Your golden years are a time to shine, and your independence is something to be proud of. Private home care can enable you or your loved one to maintain independence from the comfort of home. In Australia we are fortunate to have so many options of support to help us age safely in place. Let’s find out more about private home care options and how it can help you get the most out of life.
What support is available to help you?
When ageing in place, there can be times where some activities might be made easier if there was someone around to lend a helping hand. In-home care can cover all manner of activities beyond personal care including transportation to social engagements, keeping your board game playing sharp, or being your accountability partner to staying fit.
Home care provided privately, enables you to choose from a wide variety of services including:
⦁ Personal care assistance
⦁ Housekeeping or gardening support
⦁ Cooking and nutritional support
⦁ Transportation for outings or to attend appointments
⦁ Companionship and social engagement
⦁ Medication management and reminders
Private home care is also a great option when you need some extra help for only a short period of time. Returning home after a hospital procedure, for example, is a time to engage short-term in-home care to enable you to fully recover ‘just as the doctor ordered,’ and gradually work your way back to your usual level of functioning, without overdoing it. It is also a great option as a respite for your existing family carer, or other support structures that need a break, whether that be planned or unexpected.
Who is eligible?
Private aged care is different from funded aged care services purely due to the lack of government involvement. As you are not receiving a subsidy for private home care, you don’t need to worry about a government assessment through My Aged Care. There is generally no waitlist to access support through private in-home care services, so you can access the help you require at home immediately.
Additionally, not all Australians will qualify to have these supports fully funded and many people will want more than what is provided via funding. This is where private pay home care comes in, giving you the freedom and flexibility to pay privately out of your own pocket for care services. This doesn’t mean it is more expensive, in fact, private home care can be more cost effective than some government funded services, and you only pay for the service you need. Private in-home care can also be a great option if you need immediate support, or you only need support for a short time.
How do you organise care?
Many providers who offer funded in-home care will also provide private in-home care. The My Aged Care service finder will be able to help you search for providers based on the services you are after.
Once you have chosen your home care agency, you can make your arrangements for in-home care directly and pay the full agreed cost. There is no limit to the number of hours of care you can receive each week when paying privately, and you can increase or decrease the services or hours as your requirements change.
Can you use it in conjunction with your Home Care Package?
The short answer is yes, if you already have a Home Care Package and receive in-home care services via your package you can add additional services or hours privately. This enables you to maintain the familiarity and consistency of the service you are already enjoying. You will find many of the government-funded services also offer privately paid options that you can top-up on any additional services you are after.
Ageing in place independently doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. At Home Care Assistance, our expert care team is ready whenever you need to provide a little extra care in the home and keep your golden glow alive. Our Care Workers are compassionate, dependable, friendly, and experienced when it comes to providing in-home care, giving you and the rest of your family peace of mind.
