After shopping around and finding the Home Care Package Provider that best suits your individual needs, what are the next steps? When shopping for an Approved Home Care Provider to manage you Home Care Package funds you are looking for good service, flexibility and what fees they charge. This can take time, but is well worth some investigation.
Now comes the good bit. After signing a Home Care Agreement with your chosen Government Approved Home Care Package Provider it is time to get down to business and plan how best to use your funds. This involves sitting down with your assigned Case Manager and writing your individual care plan.
Your Care Plan is about how you live and what care or services will enable you to live the best way you can. This is your opportunity to identify the type of care and services you require to remain living independently in your home and also discuss any goals you have for the future. Your needs and goals are shaped by your own individual circumstances and should be very personal to you. There is no ‘one care plan fits all’.
The development of your care plan should always be collaboration between yourself, your case manager and anyone else you would like to have present to assist you eg. Family member, close friend. The kinds of questions you need to ask yourself when developing your care plan are – What does a great day for you involve? What kind of activities do you enjoy? What is something you used to enjoy that is no longer possible? What assistance is going to help you to remain living independently in your home? The answers to these questions will help shape what your care and services will look like.
At this point you can also have a say in who provides these services. If you have previous Carers that you would like to use, you can. If you know a good gardener that you would like to cut your lawn – your package will pay for them. You can also nominate the level of involvement you would like to have in the running of your package. If you would like to book your own services and manage the rostering of staff you are able to do this. Your Approved Provider will usually discount their fixed fees if you nominate to take on the booking of services.
Best of all it is time to enjoy the services and care you receive to help you live independently in your own home and community.
