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What is Aged Care? – A Guide to Understanding Your Options

Dipping your toe into the aged care pool can unearth more questions than answers, and it’s normal to feel unsure about what options are available. A decision that carries this kind of weight will need to be researched by every relevant member of the family, so take the time in exploring different communities and care solutions based on their metrics and the carers available. Let’s take a look at what different aged care options could be right for you and your family.

What is aged care?

Still wondering, what is aged care? Aged care is the fulfilment of elderly care, ensuring that all human needs are met. Physical health, mental health and social interaction form the basis of any aged care service and can vary from a casual to a permanent arrangement. Aged care is traditionally conducted in a community-based facility, or can be administered from the elderly individuals home. Depending on the needs of your elderly loved one, you may find that all you require is assistance with cooking, cleaning or transport. Whereas others may require full-time care, encompassing bathing, changing Incontinence pads , feeding and carrying out medication and health requirements.

What are the different options?

As we briefly touched on, aged care comes in all shapes and sizes. The most common, and effective, aged care services include community care, residential care, retirement village care and respite care. Let’s take a look at each of these options. Community care offers a range of flexible options so that your elderly loved one can live safely and independently. Residential care includes hotel services and accommodation options, designed to assist with daily tasks and support. Retirement village options are a popular solution offering support from a team of carers working within a village community. Respite care is an extenuating option that will typically be explored following a surgery or a significant lifestyle change, with ongoing full-time care administered in a facility or within your loved ones home.

Determining the best option

Now that we have broken down the different types of care services available, how does one decide what is the best course to pursue? It starts with assessing your life and that of your elderly loved one, and understanding what level of care is needed to guarantee the highest quality of life. While full-time care may be your preference as we want the best for our loved ones, it might not always be necessary. The same can be said of considering a lighter touch care when they may, in fact, need something more substantial. Consider the health of your elderly loved one, and what level of independence they require day to day.

The next steps

So, where to from here? The next steps are to speak with a reputable aged care provider and plan a time to visit the facility so that you can experience the community feel and care providers. Aged care is a personal journey, and so you cannot simply make a decision based on a brochure or website. Speak to the aged care community and understand the activities and flow that your loved one will become a part of. When you select the right option, the aged care provider will be able to assist with all the appropriate paperwork and unanswered questions.

If you haven’t yet explored the aged care options out there, then you likely will not know which way to turn. Task yourself with learning about each option, and work backwards to see what will be best for your elderly loved one. It’s also an important consideration to remember that nothing is final and that you can move forward, back and sideways with your aged care options.

Steve Max
Steve Maxhttp://www.webzando.com/
A long time digital entrepreneur, Steve has been in digital marketing since 2010 and over the past decade he has built & executed innovative online strategies for leading companies in car insurance, retail shopping, professional sports and the movie & television industry.

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