CARERS PROGRAM

Supports for older persons

SWSLHD Aged Care and Rehabilitation Service provides a range of assistance for elderly people wanting to stay living in their community and in their own or family member’s homes.

Services of assistance to carers include:
•  Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT)
•  Respite care provided in Day Centres
•  Older persons’ mental health services
•  Community Nursing
•  Therapy Services
•  Supported care after being in hospital
•  Loan of equipment to be used at home
•  Hospital based care
•  Out-patients medical clinics
•  Information and advisory services

To make contacting the services easier a central contact point called the Triple I Hub is available for staff & community Phone: 1800 455 511 


Is an Australian Government national free one-stop-shop for the community to access aged care services and information.

My Aged Care provides information on the following:

  • Different types of aged care services in your area
  • Eligibility for services
  • Help you to find local services (you can select your own service provider)
  • Assessments and referrals to the providers that can meet your needs
  • Cost of the aged care services, including fee estimators
  • General educational information on various health topics.

Services that might be suitable are:

  • Support to stay at home packages (refer to information below on the CHSP)
  • Care in an Aged Care home
  • Taking a break from caring (Respite Care)
  • Transition Care (from hospital to home)

The My Aged Care Contact Centre operates Monday to Friday 8am-8pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm Phone: 1800 200 422

If you are looking to help a family member, friend or someone else you know, find government subsidised aged care, becoming a representative with My Aged Care might be a good option for you.  My Aged Care Appointment of a Representative Form


Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) helps an older person (65 years or older or 50 years and older for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons) stay independent and in their own home and community for longer.

The CHSP is an entry level home help programme funded by the Australian Government. If the older person can mostly - but not completely live and cope on their your own, and don't yet need higher levels of support at home, they may be eligible for this support.

To get support at home, they will need a home support assessment (conducted by the Regional Assessment Service). The CHSP can also help their Carer. If the Carer needs to attend to everyday activities, the CHSP can arrange for someone to help the care recipient while the carer is away.

Services provided under the CHSP include:

  • Social Support - social activities in a community-based setting
  • Transport - helps people to get out and about for appointments, shopping etc.
  • Domestic Assistance - household jobs like cleaning, clothes washing and ironing
  • Home Maintenance - minor general repair and care of your house and yard
  • Home Modification - minor installation of safety aids such as alarms, ramps and support rails in your home
  • Nursing Care - to dress wounds or provide continence advice
  • Prepared Meals - meals provided in a community setting or delivered at home, helping with shopping for food, preparing, storing etc.
  • Allied Health Services - for particular health problems e.g. speech, walking or needing help with ongoing problems resulting from an accident or illness

Cost of Services:

The Australian Government funds a variety of organisations to provide the CHSP in your area. The CHSP has a client contribution policy, with a view to ensuring that those who can afford to contribute to the cost of their care do so, whilst protecting those most vulnerable. The cost is discussed between the client and the provider. The rate is set before you receive the relevant services.

Accessing CHSP is done through the My Aged Care Contact Centre (see details above).

You can nominate a preferred local service but if there are no available service providers when you are looking for services, you can be put on a central wait list. If this happens, it is important to check with them on a regular basis to make sure your application is progressing.


Veterans' Home Care (VHC)

Veterans' Home Care (VHC) is designed to help veterans' continue living at home by providing a small amount of practical help.              

VHC is not designed to meet complex or high-level care needs. DVA has contracted organisations to provide assessment and coordination of VHC services (known as VHC Assessment Agencies) and contracted organisations to deliver VHC services (known as VHC Service Providers) across Australia.  


Support for people with dementia and/or their Carers

Dementia Helpline - 1800 100 500 provides information and advice to people living with dementia and their care

For more information, visit Dementia Australia: www.dementia.org.au

Various organisations across South Western Sydney provide information, education, referrals and support for people living with dementia and their families and carers. To locate a service or support group in your local area, you can contact:

My AGED CARE website  or  Carer Gateway

 Online Palliative Care Resources

palliAGED is an online palliative care resource for carers of older people funded by the Department of Health.

Care Search is also an online palliative care resource centre for carers and professionals.

LifeCircle  is an online resource and help for carers looking after someone at the end of their life.

NSW Health online Easy read resources

These sites contains:

  • palliative care evidence
  • tools
  • guidance
  • practice resources
  • fact sheets for carers

Suitable for:

  • nurses
  • care workers in residential aged care or community care
  • GPs and general practice nurses
  • allied health professionals and support staff
  • older people and their families/carers

Plan Ahead for your future legal, health and financial decisions

A Will, Power of Attorney and Enduring Guardianship are all legal documents for planning ahead. They provide assurance that your wishes can be respected if they are properly documented. For more information contact the NSW Trustee & Guardian on 1300 364 103 or your solicitor.

Planning ahead for Aboriginal carers, visit: https://www.tag.nsw.gov.au/wills/make-will/wills-aboriginal-people


Advocacy & Legal Services

The Seniors Rights Service is a fully accredited Community Legal Centre that provides free and confidential advice , advocacy and education on matters affecting seniors such as:

  • Consumer Rights
  • Human rights/Elder abuse
  • Financial Exploitation
  • Planning for later life
  • Retirement village living
  • Issues in aged and community care

Phone 1800 424 079 or email: info@seniorsrightsservice.org.au

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)  Offers free services that support older people and their representatives to address issues related to Commonwealth funded aged care services.

Phone 1800 700 600 https://opan.com.au

© 2016 South Western Sydney Local Health District
Last Updated: 29 June, 2021
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