How Home Care Can Help Older Australians Maintain Independence

As we age, you or a loved one may find it harder to complete our daily routines. Loss of stamina, vision issues and other health challenges can limit your ability to live your life as you once did. Fortunately, there are several aged care solutions that can help you or a loved one with daily tasks while still safely maintaining a sense of independence.

In Australia, the government provides the Support at Home program that provides older people with the services needed to stay independent and ensure their continued wellbeing. Below, we’ll outline how you can access these home care services to assist with needs such as cooking and cleaning, all without compromising your freedom.

What Is Support at Home?

Support at Home services are government-funded home care services that can help you or your loved ones continue living independently. They are specially designed to help older adults spend less time worrying about their daily routines and divert their energy to enjoying life to the fullest.

This new system, which has already replaced the older Home Care Packages and will encompass the CHSP programs at a later date, is aimed at being more flexible. Instead of a “one size fits all” package, you are assessed into one of 8 Classification Levels. This ranges from Level 1 for those needing just a little help, up to Level 8 for those with high clinical or care needs.

3 Ways Home Care Keeps You Independent

1. Managing the Heavy Lifting

You might be perfectly capable of managing your finances and social life, but struggle with the physical demands of housekeeping.

• Domestic Assistance: A care worker can handle the vacuuming, mopping and laundry.
• Gardening: We can keep your yard safe and tidy, removing trip hazards and handling the mowing.
• Meal Prep: Whether it is chopping vegetables for you to cook, or delivering a hot soup and dessert, we ensure you are eating well without the stress.

2. Keeping You Healthy

Health scares are often the trigger for leaving home. Support at Home places greater emphasis on ensuring positive wellbeing for clients.

• Nursing Care: Our Registered Nurses can visit to manage wounds, monitor blood pressure or organise medication packs.
• Allied Health: Access to physiotherapists and occupational therapists can help prevent falls. This is the number one risk to independence.

3. Preventing Isolation

Independence isn’t just about staying home. It is about staying connected to the world.

• Transport: If you have stopped driving, we can get you to the shops, the bank or your local club.
• Social Support: Sometimes you just need a companion for a coffee or a walk. Our care workers are there to ensure you never feel isolated.

How Can Whiddon Help?

As an award-winning aged care provider, we understand that independence is especially important as you grow older. That’s why our goal is to help you achieve this with various community care services that support your desire to continue living at home safely. This can range from helping you shop for groceries to walking and caring for your pets. We are also a registered Support at Home provider, providing personalised care plans for our services.

Begin your home care journey at Whiddon today by contacting our friendly team today. We offer Support at Home across 11 regions in New South Wales and Southern Queensland.