Does your spouse or partner need more help at home? Consider a home care package.

Have you noticed yourself feeling a little more like you are a carer and a little less like you are a spouse recently? This is not uncommon for couples as they grow older together, that one may end providing more care for the other.

For example, have you noticed that:

You’re staying at home more because your partner is reluctant to venture out?
That you never seem to have enough time to tidy the house or look after the garden?
That you feel more tired than usual and not enjoying your retirement as much as you used to?

It is most definitely an act of love to care for someone close to you when they are in need, but some additional help at home with a home care package will help you provide better care to your loved one, looking after your own needs as well so that you don’t run out of steam.

If you get the support you need, you will both benefit

Getting some home care help with a home care package will make life a little easier for you. If you look after yourself better, you will have more time and energy to care for your spouse allowing someone else to look after some weekly chores.

Give yourself some respite
Get out and about to see your friends for a coffee or a walk on the beach
Go and do the grocery shopping without rushing to get back home
Give yourself a well earned break from maintaining the house and garden

As professional home carers, we are aware of your privacy, your routines and also concerns that you may have around losing your independence. Or it may be that your spouse wants you to do the caring role and refuses to have a stranger in your home.

These are all valid concerns which we are empathetic toward and we work every day with our clients to make them feel safe and comfortable with our presence in their home.
Our intent with a home care package is that you stay at home for as long as possible, or forever, without the need to enter residential aged care.

A study recently showed that every hour of home care means a 6% reduction in risk of having to move to a residential aged care facility.

A home care package can initially start with only 2 hours a week

Initially, a home care package can provide only light duties for a couple of hours per week to help take some of the pressure off your shoulders. We can offer help such as tidying and cleaning and doing some grocery shopping. Eventually, and only if you want and need them, we can offer more services to support you and your spouse. For example, we can also provide services for:

Transport to and from social activities and appointments
Medical and allied health support
Dementia care and support
Maintaining the garden
Social programs so that both of you stay socially active in your community

There are more services that can be tailored to your needs as they change over time and if necessary, your low level home care package can increase to a higher level home care package.

Start planning a home care package today, so you are able to live comfortably and safely together for longer

It can take 12 months from when your home care package is approved to when it actually commences, so it is wise to start planning ahead now. Firstly, you will need to do an ACAT assessment and you will then receive a letter notifying you of the package you have been allocated. Once this is allocated, you will still need to wait another 6-9 months for it to begin.

Home care packages tick so many boxes for older Australians who want to stay in the comfort of their own home as they age, but it does take a little bit of time to navigate the home care system and start receiving care.

We are here to help you get started with a home care package