Are you wondering how to move into aged care in Sydney? Aged care homes or nursing homes are designed for older individuals who can no longer safely live at home by themselves because they require assistance with healthcare or daily activities. Aged care includes a range of levels of care such as home care services or residential aged care in a nursing home. If you are considering aged care for a loved one, there are many options to explore and a few factors to consider.
Types of aged care
There are three types of aged care: aged care help at home, care in an aged care facility, and transition and respite care.
- At-home help. Most individuals prefer to stay at home for as long as possible. Sometimes, friends or family members can assist with activities such as cooking, shopping, and transport, allowing an ageing family member to remain at home much longer than they could without help. There are also options for hiring help at home.
- Aged care facilities. If you determine your mum or dad needs to move into a place that offers support with daily activities, you may choose to help move them into an aged care facility. This type of care may be short-term or permanent.
- Transition and respite care. Both of these options are short-term solutions. Transition care can help a loved one recover from a hospital stay while respite care is there to give you or another regular carer a short-term break should they need one.
Organising your finances
If you or a loved one believe moving into a nursing home in Sydney is the best option, you’ll need to assess your finances and your mum or dad’s financial picture. Obtaining professional aged care financial advice is a great way to get necessary information about managing your finances during this transition; it can also help you minimise costs and maximise entitlements. The Australian government subsidises some aged care services, however, ageing individuals are still expected to contribute to the portion of their care they can realistically afford.
One question many families face when moving into an aged care nursing home in Sydney is whether to sell the family home to fund their care. This decision depends mainly on an ageing individual’s financial situation and what you have negotiated with the facility where you plan to move your loved one. Expect a family home to be considered an asset unless specific circumstances apply, such as a dependent child or partner living in the home, or a relative or carer eligible for Australian government income support living there for a minimum number of years.
Learning more about how to move into a nursing home in Sydney
At SACFA, we provide financial advice to people who are making plans to move Mum or Dad into an aged care facility on how to fund the move. If you are considering moving a loved one to aged care, or if you have simply realised your ageing parent needs more assistance than you can provide at home, you can get peace of mind by putting a plan in place. Contact SACFA to learn more.
