Accommodation options in retirement and aged care
Own home – if you choose to remain in your own home there are a range of services that can be provided under a Home Care Package (HCP). These may include personal care, clinical support and light home duties. A HCP can be hard to secure with greater demand than supply. As at 31 March 2021 there were 183,376 people who had accessed a HCP. This is a 20.7 per cent increase since 31 March 20201.
There is also a Commonwealth Home Support Program which is assessed by the regional assessment service to determine the type of in-home care needed.
Retirement village – a retirement village is a residential option offering a community lifestyle designed specifically for the needs and lifestyles of people over age 55. Most retirement villages offer self-contained accommodation for independent living. They may also provide services such as meals, cleaning and personal care for an additional fee.
Aged care accommodation – residential aged care is a purpose-built facility that offers specialised care for those who need assistance with their everyday living. The services provided may include:
- on-call staff for assistance
- meals
- basic accommodation services such as furnishings
- cleaning and general laundry
- bedding
- maintenance of buildings and grounds.
Additional services (such as hairdressing, outings or a cafe) are offered by some aged care residential facilities at an extra cost.
Accessing accommodation packages
A conversation with an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) is the key to accessing what packages are available to an individual to help determine if a home care package can be secured, or if entry to residential aged care accommodation is the more suitable option.
An ACAT assessment is done by doctors, nurses and social workers to assess the physical and mental needs of the individual.
Choosing an aged care facility
The decision on which aged care facility to choose is made by the prospective resident and their family. This decision may be largely based on accommodation cost and availability, but consideration should also be given to family circumstances, quality of the accommodation and facilities, reputation of the facility, closeness to family and friends and other personal and emotional factors.
It’s important to remember there are often long waiting lists for entry to many facilities, so it’s a matter of weighing up the urgency of entry and the availability of preferred facilities. The sooner you consider your aged care options and get onto a waitlist, the easier it is to make the transition. In saying this, you should also be prepared to move rapidly once a facility can accommodate you, as places tend to be assigned very quickly and if you take too long to decide, it may be offered to someone else.
Other considerations
This article barely scratches the surface of things you need to know when it comes to your aged care, or that of a family member or close friend. There is a lot to understand when it comes to costs, whether the family home needs to be sold or can be retained, impacts on the age pension for those in receipt of this social security payment and thought to ongoing income.
Talk to a Financial Adviser
With so much to know about this very important decision around how you, or someone you care about, will live out their final years, it’s important to get all the facts from a qualified Financial Adviser who understands the aged care system and can provide options and advice, giving consideration to your individual circumstances.
Make an appointment today to discuss aged care, it’s important to explore your options while you are of sound mind and can make informed decisions. If you would like to know more, feel that you or anyone you know requires advice, or would simply like a review of your financial situation, please visit our contact page call our office today to arrange an appointment on (07) 5574 0667.
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Disclaimer
The information has been given in good faith and has been prepared based on information that is believed to be accurate and reliable at the time of publication. The information is general in nature and does not take into account your particular financial needs, circumstances and objectives.
