We all need to access some sort of care when we get older, and if you live in Australia, there’s plenty of governmental support to help ease the transition to old age.
NSW Health, a department of the NSW Government, partners with the Australian Government to help older people access the aged care services that will best meet their needs, once they can no longer manage without assistance in their own home.
There are a wide range of care and support services available for elderly NSW residents, so let’s dive in and find out exactly what’s available to you, and when.
Services to help you remain in your own home longer
For many older people, staying in their own home for as long as possible is the first goal — and that’s certainly understandable. You can remain in a familiar and comfortable environment, surrounded by your friends, family and community, and your lifestyle can continue as normal.
But if you’re struggling to remain in your home and need a level of assistance to do so, there are services that can help you. You can access a number of home-based services to provide the assistance you need to stay in your home. Services can include help with personal care and domestic chores, home maintenance, transport, cooking and nursing care.
Home support programme
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme can provide ongoing or short-term care and support services, and help you with personal care, food preparation and meals, housework, shopping and transport, and provide access to social support, allied health and planned respite.
Home Care packages
The Home Care Package program provides more in-depth support in your own home, helping you to remain in your home for longer. Services include personal care, nursing and support services, and allied health and clinical services.
Services that provide short term or respite care
In certain situations, you may be able to access short-term or respite care services, either in your own home or in a residential aged care setting. These services can be extremely useful in situations such as recovery from an accident or illness, a transition from hospital to home or restorative care (returning you to independence). Residential respite care of up to 63 days each financial year can be accessed on a planned or emergency basis, if your carers need a break or are unable to care for you for some reason, if you would like a break from caring for yourself, or if your level of care required is higher for a short period of time.
For more information on the assessment process and the types of care you can access, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or go to www.myagedcare.gov.au.
Services that provide long term or residential care
When you are no longer able to live independently in your own home, even with help, it’s time to consider a move into residential aged care. Aged care homes provide on-site accommodation and care for older people who might be struggling, and deliver the care and assistance you need to maintain quality of life.
In an aged care home, the services include:
· Help with personal care, such as bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, toileting and exercise.
· Help with day-to-day tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, home maintenance and gardening. In some cases, staff will completely take care of these tasks for you.
· Clinical care under the supervision of a registered nurse, such as monitoring of medical or health conditions, wound care and administration of medication.
Many aged care facilities also offer additional specialist medical and health care, such as palliative care, dementia care, stoma care and rehabilitation and access to therapy services such as speech therapy, physiotherapy and podiatry.
Services to help you understand and access care
The aged care system can sometimes feel complex and confusing to navigate as you get older. There are plenty of services in place to help you understand and access aged care.
Finding an aged care provider To find aged care facilities in your local area, go to www.myagedcare.gov.au/service-finder/aged-care-homes or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Accessing aged care services
If you need assistance or support, or help understanding the process, Advocacy Services can help you access government-funded aged care services and advise you on your rights and responsibilities when accessing aged care services. Call the National Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600 for free, independent and confidential advocacy services.
Translation and interpreting services
If English is not your first language, you can call the Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS National) on 131 450, for the cost of a local call. TIS National covers more than 100 languages. Call and ask for My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Hearing or speech difficulties
Contact My Aged Care through the National Relay Service (NRS) on 1800 555 660 or www.relayservice.gov.au to choose your preferred access point.
Support for a range of diverse needs
There are programs, information and support available for older Australians of all backgrounds including:
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(s)
· people from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds
· people who live in a rural and remote area
· people who are financially or socially disadvantaged
· veterans, their dependants and widows or widowers
· people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
· people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex
· people who are Care Leavers (an adult who spent time in institutional or foster care as a child)
· parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal.
Help with your aged care provider
If you’re not comfortable raising any concerns you may have with your aged care provider, or if your complaint can’t be resolved, you can raise your concern with the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner’s free service. Call 1800 550 552, go to the website at www.agedcarecomplaints.gov.au, or address your written complaint to:
Aged Care Complaints Commissioner
GPO Box 9848
(Your capital city and state/territory)
Financial information
The DHS Financial Information Service provides basic information about managing your finances and is a free confidential service. Call the DHS on 132 300 and say, ‘financial information service’ when prompted.
To get an estimate of your likely fees, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or use the aged care homes Fee Estimator on the website at www.myagedcare.gov.au/fee-estimator/residential-care/form.
Financial hardship assistance
If you are having difficulty paying your care and accommodation costs for reasons beyond your control, financial hardship assistance is available. Depending on your situation, you can apply for financial assistance with your basic daily fee, means-tested care fee and/or accommodation costs. More information is available from the My Aged Care website, or call 1800 200 422.
Contact Finley Regional Care if you’d like to discuss starting your aged care journey with us https://www.finleyregionalcare.com.au/contact-us/