Start your home care package application today as you may need to wait up to 18 months

We recently asked Nyree Thompson, the Home Care Coordinator at St Louis Victor Harbor, about her experience with clients who have to wait for their home care package to be assigned, even after it has been approved.

In this blog, Nyree tells us about a local Victor Harbor resident who needed care but had to wait for the assignment which took 18 months following the approval. The team at Victor Harbor helped the client apply for a home care package through My Aged Care and supported them to manage in the best way possible during the interim period, while waiting for their approved home care package to be assigned.

For anyone considering home care in the future, it is best to start sooner than later as the assignment process will not be getting any shorter in the near future. 

What home care package was your client approved for and how long did it take to access?

“He was approved for a Level 3 home care package 18 months ago, and at that stage only CHSP service (Commonwealth Home Support Program) was available to him which was not enough to meet his needs. It offered help with getting ready in the morning only two days a week and home cleaning once a fortnight, but he needed much more assistance. 

He had poor mobility and a history of falls. He was also struggling to shower independently. His wife had been managing on her own before she came to us for assistance, but she was exhausted and struggling to keep up.”

What were the risks for this client in not being able to access home care immediately?

“There were risks for both people in the relationship, for our client who needed the home care support services directly, and for his wife who was his primary carer and showing signs of carer stress and caregiver guilt. We were concerned she would not be able to continue caring for him and without a home care package in place, there would be no-one to provide the care if she was not able to.”

How did you help him manage?

“We worked with My Aged Care, their GP and other allied health professionals and gathered the required supporting documentation to help his application be considered sooner than later. For many people this is a time consuming and sometimes daunting process, but we know the system and how it works and are happy to help people from the start, well before they become a client at St Louis.

We guided both of them through respite care and other services and facilities to support them while waiting for his home care package to be assigned. We made the best use of the CHSP service, and helped them access other services while they were waiting for their package. For example, Carers SA provided some additional support to their CHSP services when he needed rehab services. We can help our clients source other levels of support such as this while they are waiting for their home care package to be assigned because we know what else is available.”

How are they today?

“By the time the home care package was assigned, we knew exactly what our client needed. We knew his history so we were able to immediately start working on his home care plan and delivering the services. 

Today they are much happier, they both feel supported and are very grateful for the home care package. He is getting the help he needs at home with cleaning and transport to medical appointments, and he is able to safely shower with the assistance of St Louis staff. His wife is now able to get back out in the community again for her activities and interests. 

He was approved for a Level 3 home care package which is higher care, but after 18 months he was only assigned a Level 2, which is an interim package. Today he remains on the wait list for his Level 3 to become available, but we are managing nonetheless.”

Start your Home Care Package application process sooner than later – call St Louis for assistance 

The Victor Harbor Home Care team at St Louis will help you right from the beginning, from applying for a home care package to accessing interim support services, to delivery of your home care package when it is assigned. Call the Victor Harbor Home Care team on 08 8552 1481 or if you are in the Adelaide metropolitan area, call 08 8332 0950 for a no obligation chat about your home care package options.