We sat down with KompleteCare client Jakob, who talked to us about his experiences with getting a Home Care Package (HCP) and how he chose to receive care through KompleteCare.
Although Jakob still considers himself independent, at 88, he regularly attends social clubs, lives at home alone, and is an avid gardener. He started finding a few tasks more difficult than others. Jakob spends most of his day in the garden curating his plants and attending to his passion for crossbreeding geraniums. But tasks such as mowing the lawn and cleaning the bathroom were becoming increasingly difficult. He could still do them himself, but it was taking him a little longer than he would like, and that’s when he realized he needed a bit more help.
So how do you get that help?
As defined on the My Aged Care website, step one is realizing you or a loved one needs a little more support in your day-to-day life.
The first stage is to find out if you are eligible for subsidized Aged Care. This involves a two-part assessment process to understand your needs and what services could help you. It starts with a simple eligibility check, either online or over the phone, followed by an in-person assessment.
If doing this online, the first step is filling out some information about yourself, such as your DOB. Do you identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander? Then the assessment investigates what kind of help you need. Help at home, assistance with moving to an aged care facility, or other? The next step relates to what type of daily activities you need help or aid with, out of the following: getting out of bed or chairs, walking, going to the toilet, wiping and re-dress, taking a bath or shower, getting dressed, eating a meal, preparing a meal, taking medicine, basic housework, driving or taking public transport, shopping for groceries, managing money and paying bills.
Once you have selected what you can do, some further information is required. For example, suppose you selected that you would like assistance preparing meals. In that case, you will be asked follow-up questions about your current capabilities. For example, can you plan and cook complete meals with simple aids? Can you only complete simple tasks like making tea or sandwiches without help? Or are you unable to do any food preparation at all?
Then we move on to your current support. Are you currently receiving care or support? Whether from a family or friend, a service provider, or both, or nothing at the moment.
The following questions are asked to assess whether the changes in circumstance are related to a decline in health. Have you recently experienced any of the following, such as a stay in the hospital, a slip, trip, or fall, any illness or disease, any sudden weight changes, or none of the above?
Have you been feeling anxious or depressed lately? Have you been feeling confused or finding it difficult to remember things? Have you noticed that your behaviour has changed? Do you feel lonely or socially isolated, or none of the above?
Are you experiencing or about to experience any of these situations? Your family or friends are no longer able to help you? Have your living arrangements changed? Are you experiencing financial hardship? Do you worry about your safety when left alone or none of the above?
Once you have completed this process, you will need a Medicare Card for the in-person assessment. You will also need to provide your contact details, including address, telephone, and email address if applicable.
There is a National Priority System in place, which allows fairer allocation of packages to people based on their needs and circumstances, no matter where they live. Those with higher or urgent needs will be prioritized to receive a package. Depending on your circumstances, there will be about a 6-24 month wait on average, depending on the level of the Home Care Package sought. However, it can range anywhere from 1-24 months. For Jakob, it was about the 6-month wait, as he is independent, and based on his assessment outcome, he was eligible for help given his age and living circumstances.
Once Jakob received his package, it was time to choose a provider, and that’s where we at KompleteCare came in. Through connections with his friends and family, Jakob knew of KompleteCare and decided to give us a call to see if we could help. He met with our Sales Representative Team Leader Cody, who talked him through the benefits of coming to KompleteCare, and what help, support, and services we could offer him. Jakob was looking for someone to assist him with the cleaning every fortnight and someone to assist with the gardening and mowing of the lawns.
Jakob went through this process over 12 months ago. In his own words, he is thrilled with the help and support he receives here with KompleteCare. He describes his Home Support Workers, Gardener, and Case Manager as fantastic, and he has been pleased and impressed with the help and support he has received.
So, in summary, the journey to get a My Aged Care Assistance Package are as follows:
Step 1: Realizing you or a loved one needs extra help to do the things they once used to do.
Step 2: Completing the online and in-person eligibility criteria checks.
Step 3: Apply for a My Aged Care Package. You are then placed into a priority queue ranging from 1-24 months based on your needs and the services required.
Step 4: Once you have gotten your package, it’s time to choose a Provider to service that home care package.
And we hope you choose KompleteCare. We are ‘the company with heart’ and can assist you with the best in-home care to stay independent and in your home for longer. For more information, please call us on (08) 8265 5696.
