Self-management provides you with choice and flexibility and let’s you stay in control of your care. However, there are instances when self-management may no longer be the right solution.
Below we explain what self-management is and when it may not longer be suitable for you.
What is Self-Management
Self-Managing means you actively manage the practical tasks of your Home Care.
- Have the time, capacity, and skill to manage your home care services
- Recognise deterioration or changes in your circumstances and notify us to review your support plan
- Consider your current health, risks, and safety and those providing services and care to you
- Find, communicate with, and roster your own support workers and or service providers
- Be able to use technology to access and track your support plan and budget in the HomeMade platform
- Be transparent when discussing and determining your needs.
If anything changes, which means you can no longer effectively self-manage your Home Care Package – we will work with you to plan a more suitable option.
When Self-Management may no longer be suitable
Below we provide scenarios of where you may need to consider if self-management is still the right option for you.
- You need extra support but don’t have the capacity to make those changes yourself
- You aren’t able to find suitable carers for your changing needs / struggling to source your own workers or no longer have the time or inclination to negotiate with support workers
- A change has occurred at home, which means you no longer have same level of informal support at home or a carer is no longer able to look after you
- You have noticed a cognitive decline which means you can no longer manage your day to day support needs
- You have received a diagnosis of a health condition that will have a significant impact on your daily living
- The complexity of your care needs has changed significantly
- You’re finding it harder to do daily tasks such as showering, eating adequately and relying on family and friends to help you manage your care package is no longer feasible
Thinking Ahead
As a home care package recipient, you have the freedom to choose which provider you use. You are responsible for acknowledging when your current provider may no longer be suitable.
To that end, it’s always important to have a contingency plan in place should your home circumstances change and to consider scenarios such as:
- What if my health changes rapidly or I’m diagnosed with an unexpected illness
- What if I’m no longer able to access technology
- What if my cognitive function declines
- What is something happens to someone who currently cares for me
Planning ahead can help avoid making decisions after an unexpected event such as a stay in hospital or a major fall.
What Next
If at any stage you feel any of the above scenarios applies to you or you’d like to consider alternatives for your future care, we encourage you to reach out and speak with us. We will help you transition your care and will work with you on your preferred option.
My Aged Care website provides various options for package recipients looking for alternate providers.
