Getting ready for the holidays? This is the conversation you should be having with your family
Christmas is a special time for many of us – but it’s also when we may notice that our older family members are not coping as well as they could living at home.
With everyone (usually) gathered in the same room, this is the ideal time to have a conversation about how your loved ones can be supported into the future – and how you will deal with the costs.
These are difficult topics to bring up, but having a plan in place – and knowing what the options are for care and support – can save you and your family a lot of anxiety down the track.
How can you kick off this conversation?
Ageing parents will rarely put up their hand for help – which can make it challenging to get onto the subject.
Setting a family meeting is a good way to get everyone involved.
Try to be open and honest in your discussion and listen to the wishes of your family member – they may have very different ideas from what you envisioned.
Discuss where they might want to live in the future and any worries that they may have about using aged care services.
Can home care keep Mum and Dad living well at home?
The Federal Government’s home care program is designed to help older Australians live independently at home for as long as possible.
The Government provides funding for a range of services, including domestic assistance, social support, nursing care, respite care, transport, personal care and allied health.
To apply for funding, you must complete an assessment through the Government’s My Aged Care portal.
An assessor will visit your loved one to assess their care needs and if deemed eligible, they will be approved for Government funding to pay for their aged care services.
Waiting times for Home Care Packages are currently sitting at six to 12 months or longer depending on the funding level – so it’s another good reason to have these conversations about care and support earlier.
Private home care also available
You may also choose to top up your loved one’s services privately, for example, paying for a home care worker to help them with cleaning, maintenance, showering or transport.
Seeking advice from an aged care financial adviser can help to establish the best strategy for funding future care needs.
It’s also essential to ensure that any personal documents are kept up to date – make sure enduring power of attorneys and wills are set up and seek legal advice if these need to be changed.
Being prepared for a range of scenarios – including a potential move into an aged care home in the future – will make certain ensure you and your loved ones make the right decisions for your family.
