Did you know you can go on a yoga retreat under your home care package? Well you can. Many of us don’t know the many different ways you can use your home care package. We tend to think it’s more for help with the shopping or meals or the cleaning but it can be so much more than that.
There are so many services available under your home care package that most of us haven’t heard of – from art classes to mobile hairdressers and help de-cluttering your home.
It’s all part of your home care package, which you can use for the services you need. The choice of services is up to you – it’s just a matter of finding the right home care provider to meet your individual needs.
It’s your home care package now
There’s more choice within home care now since the government recently made changes to the way home care worked. Previously, you had less choice and had to work with the service provider that held your home care package. This meant you could only access the services they provided.
However, now a home care package is assigned to you, the consumer, and you can opt to use any service provider you like. With this change, it’s important you take the time to find a service provider who can support you with the services you’re most interested in.
Freedom of choice
Emily McDougall, marketing manager for Care Connect, an independent, not-for-profit home care specialist, says: “There’s something like 700 home care providers across Australia providing services. So it’s important to choose the right provider to make sure your home care services support you now and in the future.”
“It’s really important to shop around and choose the best provider. That way, you’ll get the best value from your package with more choice. We’ll make sure your home care package suits you by finding the right services and people that match your exact needs,” she adds.
“A lot of people don’t know there is financial support and home care services to help them stay living independently at home or in a retirement village, for as long as possible,” McDougall adds.
Seasonal help
There are many seasonal services available through home care. For example, at winter time, you can get help checking on your energy consumption. Some providers can even help you change over to better light bulbs and check on your electricity plans.
In autumn, they can help you trim the trees in your yard and do a general garden clean up. At Easter time, you may be able to get help decorating your Easter eggs and buying gifts.
When you get frantic at Christmas time, you can ask for help sending out your cards, wrapping your presents and putting the tree up. So there’s no need to dread the Yuletide season!
Many home care providers offer general gardening services so you don't have to worry about keeping things tidy outside
Finding peace of mind
Home care can even help you find peace of mind! You can ask your home care provider if they can help you with financial advice and planning. Some providers can help you find alternative funding if you either want to stay living at home or you want to move to a retirement village.
You can still keep your pets as you get older, because some providers have carers who’ll come out and walk your dog or take your pet to the vet.
And you can keep active – some providers will send a companion with you on short trips and you can ask for assistance when you’re moving house. If you’re feeling a bit lonely and would like to have a chat with someone, you can ask for a home visit and this may be all you need for a bit of a boost.
Or feel good about yourself
You can use your home care package for personal training and exercise classes or a gym membership! Or you can ask for a mobile hairdresser or manicurist to pay you a visit if that’s what makes you feel good.
And if you feel you need to wind down a little, you can use your home care package for meditation classes, behaviour support therapy or a yoga retreat.
Let’s face it, the options seem endless. Take a look at our detailed list of home care options below and ask your provider if they’re able to support you with any of these.
Home care services
- Decorating Easter eggs
- Assistance with moving/relocation
- Annual check of smoke detectors and battery replacement
- De-cluttering, professional organisers and heavy duty cleaning
- Professional laundry services
- Vision aids, including projector, phones with large keys and magnifier
- Hands-free speaker phone or mobile phones for seniors (with large buttons)
- Financial advice and planning
- Sourcing alternative funding for the client to continue living at home
- Help with pets, including dog walking, veterinarian care and pet care
- Companionship for travel and short trips or just in the home
- Home-visiting programs
- Interpreter/translation services and other cultural assistance
- Golf lessons
- Cooking classes
- Magazine subscriptions, including diabetic magazines
- Art classes
- Colouring books, paints and canvas
- Spiritual support including buying a bible, religious books or Rosary beads
- Internet access, computer/mobile technology and training programs
- Glasses, including lens and frames
- Dental care and denture clinics
- Therapeutic bed mattress or electronic bed
- Mobile physiotherapist and occupational therapist services
- Physiotherapy sessions
- Aromatherapy
- Personal training and exercise classes
- Gym membership
- Mobile hairdresser and manicurist
- Meditation classes
- Meal delivery and meal preparation
- Family counselling
- Behaviour support therapy
- Yoga retreat
- Substance abuse therapy, especially drug and alcohol
- Supplements application
- Autumn time – trim trees and general garden clean up
- Winter time – arrange an energy audit and organise the changing of light bulbs or downlights
Do you use Home Care services for yourself or your parents? Share your experiences here.
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