The nine steps needed to find an aged care home for loved ones

If your ageing loved ones, be they your parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles, are becoming frailer in their mental and physical health, perhaps it is time over the holiday period to discuss their future needs.

It is a massive step that needs to be overcome even if it is clear in your mind, that loved ones need to be cared for as their health has deteriorated or they are having trouble getting around the house and beginning to badly neglect its maintenance.

It is a challenging conversation to have. It's normal for ageing loved ones to be resistant to moving out of the family home, so to make it a productive conversation you need to have the right information on hand.

Agedcare101 is your one-stop website for all the information needed.

It is important to remember the Federal Government funds aged care homes and they make sure the residential aged care homes are up to standard.  Importantly, the Government also subsidises some costs – so they need to know details such as what you need in terms of care and how much you can afford to pay.

Lay the groundwork early

Start talking about the idea of residential aged care before you bring the subject up on a more personal level. Ask your loved one leading questions that would allow them to come to their own realisation that residential aged care could be a good option. Questions may include:

  • How are you feeling/how does your condition feel?
  • Are you socialising enough/do you make time for activities?
  • Would you feel more comfortable having someone else around?
  • How are things going around the house? Are you tired of keeping up with housework on your own?

Which sibling or siblings should take charge of organisation

When it reaches the stage of having the conversation, involve family members and friends whose opinions they value. Bring on board those who they really listen to, and exclude those who they frequently argue with.

If you have friends or other family members already living in a residential aged care home, ask them for pointers or even take your loved one to see them.

It is important to discuss with family members who is best to take care of their loved one's financial affairs and the reality of going to see your loved one. Where is it best for them to live, where family and friends will go and pay regular visits?

Give options of different residential aged care communities

Doing your research on agedcare101 in advance can relieve frustration for everyone involved. This way, you're able to find homes at which your loved one would feel most comfortable, and are available, while also presenting them with options so they don't feel like they've being forced into making a decision.

It’s important to arrange to visit the homes you’re considering so you and your loved one can get a feel for the homes that would best suit them. During the visits you’ll be able to ask questions about life in residential care. It's a great way to get them excited for this next chapter!

Navigating the aged care system on agedcare101

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.