You want to keep on enjoying life from the comfort of the home you know and love.
So organising a Home Care Package with the flexibility to enjoy the support you need now and in the future makes good sense. But how do you know which provider is right for you?
What do home care providers do?
Your Home Care Package provider is the organisation you select to deliver the government-subsidised aged care services you need to live safely and independently in your own home.
A Home Care Package can be a great asset, so it’s important to ask the right questions when choosing (or changing!) a provider.
Your package, your choice
You know better than anyone what support will help you to keep enjoying the comforts of home.
Does the provider offer a full range of services and the flexibility to meet your needs now and as your needs change in the future? Do they have a team with expertise in a range of areas that you may benefit from – for example, personal and clinical care, allied health and home maintenance including experience in accessibility and home safety?
Most importantly, does the provider you are considering demonstrate a commitment to listening, understanding your needs, and thinking outside the box to come up with the individual combination of services and supports that are right for you?
A focus on you
It’s important to know who will be managing your services. Will you have a consistent, dedicated person who will understand your circumstances and take the time to get to know you?
How often will your care plan be reviewed? Things change and that’s ok. (At Centacare, we find our Service Leaders can usually anticipate needs as they arise and suggest new supports that may be helpful.)
Range of services
When evaluating aged care providers, consider the breadth of services they offer.
To start with, you may focus on getting support at home with cleaning, cooking, gardening and support to running errands and attending appointments. But you can also use your Home Care Package to get involved in a range of activities outside the home.
Our Centacare Social and Community Hubs are busy places with regular outings, craft and activity groups and even fitness classes. Ask what else your provider can offer.
Care and commitment
What attributes are most important to you in a provider? We’ve learned that some of the things our clients value most are professionalism, trustworthiness, respect and an authentic, friendly team who take pride in their work.
Support worker qualifications, training, screening and clinical oversight are important to check, but so too is the providers’ promise to care.
At Centacare, Care really is our calling—we’ve been around for 65 years, walking alongside people in ways that help them live their fullest lives. For us, supporting people to stay living in the home they love is more than a job, it’s a genuine calling.
Contact our team to find out more.