Waiting for Support at Home?

Approved, and then waiting

1. 1

   Your assessment

   An assessor visits, talks through what's getting harder, and works out the help you need. Afterwards you receive a Notice of Decision letter setting out what you're approved for.

2. 2

   Your place in the queue

   Funding is released through a national priority system. Where you sit depends on your priority category (urgent, high, medium or standard) and the date you were approved.

3. 3

   Funding, service by service

   Each approved service is funded separately, so one kind of help can begin before another. If the wait runs long, you may be offered part of your funding first.

4. 4

   A letter, and a deadline

   When your funding is ready, a letter arrives. From its date you have 56 days to sign with a provider and start services. If you need longer, ask My Aged Care for a 28-day extension.

Keep the wait working for you

A few small things now can save a lot of worry later, and make sure nothing slips while the paperwork catches up.

• Keep your details current

  If an address, phone number or main contact changes, tell My Aged Care so your funding letter reaches the right person, on time.

• Ask for a review if things change

  A fall, a hospital stay or a new diagnosis can change needs quickly. If that happens, ask My Aged Care about a reassessment. Your priority may change with it.

• Ask about short-term help

  Some short-term pathways, including restorative care after an illness or injury and end-of-life care, are funded straight away once approved.

• Keep a simple diary

  Jot down what's getting harder: meals, stairs, showering, remembering tablets. It's useful at any review, and for anyone who steps in to help.

• Look after the family carer too

  If you're the one filling the gaps, your rest matters. A regular break, even a few hours a week, helps you keep going.

Private care, without the queue

You don't need an assessment or a funding letter to get help at home. Private care is arranged directly with a provider.

Private care sits outside the government system. You choose the help, the days and the person, and pay as you go. It can fill the gap until your funding is ready.

Arranging private care doesn't mean giving up your approval. Just don't tell My Aged Care you've stopped looking for services unless that's what you want.

Signs it might be time for help now

• Meals being skipped, or the fridge looking a little bare.
• Missed appointments, or tablets not taken as they should be.
• The house slipping from the way they've always kept it.
• Fewer outings and more time alone.
• A recent fall, or a near miss.
• The family running on empty.

A sensible first plan

You don't have to plan for everything at once. A little regular help with the right things can make a big difference to how the week feels.

1. 1

   Pick the two or three biggest worries

   Start where help will make the most difference, whether that's meals, outings or simply company.

2. 2

   Book a regular visit

   Even one two-hour visit a week means the same companion gets to know them, and they get to know the companion.

3. 3

   Review after a month

   Adjust as needs change, or as your Support at Home funding arrives.

When your funding arrives

When your funding letter comes, you'll choose a registered Support at Home provider for your funded services.

Plenty of families keep some private visits going alongside their funded services, for the extras the budget doesn't stretch to, or to keep a companion they've come to trust.

Questions to ask any provider:

• Who will actually come, and will it be the same person each time?
• How are carers checked, trained and insured?
• What's the minimum visit, and what does it cost on weekends?
• How much notice do you need to change or cancel?
• Who do I call when something isn't right?