If you’re eligible for short-term restorative care, there are a few ways to find and connect with service providers.
- Ask your assessor to refer you to a provider. The provider will then contact you.
- Use the Find a provider tool to search for providers in your area.
- Call My Aged Care.
Once you’ve found a service provider, you can contact them. Talking to them gives you the chance to ask questions, and helps you understand what to expect. At this stage, you don’t have to commit to a provider. You can choose not to go with a provider for any reason.
What you might talk about
Operating hours
Ask for the provider’s hours of operation to make sure that they can help when you need them.
Diverse needs
Asking questions is very important when you have diverse needs. These might be cultural and linguistic, or they might be due to a physical or mental condition. Knowing that a provider has the experience and skills to tailor their services to your individual needs will ensure you find the right people to help you.
Meeting your needs
Ask about the types of services you might need and how the provider can arrange and organise them. As you only get one referral code, it’s up to the provider to arrange all the individual services that you will need. For example, do they have a preferred physiotherapist or can you use your own? Do they organise health professionals to come to your house?
Quality
It's important that you talk with the provider that will be delivering your services, and feel comfortable with them. They should provide you with quality services and respect your rights. Read more on your rights and quality in aged care.
Costs
Ask them about how much your contribution will be, how often you will pay for the service, and what happens if you take a break. Remember you can negotiate the cost with your preferred provider.
Availability
Check if the provider you want can start services when you’d like them to start. Not every provider will be available. Some have waitlists you can join. People with the highest level of need are offered services first. You can also see availability by searching for providers using the Find a provider tool.