Your Aged Care Compass

The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and the Home Care Packages program (HCP) are two different programs of support for older people living in their own homes. CHSP is considered “entry level” and HCP is generally for people with higher or more complex needs. Understand what each program offers and how to access this support. In this episode: The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) Ho...

We get asked questions every week from people who are supporting their older loved ones at home. If you want to navigate the aged care system well, you need to know you’re getting the right information. Sadly, that’s not always the case, even when you’ve been in touch with services that are set up to help older people. That’s where our experience and expertise come in. We’ve taken a selection of t...

This week’s guest, Amina Schipp, talks about the grief and pain she felt over the preventable death of her 97 year old mother, Maria, in a residential aged care facility. She channelled this grief into becoming a powerful advocate for reform in the aged care sector. Amina discusses how she became an advocate and what drew her to the groups she participates in. She talks about Aged Care Reform Now...

Guest presenter Danielle Phillips discusses her lived experience in becoming an executor twice in two years during the Covid-19 pandemic when she lost both her parents. She was thrown into a whirlpool of time sensitive form filling, phone calls, emails and document preparation, during a time when she just needed space and capacity to focus on the loss of her parents Danielle immediately recognised...

Guest presenter and estate planning solicitor, Joshua Auld, discusses the importance of having the correct documentation in place so that your estate is administered as per your directions in the event of your death. A will is the most important document in estate planning, and appointing a substitute decision maker is a very close second. Joshua discusses why correctly prepared documents can redu...

Every person who is receiving a home care package should have a care plan that reflects their needs and goals, and includes the kind of support that will enable the older person to fulfil those needs or goals. The care plan should be completed with the involvement of the older person and their family member or carer, if indicated. The care plan should include any assistance the older person might...

The time a person waits for their home care package depends on what level of package a person is approved for and what priority they are given by the aged care assessment team (ACAT). Coral discusses the different priority levels, and the difference between approval and assignment of the home care package. She talks about how long the wait times are for the various package levels. Learn about what...

Susan and her siblings supported their parents as they aged. When the time came to access formal support, Susan discovered how confusing the process was and how long it took to get services. Susan discusses what she noticed between the two different assessment services and the outcomes. When it was time to sign up with a package provider, Susan researched the management option that suited her best...

Elder abuse can take many forms; physical, financial, psychological and social harms. We speak mainly about financial abuse in this episode. Nick and MaryAnn talk about identifying the “red flags” and how to address them. It’s a fine line between advocating for the elder and pushing too hard. Experience in this area is so important. MaryAnn discusses who the main perpetrators are, what coercion lo...

A downsizing specialist helps people to declutter their homes. For a variety of reasons, people may need some guidance. Emotional attachment to items and family dynamics can cause resistance when it comes to downsizing. Knowing when to start this conversation and how to proceed in an orderly sequence will make this process less stressful. Professional downsizers often have a great network of local...

A granny flat arrangement is a lifechanging and lifelong commitment. Consider the implications of undertaking such an arrangement. Understand how the arrangement works and what you need to think about before entering into such an agreement. There are legal and financial implications for such an agreement. Getting sound legal and financial advice before entering into this agreement will ensure all...

There are a couple of main options for the management of your home care package funding. These are self-managed or fully managed. There is also a hybrid which is a supported self-managed option. We talk about the different management models and the pros and cons for each. Think about what to consider before you sign up with a provider based on how you’d like your package to be managed. Regardless...

People are eligible for the dementia and cognition supplement if they are receiving a home care package and they demonstrate eligibility via one of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s prescribed screening tools. We discuss how much the supplement is worth and who can do the screening. We explain the different screening tools and when each would be used. Learn who to approach to organize the s...

Having a home care package allows the older person to get services and support to keep them well and independent at home for as long as possible. These services and support can be so much more than “care”. Enlisting a team of clinicians who can help improve the older person’s strength, mobility and overall health can allow them to regain some independence. This also contributes to a person’s abili...

Before having an assessment for in-home aged care services, take the time to reflect on the amount of support you or an older loved one needs on a daily or weekly basis. Any support, formal or informal, paid or free, is important to note. Preparation is key to getting the level of support you or an older loved one needs. Having a list of all the support the older person gets gives a very complete...

There are four levels of funding for home care packages. The packages are used to help keep older people well and able at home for as long as possible. We discuss what the packages are worth, how the funding is allocated and the different package management options available. We chat about what the funding can be used for and the importance of a comprehensive care plan to validate package expendit...

If an older person has lost some function or independence after a hospital admission, they may be approved for the Transition Care Program (TCP). This is a program of up to 12 weeks of clinician-led support to help the older person regain their strength and wellbeing and safely transition back to living at home. TCP is approved while the older person is still in hospital, not after they have been...

When an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessor does an assessment of the older person, they look at the person holistically. They want to understand what services and support could help that person to continue to live in their own home. We discuss what the assessor is looking for, why they ask certain questions and why they may look around the older person’s home as part of the assessment. Jani...

There are aged care programs that support older people to live in their own homes for as long as possible. We discuss eligibility for in-home programs and the information that you need to convey when you contact My Aged Care. We talk about what happens when you contact My Aged Care, providing consent, and becoming a regular representative. Learn about the assessment teams and the programs that the...

Australia’s aged care system is complex and can disadvantage the people it’s meant to support. We teach people how the system works and how to get the support they need to stay living in their own home for as long as possible. Learn about My Aged Care, the programs of support that you can get in-home, the assessment teams, home care packages, what to do if your needs increase, and what will change...

After Dad passed away in January 2018, Coral began to write, starting with her blog “Dementia, my dad and me.” This was her way of dealing with the grief of Dad’s passing. This documented Coral’s journey with Dad over his final 8-10 years, his slow decline in cognition, his eventual diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, his final year of life and his eventual death.  At work, Coral was being asked more a...

People often tell us they have had their My Aged Care assessment. This shows they do not understand where they are in the system. My Aged Care asks a series of questions. This is screening. This is not an assessment. The screening determines where this referral goes.  Know the difference between screening and assessment. Know who is assessing you. Different assessment teams approve for differ...

Are you supporting an older loved one at home and ready to give up because it’s just too hard? Your Aged Care Compass is aimed at anyone who is caring for an older loved one who still lives at home and is wondering what support is available to them. We're Coral and Michelle, the sisters behind our business, See Me Aged Care Navigators. Coral is a registered nurse with over 30 years experience in b...