Aged Care Options: What Are Aged Care Placement Services?

When the time comes to place a loved one in aged care, many people want to know what their options are.  Among the myriad of care choices from home care to respite care to nursing homes, aged care placement services are sometimes overlooked and many people don’t know what they are.

An aged care placement service is able to assist people with navigating the aged care industry, from finding the best suitable care to help filling out all the paperwork.

We spoke to Jayne Maini Director of Millennium Aged Care Placement Services based in Melbourne, to find out what aged care placement services do for people entering aged care.

Q. In a nutshell, what do aged care placement services do?
Jayne: We help people navigate the aged care system.

Q. Do you find many people are aware that these services exist?
Jayne: Not really no, that’s the biggest issue. People don’t understand that there is an independent organisation who can answer their questions and help them with what they need to know. Generally most of our referrals come from word of mouth, however we do advertise… and we have a website.

Q. What emotional place are people often in when they meet you? Stressed? Confused? Upset?
Jayne: Absolutely, most people come to us very stressed, confused and very unsure of what to do. They’re worried about making the right decision and are under an enormous amount of pressure. Most people need to be moved into aged care after a crisis or trauma that has forced a decision upon them.

Q. How quickly do people have to make a decision?
Jayne:  Most people need to make a decision very quickly…Well every family is different is the best way of putting it, everyone’s situation is different. Some have very short periods of time, some have the luxury of preplanning (meaning) things are ok at the moment but they are making advanced decision and gathering information in advance.

Q. Do Aged Care Placement Services generally work on a fee or are they commission based?
Jayne: We charge a fee-for-service, we are an outcome based service and we set a flat fee. It depends (on the placement service) some work on an hourly rate, others on a fee for service.

Q. What is your general advice for people entering aged care?
Jayne: Generally, I think advocacy is your best friend. You need good financial advice also, good experienced financial advice with a specialist regarding aged care financial planning. You need to understand the system, know the system and that if you’re going to do it on your own be prepared to devote time because it’s not something you can do after work or on the weekend.

I think it’s fair to say you need to know the facilities and that means physically going to them to make a decision. Don’t lose sight of the person who is going to be living in the facility, that person needs to be the focus of your attention.