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1. Choose the right provider
Since aged care reforms were introduced in 2016, there has been a marked increase in the number of home care providers in the market, allowing for greater choice, but also greater confusion for you trying to choose the right service for you.
There were 917 approved home care providers at 31 March 2019, an increase of 64 providers since 31 March 2018. The amount of information available from each provider offering something different can seem overwhelming. Do your research. Ask question and seek feedback from friends or family who may have experienced using a particular provider before.
These services will be provided in your home so it is vital that you find a provider who best suits your needs. Before making a final decision remember to compare costs such as exit amounts. You can only choose one provider at a time and they are responsible for managing all the services under your agreement. For a list of providers local to you visit My Aged Care or seek assistance from an industry professional at Next Stepz.
Ask questions and find out what others have said about them, to ensure you find a provider who best suits your needs. If you can, speak with several providers before making a final decision. Remember to compare costs such as exit amounts. You can only choose one provider at a time and they are responsible for managing all the services under your agreement.
2. Use transparency to your best advantage
It is now mandatory for home care providers to publish pricing information on the My Aged Care website https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/ . This site will also provide information on the providers who are local to you and the services available.
3. Understand the lingo!
You may have heard the terms CHSP, HCP (Level 1, 2, 3, or 4), RAS, ACAT, NPS to name a few of the acronyms thrown around for added confusion.
Its really important that you as a consumer understand the service you are receiving and what is being approved, because sometimes in addition to receiving an approval for a home care package as an outcome of your assessment, you may also be provided with approval to access CHSP to assist with specific care needs identified during your assessment. Assessors provide these approvals to ensure you have options to address care needs, whilst awaiting your approved home care package. Over 90 per cent of people on the NPS at 31 March 2019 who were waiting on a home care package at their approved level, were also approved for access to services through the CHSP.
Newsflash – not all providers are approved to provide CHSP and Home Care Packages so if continuity of care is important to you, best to choose a provider who is approved for both. If you feel like you need help, Next Stepz can support you through this important decision, visit https://nextstepz.com.au/packages/aged-care-entry-package/
4. Unhappy with your decision? Make the switch
Once you’ve made a decision and you are unhappy with the reliability or quality of your service you can make a change at any time. For example, the staff fail to turn up as per your agreement, or you get a different staff member turning up each visit and you have to re-orient them to the service you need each time resulting in less time being spent on the actual support activity.
I you want to continue to use government funded services, you and your old provider must agree to an end date. Once you’ve chosen you your new provider you can start the day after you finish with your old provider. The Aged Care law requires your old provider to help you transfer to your new provider. If you feel like you would like someone to support you with this transition, Next Stepz can support you with this process.
If you would prefer to fund you own home care service privately, you can expect to get what you pay for. There are many providers who offer a superior home services as fee for service. For assistance with this, visit https://nextstepz.com.au/packages/private-home-support-services-up-to-9-hours-week/
