Today, many Australian families are facing a common dilemma. “Should Nana stay at a residential home? Should we hire a home care professional instead?”
Apparently, many are starting to choose home careservices. Sadly, getting one isn’t like calling for a taxi. This is an unfortunate fact—even Carers ACT chief executive Lisa Kelly can confirm. She says it will take longer. Despite that, more families are relying on home care.
More Families Choose Home Care
According to surveys, more families are turning to home care services because of fear. They fear for the apparent mistreatment in residential homes. Because of a plethora of similar cases, aged care advocates pushed for a reform.
This month, PM Scott Morrison announced a royal commission. Unfortunately, it will take two years to see tangible results. There are also doubts about its coverage.
Eventually, families must make a choice. But with this huge uncertainty, what’s their best option?
If you’re one of them, don’t get discouraged yet. You can start getting home care services. You just have to read the right information.
Getting Home Care Packages
Home care packages are a set of customised services provided by the government. These services are tailored based on the resident’s individual needs.
How can you apply for a home care package?
1 – Contact My Aged Care.
To get a home care package, first, you must contact My Aged Care. The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) will conduct a free assessment of your elderly’s eligibility.
2 – Coordinate with an ACAT member.
With your consent, the ACAT member will interview you about a few things. They will help you choose the most viable services and provider. They will also ask for the medical records of the resident.
3 – Secure your documents.
After the assessment, they may either approve you as eligible for either:
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Low-Level Care – Level 1 – 2 packages.
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High-Level Care – Level 3 – 4 packages.
You must secure copies of the assessment results. They come in a form of a letter, which certifies that your elderly relative is eligible to receive aged care solutions from the government.
Choosing the Right Provider
How can you choose the best home care provider for your elderly loved one? Here are some tips.
1 – Pick a provider that is available nationwide.
Pick a provider with many branches in Australia. You’ll never know when you need to transfer locations. If the provider has a branch in your new city, then the transfer process will be easier for your loved one.
2 – Observe how they treat clients.
If the care provider has a nearby residential home nearby, visit it. Observe how the care coordinators run things there.
3 – Check their services.
List your loved one’s needs—which include daily activities, medicine, and socialisation. Do they have engaging programmes that include home care residents? Things like that matter, too.
Pick the Best Home Care Services
Familiarity is important to aged people. So, if you think home care is the best option, then you should get the Arcare Glenhaven services. With their 24/7 solutions, you can get the same expertise and quality of residential homes—only on your own premises this time.