‘The challenges we faced when we navigated the home care minefield’

Earlier this year my husband and I had to consider the likelihood that we needed some extra help at home if we wanted to continue living independently. Both in our 80s, we knew that for many older people, living at home can become more difficult, but asking for help shouldn’t mean losing your independence.

We both acknowledged that some of the things we used to be able to do had become a little more challenging with age. When I started investigating what home care could mean for us, I discovered that for different people it will mean different things and there is much to be considered.

These are the steps we took when deciding it was time to get a little support around the house.

First, we needed to decide on the things we were struggling to do and what help we really wanted. For some people it could involve assistance with the shopping and household cooking, while for others it might mean help with personal hygiene, such as taking a shower or bath and getting dressed or in and out of bed. It could even be the installation of home modifications that will make living at home easier and more safe.

I contacted My Aged Care, which is an Australian Government organisation. They were able to discuss with me the different types of home care services available to my husband and me. I got some information about what assessments were required to ensure we would receive the right type of care, as well as was support services might be available to us and the likely costs of such assistance.

There are also local community health centres that can provide assistance and advice for those requiring it. I would recommend investigating these avenues too.

The Government holds a wait list for Home Care Packages, which are allocated from the date you are assessed. You’ll be allocated a package according to priority. When we received our approval letter we were advised that we had 56 days in which to decide who we wanted to provide the services we required. There were a number of service providers to choose from. Payment and allowances vary depending on your income and assets etc.

I first approached My Aged Care about a year ago. We’d already been receiving an hourly visit each fortnight for some house cleaning, which we paid for. This however, was through a local health service. I’d not previously investigated or engaged with the home care packages.

My husband and I were inclined to carry on with life as if there was nothing wrong, but we both knew this was not beneficial. We both have health issues and we become tired (exhausted) quickly. My husband and I are like two peas in a pod — we seem to suffer from the same afflictions. We will often see the same specialist and/or take similar medications.

That first approach resulted in the usual rigmarole on the phone, having to repeat the same details many times over (pension card number, Medicare number etc.). However, once all was said and done I was advised there would be someone out to assess us. That happened and we were approved for home care, but we’d still have to pay of course as the packages take time. We were in the queue.

The time from approval to the receipt of a home care package varies. I’ve heard some people have had to wait up to two years! I left it a month before following up, and what a shock to the system that was. A sharp-tongued woman at the end of the phone advised me we weren’t even in the queue so there would be no chance of a package.

Even after informing her that my husband had been ill and that I was really in need of some assistance, this woman remarked that his ill-health and condition would not be taken into account with our request.

He was unable to drive me to the shops, help with the household chores or even carry bags of shopping into the house. Not only was his health having an impact on him, but it was having a severe impact on me too. I was struggling to stay on top of the cooking, washing, bed making and folding, animal feeding etc. The garden we have is huge and was getting wilder every week, I could only do it in short bursts, and removing rubbish or fallen branches was very hard with my arthritic hands and shoulders. This fell on deaf ears. I think I got her on a bad day.

However, when my husband was seriously ill there was no one. We do not have the benefit of family living nearby. I was nursing him after a burst appendix, which nearly killed him. He needed constant attention and home nursing for six weeks as he was on a suction pump 24 hours a day. I tried My Aged Care again. Brave of me!

Finally, someone listened and the wheels started moving. A nurse came daily to dress Brian’s wound. It was all arranged locally and there was the promise of another assessment. I was even offered counselling because I’d been under so much stress. I burst into tears twice during visits to the chemist. We were offered respite for Brian, but refused at the time because with that little bit of help I was able to cope.

Our second assessment took place and it was more obvious we did need help now and then. Although we both look deceptively well, and because we are mostly cheerful, people assume we are fine. However, this time we were assured help would be coming. A gardener came to help for five hours, we were entitled to this and it would come out of the package. He was fantastic and it was good to have the gutters cleaned. Home care continued with us still paying.

Recently we got the letter at last, we had been approved. It was official. We were at a low level, but may be allowed to go up as needs demand. We have chosen a provider from a booklet of many and have now to be assessed when we need services. I am still just getting one hour a fortnight for home cleaning, which is fine.

We know that over time we’ll need things like new dentures (we waited four years for a dental clinic appointment to become available), walking aids (which could be received after a physio assessment) and electric scooters (should walking become a real issue). Thankfully there is nothing wrong with our eyesight or hearing at this stage, but it’s nice to know we could also get help with that if we needed it.

The package can help with replacement computers, beds and chairs for special needs, and grab rails and ramps around the home. All these things are to keep us functioning, in touch with the world and as independent as possible in our own home.

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