Access in home care services in Greater Dandenong

If you’re an older person living in the City of Dandenong wanting to remain living at home independently for longer, then you may need to see if you qualify for in home care services in Greater Dandenong. The Better Place Australia Care Finder program assists older people in Greater Dandenong to access the right in home care services for their needs to help them remain living at home longer. It is part of our Care Finder program in the City of Dandenong.

Care Finder program is government funded via the primary health networks, so it is free and all-inclusive for older people who meet certain criteria. The Better Place Australia Care Finder Program covers residents in Dandenong, Springvale, Noble Park, Keysborough, Bangholme and parts of bordering suburbs of Greater Dandenong.

To get you started, one of our qualified practitioners can meet with you in your own home or at a community location across Greater Dandenong convenient to you, such as Springvale or Dandenong Library or a local cafe in your suburb.

What in home care services in Greater Dandenong can I access?

There are various in home care services in Greater Dandenong you can access.

It could be:

• personal care
• domestic care
• meals
• social support
• allied health services
• in home respite
• community services that don’t come under the My Aged Care banner, e.g., mental health, financial counselling, carer services and more

What is the eligibility criteria to qualify for the Care Finder program?

Being a free, government funded program, you are required to meet certain government eligibility requirements to access in home care services.

These are:

• You need help with one or more everyday tasks
• You are aged 65 years or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people)
• OR you are aged 50 years or older (45 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) on a low income and homeless or at risk of being homeless

Reasons you may require intensive support:

• Isolation or no support person
• Communication barriers, including limited literacy skills
• Difficulty processing information to make decisions
• Resistance or hesitance to engage with aged care, institutions, or government for any reason
• Personal safety is at risk, or it may end up as a crisis situation

There may be other reasons not mentioned.

Better Place Australia can support you on the journey

Some older people have no-one to support then. If this is you, our practitioners can step in and help. We can support you through the process to determine if you qualify, including assessment through My Aged Care. Once we confirm your eligibility, we can begin to help you set up the services you need in your home.

Getting a referral

It’s easy to get a referral. You can self refer, a friend or family member can refer you, or a GP or health service can also refer you.

Next steps to access in home care services in Greater Dandenong

To help you understand further, we have information/brochures that explain more about Care Finder Program in Greater Dandenong.

We can send these to you if you like. Please email us with your contact details.

Alternatively, you could call Better Place Australia directly on 1800 934 299 or use the live online chat option on our website to speak with us.

What other supporting services are available for older people

Better Place Australia also has  other supporting services for older people which you may find helpful.

These include:

Counselling, to manage difficult life circumstances and conflict with family, carers or friends.

Financial counselling, for information, advocacy and assistance with financial hardship and unexpected life changes.

Elder Abuse Prevention services, for support with conflict and preventing elder abuse.