As you age, you may need assistance looking after yourself and performing daily tasks around the house. Aside from nursing care, you may require flexible home care and respite services funded by the Australian government or private care providers.
Aged care services allow you to live a fulfilling life and achieve independence. These care services are provided based on your eligibility and care needs.
This article is for you or someone close to you starting your aged care journey. It focuses on how flexible home and respite care can help you achieve your life goals. We’ll also discuss the different types of services available, so you’ll get an idea of which kind of aged care (or both) best suits you.
What Is Flexible Home Care?
Home care is the best option for a flexible aged care service when you aren’t comfortable in a residential setting, such as a care or nursing home. Adjusting with fellow residents and staff can be frustrating, especially when there’s a set time for daily routines, including meals, activities, and sleeping.
On the other hand, flexible home care supports can be personalised to what you want and need. You receive care in a familiar setting, which means you can retain your comforts and routines.
In-home care is provided through the government-funded Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) or a Home Care Package (HCP).
Your provider will support you through a trained carer who will assist you in tasks such as:
- Complex support (e.g., catheter management, hoisted transfers, and bowel care)
- Personal care (washing, dressing, or showering)
- Housekeeping (laundry, window cleaning, washing the dishes, etc.)
- Taking medications
- Preparing meals
In-home care covers a wide range of areas and involves regular home visits. carer to come in at Depending on your requirements, you have the freedom to select which form works best for your needs.
Types of Home Care Packages Available
- Government-funded packages
Your assessment results will determine if you’re eligible for government funding. Government-funded packages come in four different levels of funding: basic care needs, low care needs, intermediate care needs, and high care needs. These four levels of home care packages have different funding amounts. The package level assigned to you will be tailored to your care needs.
- Private home care packages
Private home care is a package where you pay for your required services out of your income. This gives you more choices of any private home care provider, giving you more flexibility to select extra services to make life more comfortable. You can choose providers from any of the following: a government-approved provider, a non-profit charity, or an uncertified individual provider.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care, on the other hand, is a service that aims to support you and your carer for short periods. This service provides you both a break, giving you a chance to meet and interact with new people. This is planned in advance, like when your carer is going on a trip or has an emergency they need to attend to, and it can last for a few hours, days, or longer.
You can access respite care services (at home or in a residential aged care facility) based on your situation, eligibility, needs, and available services in your local area.
Types of Respite Care Available
- Emergency respite care
Emergency respite care is provided when your primary carer cannot care for you. You might require emergency respite care if your primary carer dies, has contracted an illness, or there’s an urgent situation they need to attend to.
- Care in your home
As outlined above, respite care can be provided on your own. Flexible respite care in your home is available during the day or overnight. This involves having a paid carer come to your home so your primary carer can take a short break. You can also pay for private respite care services in the comforts of your own home.
- Care outside your home
Respite care outside your home or centre-based respite is available during the day and allows you to meet new people. This respite care usually occurs at a club, day centre, or residential setting.
Cottage respite, for example, is available overnight or over the weekend. It usually takes place in aged care accommodation or a community setting other than in the home of the carer or host family.
On the other hand, residential respite takes place in an aged care facility. This is usually provided for people who need a carer’s support for most complex tasks, and it can last for a few days or weeks.
Access Home or Respite Care Via Aged Care Made Easy
Are you struggling to find a local provider of flexible home care and respite services? Aged Care Made Easy is a simplified and comprehensive online directory you can access. Our primary goal is to help you and your loved ones navigate the digital aged care system and provide you with all the assistance you need.
Find the right local provider of flexible home care and respite services in your area by browsing providers by category here.