While details from the federal budget were released the other day and included a little bit of relief for those waiting to be assigned a Home Care Package, it is just not enough for the backlog of people waiting nor to alleviate the workload for the ACAT/ACAS teams.

One of the biggest surprises for families entering the My Aged Care process is how long everything actually takes. Often there is an assumption that starting care can wait until the funding from the government come through, but that just isn’t the case. Most people come into needing care due to a health episode. It is not something most have planned for. The first step into the system is the assessment and as this letter shows, this can take a minimum of 10 weeks to begin. (After this letter was received, the wait time has actually gotten longer!)

Once the assessment has been done, there is even more waiting and it could be 6 months to a year or more before the Home Care Package (if you or your elderly relative is eligible for one) is assigned.

We at Like Our Own understand the system and are here to help you and your family navigate all the confusion so that clients can be back to thriving in their home as soon as possible. Email your details to info@likeourown.com.au and you will receive a free one page cheat sheet on navigating the My Aged Care system and a video walk through to ensure you don’t make any mistakes that can add to your wait times.