Worried an elderly parent may need aged care?

If so it's always best to find out about what aged care services are available in your area before an accident or emergency makes it urgent, and discuss options with other family members.  Many issues need to be considered in advance so everyone is prepared and decisions can be made without delay when required.

For older people who resist moving until there's an emergency and no longer any choice, the move is likely to be even more disruptive and traumatic.  To avoid this, it's worth considering whether they would consider moving to a retirement village unit or low care apartment at an earlier stage while they are still more independent.  This way they can settle in and become accustomed to their new environment and make new friends, with the confidence that more support services are available on site should they be needed and they may even be able to entirely avoid a later move to a high needs facility.

Aged Care is a very complex area with many financial and health issues to consider. Frequent questions family members ask about aged care include:

• Will an accommodation bond apply?  
• Will the house have to be sold to pay it?  
• Will renting out the house affect their eligibility for the aged pension or other benefits?
• Will a reverse mortgage help pay for care? 
• What other financial options are there to fund aged care?
• What if there is no house or other assets and the aged person relies solely on the pension?
• Do other family members all agree on an approach?  
• Is there a “living will” in place to express an older person’s preferences if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves?
• Has power of attorney been granted to enable financial management of their affairs?
• What aged care services are available in your area, and do they have long waiting lists?
• How will you know which facilities offer good quality care?
• Is respite care available and if so is this a good interim step?
• Is moving into an independent living unit or low care apartment a good interim step if higher level care services can be provided there later?
• What other in-home support services may be available to reduce or defer the risk of having to move into an aged care facility?
• How will the Government's new Aged Care reforms impact on any plans to move to an aged care facility?

We've selected a range of helpful website links to help families navigate these complex arrangements on the www.SeniorsHousingOnline.com.au News and Information page, so you can find out more. You can also search the property data base by area, price and level of care to locate suitable retirement communities and aged care facilities.