Here in Australia, we’re fortunate to have elderly care options that are suitable for meeting patients’ various requirements. In this article, we’re going to look into private aged care in the country.

What is private aged care?

To put it very simply, it’s when the elderly pays for and receives support services from nurses or caregivers and the like, either at their own home or at a residential aged care facility.

What makes private aged care different from public care?

Both types have numerous benefits but the starkest difference between the two essentially boils down to time.  Engaging private care services means that the support provider will be dedicated to the patient for as long as they are required. In the public healthcare sector, carers need to limit their time with patients as they attend to the needs of many.

Patients who need extra assistance and care are the ones who can benefit from private aged care the most, as their carers can focus on helping only them, with undivided attention, during their scheduled hours.

Given that the carers and nurses in private aged care are dedicated solely to their patients during their schedule, whether it’s for as short as an hour a day or round-the-clock care, one benefit is that caregivers are encouraged to build relationships and rapport with their patients in order to understand how to help them better. Relationship-building is possible when working with public home carers, to be sure, but since they must work with many clients, the opportunity is more diminished as their time and attention can be more divided.

Who is private aged care for?

Private aged care is for seniors who will be paying for their care services sans government assistance, which means that they don’t need to go through an ACAT assessment (this tells individuals if they are eligible for government-subsidised aged care services and which types are available for them).

Private aged care is particularly helpful for clients who want or need more flexibility in terms of care. It’s easier for private care clients to pick their own schedules and the types of care they need, whereas in public aged care, patients are limited to what is available at the time. 

Having said that, private care services may also be availed by patients who require additional support on top of their existing public care services. For instance, a client receiving 12 hours of care a week from the government’s My Aged Care program may require a total of 20 hours of support; they can fill the gap with private care.

What can a private carer do for the elderly?

Needs vary according to the patient’s individual needs, which is a benefit of private care versus government-funded care as in this case, they can be very flexible.

Patients with extra medical requirements may need private registered nurses to follow treatment protocols from the patient’s physician, operate and monitor relevant medical equipment, and watch over the patient’s symptoms and progress. However, there are other support tasks private care companions and certified nurse assistants can help the elderly with. These may include grooming and personal care, housekeeping and maintenance tasks, meal preparation and cooking, pet care, rehabilitation, and more. Carers may also accompany or transport seniors when they go out to doctor’s appointments, to go shopping or dining, or even if they’re going to socialise with others. 

Another service private carers provide that’s worth mentioning is carer support. Activities will involve any or all the above-mentioned ones, but the basic gist is that carers are engaged by the client when their regular carers (family, full-time private duty nurses or companions) are unavailable for different reasons like illness, family emergencies, self-care, or days off.  

How do I know which kind of carer is needed?

This varies with each individual, but we wrote a detailed article on this topic which we believe may prove useful to those who are having trouble deciding what type of care services are required by the elderly patient. Please read ‘Find the Right Carer for Your Elderly Parents’ here on the Kalinga blog.

How does one engage a private carer for the elderly?

Kalinga Health is a platform created specifically for connecting the elderly in need of in-home or facility-based private support services in Australia.

To make it easier for clients to find reliable and skilled private nurses, certified nurse assistants and companions, we’ve made our platform available on our website, www.kalingahealth.com.au and on mobile devices via iTunes (for iPhone users) or Google Play Store (Android users). Our easy-to-use site and app ensure that anyone looking for care services will get the information they need and be able to book their carer with little difficulty.

Looking for private aged care services in the New Normal?

These are uncertain times but one thing remains the same as before: Kalinga Health continues to connect home- or facility-based seniors with high-quality healthcare services through our platform. But we’re also keeping up with the times to ensure that we can continue providing smart, compassionate, and accessible care to our elderly – Kalinga Health is COVID Safe and we practice proper safety and hygiene protocols.

Download our apps or call us at +6143535222 to book a carer today! Stay safe, everyone!