It’s no surprise that elderly Australians want to stay in their own homes. Close to friends and family, staying in your own home also has considerable financial benefits.

But that doesn’t make it easy. There are lots of things that become difficult for older people – from home maintenance to personal care. Luckily there are a range of services that you can access to help you stay in your own home and continue to live an independent life.

Care at home

Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you’re ready for a nursing home. Sometimes a little help with just one or two tasks each week will make the difference between continuing to live independently and feeling unable to cope.

Luckily the Australian Government provides a number of Aged Care services to help older Australians stay in their own homes. These range from home and garden maintenance, meals preparation, home modifications to personal care.

There are two ways of accessing Aged Care Services.

If you just need a little day-to-day assistance to help you stay in your home, the Home and Community Care Program (HACC) can help. Providing care to more than 500,000 older Australians, HACC can help you access domestic help, centre-based day-care and meals. Applying for these services is simple – you simply need to contact the local organisation that provides these services. While they may undertake a basic assessment to ascertain your needs, the process is relatively straightforward.

For those with more complicated needs, the Home Care Package is ideal. While services are similar to those provided under the HACC program, they are tailor made and coordinated to ensure that all your needs are fully covered – including personal care, support services and clinical care.

To be eligible for the Home Care Package, you need first need to be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). You’ll meet with a health professional such as a doctor, nurse or social worker who can work out which subsidised services you are eligible for. They might also put you in touch with organisations in your local area that can deliver those services to you.

What types of domestic services are provided?

• Centre-based day care – social activities in a community-based setting;
• Transport – helps people get out and about to shopping or appointments;
• Social support – gives people a hand by taking them shopping, banking or to appointments, or just providing company for a chat;
• Domestic assistance – household jobs like cleaning, clothes washing and ironing;
• Personal care – help with bathing or showering, dressing, hair care and going to the toilet;
• Home maintenance – minor general repair and care of your house or yard, for example, changing light bulbs and replacing tap washers or lawn mowing;
• Home modification – installing safety aids such as alarms, ramps and support rails in your home;
• Nursing care – a qualified nurse comes to your home and may, for example, dress a wound or provide continence advice;
• Food services – this includes delivering meals to your home, providing meals at a community centre, or help with shopping and preparing food.

• Physiotherapy (exercises, mobility, strength and balance);
• Podiatry (foot care);
• Speech pathology;
• Occupational therapy (help to recover or maintain your physical ability);
• Dietary advice (healthy eating).

Who pays for the services?

While the Government pays for the bulk of aged care services in Australia, you’ll be asked to contribute to the costs if you can afford to. There will usually be a small fee for services and the amount is dependent on your income and the number and type of services you want. The rate will be discussed and agreed upon by you or your carer and the provider before you receive the services.

Who are the service providers?

There are a wide range of local service providers who provide aged care services. These include health professionals such as nurses, physiotherapists or other health experts that can visit you at home, or domestic help including gardeners and house cleaners.

Finding the best care and the right services are critical to helping you live independently as you get older. It’s great to know that whether you want the lawns mowed every fortnight, or need substantial modifications to make your home safer, there is a range of services and service providers who are willing and able to help.

There are more than 6000 Aged Cared Services listed in the Yellow Pages, from right across Australia. Call today to find out if they are accredited with the Home and Community Care Program.