Assisted living services for seniors can make life more comfortable, fulfilling and fun. Just ask the growing number of older Australians living at home, while enjoying aged care support services that enhance their daily lives.
So how can you get the home help you need during the ‘growing older’ chapter of your life?
Many of us are opting to live at home for as long as possible rather than enter an aged care facility. To make life easier and more comfortable, Australians aged 65 and over can access all kinds of government supported assisted living services.
If you struggle to mow the lawn, can’t carry in heavy groceries, or even if you’d like some help managing your medical needs, assisted living services could be an option for you.
Sound good? You can find the best assisted living services for you by taking these three easy steps.
Step 1: Check your eligibility for a Home Care Package
Home Care Packages are coordinated by government organisation My Aged Care. They provide regular funding for seniors who need assisted living services at home.
The fastest way to check your eligibility for a home care package is to use My Aged Care’s online eligibility checker. To be eligible for a home care package, you must be 65 years or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people).
Home care packages are allocated across four levels, starting with basic home care support, and progressing to services for seniors with high care needs. Here’s more information about the four Home Care Package levels and what services they can and cannot fund: Home Care Package Guidelines – Aged Care Decisions
Who is eligible for a home care package? – Aged Care Decisions
Step 2: Have an Aged Care Assessment
A face-to-face assessment by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) from My Aged Care will confirm your eligibility and care needs. This assessment will also help determine what you need to pay on top of the government-funded portion of your home care package.
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to organize your assessment. You can expect the assessment process to take about 6-8 weeks.
Once your Home Care Package is assigned, you will have a set amount of money to spend on assisted living services. This is paid to a provider of your choice, who will help you coordinate services within your home.
Here’s more information about home care packages and how they work:
What do I need to know about home care services? – Aged Care Decisions
Step 3: Find assisted living service providers with Aged Care Decisions
Connect with Aged Care Decisions and get a customised shortlist of assisted living service providers near you.
Aged Care Decisions is a 100% FREE and independent service matching older Australians with home care and assisted living service providers.
We use custom-built software to match your care needs, location, budget, and personal preferences with suitable aged care and assisted living services across Australia.
After an initial conversation to understand your specific needs, one of our professionally trained Placement Specialists will email you a personalised Options Report of appropriate and available service providers. The whole process takes about half an hour – with zero stress and at zero cost to you.
Our service is 100% free for families. Providers pay us a set fee on placement, so we are 100% independent and completely unbiased.
Here’s more information about Aged Care Decisions: Who are Aged Care Decisions?
And here’s an example of how we help seniors find assisted living services:
How Aged Care Decisions helped Clara find the home care services she needs.
Looking for aged care?
Get a customised list of aged care options
Frequently asked questions about assisted living service options for seniors.
What exactly is assisted living?
If you’re keen to stay in your home for as long as possible, but could use a little help with daily tasks, then assisted living services could be perfect for you.
Assisted living helps you to achieve a happy balance between living independently and using aged care services when you need them.
Aged care assisted living services – such as housework help and travel support – can make staying in your home more comfortable and enjoyable as you get older. You can indulge in living the good life without having to worry about those household tasks that are just a bit too much for you!
Assisted living services offer the types of assistance you need, at times that suits you.
They can include
- Chores and housekeeping
- Gardening, maintenance, and pet care
- Medical and nursing care
- Assistance with paperwork and paying bills.
- Companionship and social activities
- Shopping and meal preparation
- Grooming and personal needs
- Dementia care
- Mobility and travel support
How to find the best in home aged care services in Australia – Aged Care Decisions
What can my home care package funds be used for? – (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
At what age to most seniors receive assisted living support?
Australians aged 65 years and older are eligible for government-funded home care and assisted living services.
These services can be delivered at your home to help you keep living there as long as you’d like to.
Many seniors choose an assisted living apartment, or ‘retirement village’ as an alternative to accessing care at home or entering residential aged care. This ‘in-between’ option involves moving into a like-minded community where you live independently, but have care services onsite when you need them.
In a retirement village, you live in your own apartment or villa, but have access to assisted living services such as meal preparation, beauty treatments, personal care services, cleaning and laundry, emergency call systems, transportation, and organised recreational activities.
An assisted living facility, or retirement village, may be suitable for seniors who cannot remain in their home independently, but don’t need the round-the-clock care offered at a residential aged care facility.
How can I enter an assisted living apartment or retirement village?
Purchasing or renting a unit in an assisted living community or retirement village is like buying or renting any other property.
Firstly, you’ll pay the purchase price or rental bond for your new home. Then, generally you will pay additional fees for various services, facilities, and maintenance. Sizable exit fees may also apply when you leave the village.
Retirement villages and assisted living communities do not receive any government funds or subsidies, and entry and exit costs can vary substantially between properties, property managers and locations.
What’s the best assisted living option for me?
Let’s have a quick look at the key differences between home care assisted living services, retirement living and residential aged care:
Assisted Living services can help you find a happy medium between living independently and accessing aged care services when you need them.
Aged Care Decisions can help you at every stage of your aged care journey.
At Aged Care Decisions we understand aged care and are passionate about empowering Australian seniors to live their best lives with confidence and comfort.
We’re here to help you navigate your aged care options.
To get a personalised Options Report of assisted living service providers near you, complete this form and one of our friendly team members will contact you.
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