Home Care Solves Interesting Challenges
12 March 2018
Home Care team members at Vasey RSL Care respond to the needs of those living in their own homes who require assistance to continue to live at home with confidence. Sometimes their needs are surprising and our staff become very creative…
It is a big step to move from an independent life at home to residential care, and over the last few years, government policy has encouraged more older Australians to continue living in their own home – with support – for as long as they can do so, before moving into residential care.
To receive funding – a Home Care package – the individual must have a government assessment and the funding package they receive will reflect the level of their needs. There are four levels, from 1 – lowest needs, to 4 – highest needs.
We have many ‘consumers’ (the government term for those accessing the home care packages) who we support, to ensure that they are able to live in their own home with confidence.
The individual chooses how they will use the funding they receive: it can be spent on cleaning, household chores, gardening, transport to appointments and social engagements, help with shopping, or other assistance that the individual requires, to maintain their independence and quality of life. 
It’s not always about boring chores
Our staff offer valuable assistance in setting up the services required, and it’s not always about boring chores! One consumer had difficulty walking her two dogs and they were becoming destructive from their lack of exercise.
Our team arranged a professional dog walker to assist her by taking one dog while she takes the other: the dogs are happy because they get to go out, and the consumer is happy because she too is able to get out with them with enough support to feel confident again.
She reported feeling a lot happier
Another consumer had lived for many years in France and with no opportunity to speak French, was losing her language skills and feeling lonely.
Our team were able to locate a French-speaking carer to meet her for coffee and a chat at a local cafe once a fortnight. This has helped her feel more confident about getting out into her community, retain her French skills and reduced her isolation: she reports feeling a lot happier.
Not ‘too old’ for city adventures
A third consumer really wanted to see last year’s Van Gogh exhibition at the NGV, but felt ‘too old to go’.
After a little persuasion, our staff arranged a carer to travel with them, take them around the expo in a wheelchair and ensure they had their medications, drinks and lunch. Not only was this person overwhelmed with the experience, they also gained the confidence to take on other big city adventures.
We have many examples of how home care can provide assistance in a way that does more than just look after the basic necessities: these are important of course, but they are not the things that provide meaning and purpose in life.
If you know someone who needs assistance to maintain their independence and continue to live at home, please call our home care team: 1300 602 108.