The importance of trust in home care
Every day across Australia, thousands of people are letting strangers into their homes. Why? Because they are the people who provide support and nursing care services to our aged and frail.
Whether it’s cleaning, help with the shopping, nursing, showering or eating, this is one of the most trusting – and important – relationships in our community.
These workers come into our homes, often providing physical help such as dressing and undressing as well as toileting. Often they come and go without meeting any other family members of friends too.
It means trusting the security and care of your love one to someone else – and trusting that it is well provided.
A changing system
Perhaps this is the next surprise – that this care is well given. The latest report from the Aged Care Complaints Commission for the first half of this year tells us only 407 complaints were made regarding home care from the tens of thousands of home care visits made every day.
It’s a sign that our current home care system is working, with the government approved providers making sure the people they are choosing, training and managing are doing the right job.
This is set for a change on February 27 2017 – it’s the date the Federal Government has set to open up the home care market to other service providers, many of whom will be running much smaller operations than what most of the current providers have.
Finding, training and supporting staff at the same high level could prove to be a financial challenge.
So what’s our best tip? Don’t just check the cost of the home care service you are hiring. Make sure you look at their ‘trust’ factor.
