do they want to achieve? For example, physical strength and flexibility, and more connection with others.
Your service provider will write a plan which serves as a starting point. Remember, this plan is flexible and will adjust as needs change over time.
What happens if I move or we need to change providers?
Home Care Packages are portable. That means that if you move anywhere in Australia, you take your package with you and any unspent funds will be transferred to the new provider. It also means that you will have to find another provider, so you will need to let My Aged Care and your existing provider know. They will schedule in a Support Plan Review to make sure you will have the support you need from the next Provider.
If you are staying in the same place but want or need to change providers, it’s no problem. Find a new provider, talk to them, and decide on a start date. Let your current provider know the new provider and start date in writing. This may feel awkward, but changing package providers is a normal part of the landscape now. You can also call My Aged Care and ask to ‘reactivate’ the referral code which will send an automatic message to the existing provider.
For a detailed ‘how-to’ on changing providers, go to Changing Home Care Package provider | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Making a complaint
This page will take you through making a complaint and who can help. You may want to give feedback on services, finances or feel that the person you care for is not being heard. For more information on what your elder’s rights are see the Statement of Rights in the Resources section.
If you are using funded aged care services, you have the right to complain and for that complaint to be dealt with ‘fairly and promptly’.
Here’s how.
Click on each heading in each step to find out.
Understanding the budget…
You may be a financial whiz or you may be allergic to the word ‘budget’. No matter what your background home care budgets and statements can be puzzling. This page will give you some signposts and direction on where to get information and help.
If you need to find out more your first point of call will be the home care provider. They will be able to explain all of the elements of the Support at Home Statement your elder receives monthly.
Top tip: keep a record in a diary or calendar of what service was delivered and when – and for how long. This will help you match services to the statement.
You can find a ‘fact sheet’ on every aspect of the budget for home care – from ‘Participant Contributions’ to funding for end-of-life support. Click on these links to go straight to the fact sheets at My Aged Care or the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
For a general guide, go to the Resources tab and have a look at Support at Home Q&As. You will also find a Monthly Statement Template to get an idea of what this might look like, as well as a fact sheet on Consumer Pricing Protections.
Click on the ‘+’ signs to get a bit more information on some of the key topics.
Module 3
Resources
MODULE 3
