Home care services can be the best way for your loved one to enjoy a heightened level of independence. Sure, they may have the necessary assistance to perform tasks like cooking, cleaning, travelling and seeing friends, but they will have it whilst enjoying a much higher level of autonomy and community engagement.
But to create the best home care package there are certain considerations you should make before choosing your provider. After all, this is going to be an important part of your loved one’s life, and so it’s imperative that you think about your provider and whether they can accommodate the following:
1.Are they a registered NDIS provider?
Your provider of NDIS home care Wollongong must actually be registered with the scheme. Being registered to the scheme means you will be able to utilise the funding system that allows the scheme to operate. This means you and your loved one will be partly-covered by the scheme and able to utilise imperative elements including:
- Daily assistance
- Transport
- Consumables
- House modifications
- Assistive technology
- Improved living arrangements
- Social & community assistance
And more. You should always choose a registered provider as otherwise you will not be able to experience the scheme’s actual benefits. Therefore, you should always look out for the tag “registered NDIS provider” before going ahead with your selection.
2.Do they offer the services we require?
Not only all service providers offer the same standard of care. Some may appear to offer what you and your loved one need but may be lacking in an essential element. It’s important to consider the following essentials when searching for your home care provider:
- Meal preparation & planning
- Personal assistance
- 24 hour assistance
- Shopping
- Cleaning
- Domestic items
- Companionship
- Life skill teaching
- Transport
- Community access
And any other specific elements that you think your loved one will need as part of their package. If you can think of a specific thing that you think they will need then it is a good idea to contact the provider directly and see if they can accommodate that need. They will likely be able to tailor it in – so don’t be afraid to ask!
3.What goals do we want to achieve?
This program isn’t just about caring for your loved one – it’s about defining and achieving realistic goals that will help improve your loved one’s standard of living. Therefore, one of the fundamentals of choosing your provider is defining your goals and seeing if they have the capacity to help you and your loved one achieve them.
What do you and your loved one want to get out of the program? Do they want to get a job? Do they want to attend a course or volunteer in the community? Or, do they seek a more independent standard of living? Whatever your goals, it’s important to present them to your prospective provider to see they can help facilitate their success!
4.Can we start the process?
Now that you’ve covered these three imperatives and found a team that can accommodate them, you want to know that they can immediately start the process of care. We don’t mean immediately come over and start doing things around the home – we mean finding a provider that is dedicated to developing the right program for your loved one.
So, you should ask them when they can get started on developing the right program for your loved one – it should really be very soon!