Mary loved her community and had lived there independently since her 20s.
However, in her late 70s, her health and care needs were changing. She struggled to maintain her home, finances, and new medication regime, even with Support at Home services. Mary began to worry about her safety at home, so she decided that the time was right to move into a residential aged care home.
She contacted My Aged Care and requested an aged care assessment. After Mary was approved for residential care, she used the Find a provider tool on the My Aged Care website to find aged care homes nearby. She checked what services they offered, their published room prices and whether they had availability. But she had concerns.
Even though her means assessment indicated the Government would fund some of her aged care fees, Mary wasn’t sure if she could afford an aged care home. So, she got some independent financial advice. When they confirmed that she could afford it, she resumed her search and made a shortlist of homes she liked.
Mary was happy to find an aged care home close to her community. She wanted to investigate further, so she contacted them directly to talk about a possible placement. During the discussion, Mary asked if she could bring her furniture and clothing with her, and the aged care home agreed. She then took a tour of the aged care home and saw that the rooms were spacious, private, came with an ensuite, and regularly maintained. The residents had large, comfortable spaces to socialise, and many interesting outings were available to choose from. She was pleasantly surprised that some were for local events she hadn’t been aware of.
Mary decided that this place suited her well.
With the assistance of the Older Persons Advocacy Network, she understood her rights and the fees she would need to pay. Happy, she signed a service agreement and accommodation agreement with the home.
Mary set up her new room, and filled it with the photos and furniture she had loved for so long. Content with her new surroundings, Mary made friends with a number of residents and, during her regular afternoon tea with them, decided which new community event they would attend.
Services featured in Mary’s story
You can save the services that are relevant to you, find out more about each service, or enter your postcode to search for providers in your area who offer your saved services.
How can I get these services?
To access these services, you will need to be assessed. An aged care assessment determines whether you are approved to access services based on your care needs.
