Aged care - where does it fit in and where to start

Video Description

Over the years, aged care in Australia has undergone such a transformation that it’s almost unrecognisable from nursing homes of yester year.



These days aged care is a shadow of its institutional past, and everyone’s happier for it.

Yet that doesn’t make the prospect of moving into an aged care home less daunting. It’s important to get it right, to ensure you’ll be looked after properly.

If you think you or a loved one is ready for greater care than you can readily get at home, the first step is getting an assessment from ACAT, the Aged Care Assessment Team.

Next you’ll need to find the right kind of residential care. Not only should you look for a facility that provides the support you need, but it should also be comfortable, welcoming.

It should feel like home.

There are also many retirement villages that have aged care facilities on site. This means as you grow more reliant on health services, you won’t necessarily have to leave your home.

In many cases care staff will come to you - it’s like the good old days of house calls.

But if you do reach a point where more intensive care is required, it’s often still available in the village. It might be in a different wing, but your friends or family won’t be far away.

Many aged care homes offer different standards of care, from low to intensive. Some go that little bit further with extra care services like a la carte menus or ensuite bathrooms.

Naturally, the level and type of care you receive affects the price you pay. The facility manager will be happy to discuss how much you’ll need to contribute, and different ways you can manage fees.

To recap, aged care homes are facilities for people who need health care, from low to intensive.

Accordingly the homes vary depending on the services they provide, and the care they offer.

It’s important that the one you choose delivers the care you need in an environment you’ll be happy to call home.

Remember, the idea is to age well.