Knowing where to start with aged care

One of the most difficult aspects of caring for an ageing loved one is knowing when and how to get help. If you are living many kilometres away from a loved one assessing a family member's health care needs over the phone is virtually impossible. 

Many older people are reluctant to accept help at home and will insist that they're coping. To get a realistic idea of the care needs of an elderly family member you really need to go and stay with them for a couple of days or organise an aged care assessment.

The following checklist can help you identify what areas of care your family member is having problems with and the kind of services you may need to consider organising.

• Nutrition: Can your loved one get to the shops and prepare nutritious meals? Have they lost weight?
   
• Mobility: Can they safely transfer in and out of bed? Up and down stairs? Have they had a fall or trip?
   
• Memory loss and confusion: Are they becoming increasingly confused and disorientated? Forgetting names and how to do simple tasks, misplacing objects or getting lost in familiar places?
   
• Transport: Can they drive the car, get to the shops and use public transport?
   
• Finances: Are bills being paid? Can they manage a bank account?
   
• Social: Is your family member isolated in the home? Do they have any hobbies and interests or opportunites for social interaction? Do they appear depressed?
   
• Safety and home maintenance: Are there any hazards in the home? Can they clean the home, put the rubbish out and maintain the garden? Do they need grab rails for extra support or ramps for wheelchairs and walking frames?  

Aged care assessment teams (ACAT) assess older people and can help you find services, support and residential care in your area. An ACAT assessment is needed to access government subsidised residential care and many community home care programs.

Waiting lists can be long, in some cases you can wait up to 6 months unless you get admitted to hospital due to an emergency.