FRIENDS - it has been a while between episodes! Hi 👋🏼 I've missed you!Today I'm talking about the Aged Care Funding Reforms that were announced by the Albanese Government on 12th September 2024. Whilst they're yet to be passed through parliament, it's important to have an understanding of the proposed changes and the impact it may have on accessing aged care services.If you have any questions after today's ep, please feel free to get in touch.You can find me at www.navigateagedcare.com.au!

Last episode we spoke all about the different types of home care services available in Australia and this week we're discussing HOW to access them.In this episode I unpack:How to contact My Aged CareWhat to request when you speak with someoneWhat to say to best highlight your needsWhat an ACAT assessment looks likeWhat you need to prepare for an assessmentHow long an assessment goes forWhat happens after your assessmentIf you want to contact My Aged Care to arrange an assessment for yourself ...

Happy Wednesday! Today's episode is one I've touched on previously, but that can always use an update - Home Care Services!80% of ageing Australians want to remain in their own home, so how can we do that?In this episode we talk about:How and why to contact My Aged CareThe different types of aged care assessmentsThe varying home care programs and their pros/consWhat is the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), who is eligible, what does it cost and how do you access it?What is a Home Ca...

Do you dread contacting Centrelink? Someone can do that for you!Do you want help accessing a Home Care Package? Someone can do that for you!Do you need to downsize but can't physically pack all your belongings? Someone can do that for you!Today we're breaking down eight key aged care support services that you may not know exist. These services can help simplify your aged care journey by outsourcing support from experts in particular fields. AGED CARE PLANNERSAGED CARE PLACEMENT CONSULTAN...

I regularly have people comment ‘I didn’t know people like you existed!’ when we first meet. People typically don’t go looking for aged care services until they need them and if you don’t know what is available it’s hard to find the right fit for your needs.The lovely ladies from SALT Directory saw this gap in the sector and decided to assist many ageing Australians and their families to get simpler access to services. The SALT Directory provides a comprehensive guide of specialised aged care...

When caring for vulnerable loved ones we can feel a need to protect them and remove any potential risk. Whilst this is a natural response, it's so important that when caring for loved ones with dementia we constantly balance their safety with their right to freedom and autonomy. When we put ourselves in their shoes and consider what choices they would make if they didn't have dementia, we start to make decisions more holistically that uphold their wishes, rights and values.Todays episode is a...

Is Mum still safe driving to the shops? Is Grandpa making himself nutritious meals? Should Aunty Greta have a few less glasses of brandy in the evening? Wouldn’t Dad be less stressed if he had someone to care for him?Dignity of risk is another way of saying you have the right to live the life you choose, even if your choices involve some risk. Dignity of risk does not mean turning a blind eye and ignoring any dangers to your loved one’s health or wellbeing. Dignity of risk does mean having re...

In the last episode of the podcast we talked about the concept of an 'Annual Check-in'. A time to pause and take stock on how your ageing loved one is progressing and if they need any additional support. In episode 73, we're talking about what to do if they are declining.Number 1 - don’t panic!Depending on the severity of the decline, there are so many different paths we could go down. Sometimes it doesn’t require the initial ‘panic stations’ that it might feel like when you realise their con...

HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON FRIENDS! We are well and truly into the silly season, so this episode is all about how to check in on loved ones over this festive time.The idea of an annual check-in is a yearly reminder to pause and take stock of how your ageing loved ones are progressing. You might look back on the past 12 months and be impressed at how independent they've been! You might compare to Christmas last year and realise there are quite a few changes in their overall wellbeing. In today'...

E71 is one of my passion topics... Advance Care Directives. These documents have slightly different names and formats in each state and territory, but they're essentially a document that details your wishes for future health care, end of life planning, living arrangements and other personal matters .In today's episode I discuss:- What is an Advance Care Directive?- How do I find out what it's called in my state/territory?- Why should I have an Advance Care Directive?- What if my family alread...

Welcome back to The Truth About Ageing podcast! Today we're talking all things Advance Care Planning. In South Australia, there are three key succession planning documents that can help your family as you are ageing and once you die - a will, Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) and Advance Care Directive (ACD).** In case you’re wondering what the difference between these documents is and what roles they play… a very high level, simple summary is:WILLA legal document with instructions for who you...

The theme for October is 'Home Is Where The Heart Is' and in last fortnights episode I discussed how to know when it might be time to move. In today's episode I unpack what those next steps might be. In Australia we're incredibly lucky to have many housing options available to Seniors, each with varying levels of support.Today I discuss:Independent Living Units / Retirement VillagesServiced apartmentsSemi-support livingIf you would like to have a chat about which option might work best for yo...

Choosing to move from the family home can be an incredibly difficult decision. 80% of ageing Australians, would like to remain there for as long as possible. And the majority have negative views of Residential Aged Care facilities (what used to be called nursing homes). What I find most people don't fully understand, are the are many alternatives between 'home' and Residential Aged Care. Whilst it might not be the family home they're staying in, an Independent Living Unit, Service...

The podcast theme for September is 'Living Longer, Living Better', so with my own Grandma turning 90 on the 17th September it seemed like the perfect time to sit her down and soak up all her wisdom. For those who have listened to her previous episodes or who know her personally, her no nonsense approach to life will come as no surprise. Her reminder to not take life too seriously, to trust in the good in others and the importance of family are lessons she's passed down the family fo...

We are all living longer, so how can ensure we spend our days living with a sense of purpose, fulfilment and enjoyment?The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released a report in June 2023 that identified from 1967-2021, life expectancy increased by 13.7 years for males (to 81.3) and 11.2 years for females (to 85.4). During 2016-2018 Indigneous Australians life expectancy was 72 years for males and 77 years for females. What these statistics show us is that a) we have a long way to go...

Convincing a loved one to see a doctor or access home care services can be hard at the best of times... throw dementia or a cognitive impairment in the mix and it can be an incredibly delicate situation to manage. In todays episode I discuss how to support loved ones living with dementia in the community, including:What a cognitive assessment isHow to encourage someone with a cognitive impairment to seek assessmentWhat to do if someone refuses assessmentSupports available for those livin...

Hard Conversations in ageing can take many different forms. It might be encouraging your loved one to accept some help at home. It could be broaching discussions about moving permanently into a residential care facility. It may be gently assessing if the individual has insight into their own cognitive decline. So what can you do about this?In my experience the keys to productive and positive Hard Conversations are:CuriosityEmpathyGoal-focused discussionIn this episode we unpack how to use tho...

In today's episode I thought I'd unpack a very regular conversation I have with clients about how to access home care services. There can be a lot of confusion when it comes to starting your aged care journey, so today I discuss what flags to look out for, what services are available, what fees you might have to pay and how to get started with services.Flags you might need support - specific areas of decline to look out forGovernment funded services in the home - Commonwealth Home Suppo...

Mindfulness & Ageing is the final instalment of The Truth About Ageing's 'Healthy Habits' series and it's a good one. Today I chat with the beautiful Wellbeing Coach, Steph Noon (aka. my Mum) about all things mindfulness. We discuss what mindfulness is, how you can implement 'mindful ageing', what the benefits of mindfulness are and most importantly, five simple ways to implement mindfulness in your day-to-day routine. We talk about:acceptance of the current moment - non-judgeme...

In the fourth instalment of my 'Healthy Habits' series, we're looking at all things sleep!We talk about how our sleep structurally changes as we age, what some of the barriers are to good quality sleep, why it's important we get enough sleep and how we can promote great sleep (unfortunately it's not wine & TV before bed...). For more information about the podcast you can head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au/podcast or find me on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing or on Facebook @thetrutha...