Doug from Mornings spoke to Penny Fielding from Pearl Home Care about the “At Home” care options that many Australians are looking for in retirement.

Changes in the Industry

Penny began by saying that people are wanting to stay at home longer than they used to. Everyone has different aspirations.

“The government is listening to that and making home care much more of a viable option for most people but also practically because there is a waiting list for residential aged care beds Australia-wide.”

She continued, “There needs to be 100,000 extra beds brought on just to fill the gap today across Australia.”

The government is also thinking about those people who stay in hospital longer than they need to.

“They call them bed blockers, but I think that’s not really what they are. They’re people who would prefer not to be there. They want to be cared for in their own home if they had support to do so.”

More Mobility

Another change the government is working toward is making sure there is a new range of services that are becoming available to those seeking more mobility.

“Things such as, allied health services for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy are in the new system in a much more emphasised way,” said Penny. “They don’t require a client contribution, which is important for people to know.”

Penny said that people can also access nursing care at home particularly if they have come out of hospital. There is also social support, where people can get out by themselves or with a care worker.

She explained that the focus is really more on maintaining the lifestyle Australians wish to have.

“Just because you’re old doesn’t mean that you can’t be living your best life at home,” she said.

The government is now focusing on contributions for cleaning and gardening for self-funded retirees and park pensioners.

Early Conversations

A lot of people don’t ever feel prepared for this stage of life, but early conversations can ensure a smoother transition when the time comes.

“While people don’t like to plan ahead in this space, if you’re having to make decisions in a crisis point, you’ve got less options. You’ve got to take what’s available at the time rather than doing that pre-planning where you’ve got a bit more control over what you might like for you to maintain staying at home.”

She encouraged those with parents or older family members to look for signs of isolation and anti-social behaviour. These same people might have a change in appearance and the way they look after themselves. They also might be more forgetful or frustrated and angry for no apparent reason.

“I think all of those are kind of indicators that home care is probably needed now,” said Penny.

“I do think it’s always important to have that conversation with family earlier rather than later.”

My Aged Care

Penny said in order to receive a home care package from the government, they need to go to My Aged Care website or ring the phone number. They will then be assessed and awarded a package that is based on their level of need.

“It is a structure with eight levels that gives you an annual budget based on what the government will provide.”

“If someone wants to get out a couple of times in a week and they would like someone to come and do their cleaning, that’s like a level two or a lower level package up to a level eight package, which might have a nurse coming in three times a day and a carer coming in to do showering and making a meal.”

Penny said that there is a broad scope for funding. Full pensioners won’t have to pay for anything, but if they are a self-funded retiree, they will have to contribute to things that come under the category of independence.

“Things such as social supports, outings and personal care. they can also contribute to everyday living such as cleaning and gardening.”

The person’s provider should be able to structure a package so that only a minimum payment is required. “It is sometimes $30 a week or could be up to $100 a week if you’ve got lots of personal care.”

Penny encouraged anyone to talk to their provider for any specific information. More information is also available through My Aged Care website.

Check out the full chat below.