FAQs

Recent illness, disability, bereavement or simply the passing of the years may make it necessary for a member of your family to enter a one of our homes.

Entry into an aged care facility  (nursing home) can be confusing and daunting but following the guide below can make it a little easier for you.

• ACCR or REFERRAL CODES – To enter care you must have completed a “Comprehensive Assessment” to determine your care needs. The ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) conduct this assessment. You or your GP can make an appointment for them visit you at home. Alternatively if you are in hospital this will be arranged and done  for you prior to discharge.
  You will have received or  be given an ‘AC’ Number and Referral Codes. The ACCR or Referral Codes will determine your level of care( High or Low)  and offer either or both Respite Care (short term stay) or Permanent Care.  In either case, these documents or codes will be required for consideration to enter our Aged Care Facilities.
• POA (Power of Attorney) – You may want to consider giving power of attorney to either your next of Kin or a trusted friend, in the event you are no longer able to handle your financial affairs independently.
• PERMANENT CARE ENTRY ONLY – Complete a combined Asset and Income Assessment – This Assessment must be completed if you are applying for a ‘Non’ Extra Service Facility. This form is voluntary if applying for an ‘Extra’ Service Facility- (Please refer to  the Department of Human Services My Aged Care website for more details.)

You may choose to start looking for a place prior to your assessment being completed or once you have the approval in place.

We recommend calling the home in advance and making an appointment to view the home and meet with the Director of Nursing.

See the section below on What to look for when selecting a Home and make a list of questions you may like answered.

After viewing the home you may choose to put your name on the wait list or apply for a vacancy if available immediately.

Once you’ve been offered a place and made the choice to accept it, you may arrange another visit before you move in, to familiarise yourself with your new home’s surroundings. In most cases there will be some pre admission paperwork to be completed and returned. This can be emailed or collected in person from our facility.

Please note that in some cases you may move in from hospital and your situation may not allow a visit prior to joining us.

The fees and charges you may have to pay are a combination of the following:

• Basic Daily Care Fee – paid by all residents in all homes
• Extra Service Fee if an ‘Extra Service Facility’ only
• Means Tested Fee -Resident co-contribution based on the Department asset & income assessment
• Accommodation Payment or equivalent Refundable Accommodation Charge(RAC) or combination in Non Extra Service Homes
• Refundable Accommodation Deposit(RAD) or equivalent Daily Accommodation Payment(DAP) or combination RAD/DAP
• Additional fees: ie Medications, hairdresser, outings etc

When you look for a home, it’s important to understand what type of home you’re considering and can you afford it.
It is recommended to seek professional advice from an aged care specialist prior to entering care or see the Department of Human Services website to calculate any additional costs involved with aged care based your individual financial circumstances.

Living in an aged care home will be different from the way that you have lived before. It will be a new chapter in your life and a great chance to meet people and make new friends.

When you have agreed to move in to our home, the transition will be made as smooth as possible. There will be some paperwork to complete, unpacking of your belongings and settling in to your new room. Meal times are a great social time to meet your new neighbours. Our staff will spend as much time as you request to help you ease into your new home. We welcome your friends and family to visit as often as possible and look forward to you joining our family.

BEFORE YOU APPROACH A FACILITY, IT IS REALLY HELPFUL TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS CARE NEEDS:

• physical, emotional and spiritual and make a list in order of priority,
• take your list with you when you go to talk to the nursing home staff

OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD CHECK WHEN SELECTING A HOME INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• Does the facility have a homelike environment?
• Do the staff seem happy, attentive and well trained?
• Do you feel comfortable when you first enter the home?
• Does the Director of Nursing make you feel welcome ?
• What is the staff to resident ratio?
• What additional activities does the Nursing Home provide, for instance are there excursions, recreational activities?
• Does the home provide palliative care?
• How much choice is available to residents in daily life?
• Are residents and their families encouraged to have input into their care?
• If you or your family member want to make a complaint, is there a system in place?
• Has the Home been though the accreditation process?

DAILY LIFE IN THE FACILITY

Are the following services available?

• Well appointed hair salon
• Laundry
• Dining and Recreation facility standards

MEALS

• If your loved one has special dietary needs, how will they be accommodated?
• Can your loved one ask to have a tray delivered to their room?
• Is the dining area pleasant?
• Is the food well presented?
• Does the staff help residents get to the dining room if needed?
• Does the staff help residents during their meal if needed?

OTHER RESIDENTS

• Do other residents appear happy and relaxed?
• Are they well-groomed? Are their clothes clean?
• Are they dressed appropriately for the time of day and room temperature?

BEDROOM/LIVING SPACE

• Is there an emergency call button near each bed?
• Is the bedroom/living space big enough?
• Is it well-lit?
• Is it clean and pleasant?
• Can the room be personalised with your own belongings?
• Is there a private bathroom? If yes, is there a call button in the bathroom?
• Are there grab bars in the shower? next to the toilet?
• Is the bathroom wheelchair-accessible?
• Are the living quarters private or shared?

EXTERIOR

• Is the building’s exterior well-maintained?
• Is there a pleasant outdoor area? Are residents encouraged to use it?
• Is it accessible to wheelchairs, with plenty of benches and shade?

INTERIOR

• Is the interior homelike and well maintained?
• Is the temperature comfortable?
• Is the noise level acceptable?
• Do you see personal, home-like touches?
• Is it well-lit? Does it have good natural light?

Accreditation is the evaluation process that all aged care homes must undergo to continue to operate.

Accreditation is carried out by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation agency established under the Commonwealth 1997 Aged Care Act.

The focus of accreditation is for continuous improvement through assessment and is particularly important. This is why Thompson Health Care is constantly looking at the current standard of care and service provided, and continually aiming to improve.

To read more about the Aged Care standards starting from 1 July 2019, follow this link
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/standards/quality-standards-summary