As Level 3 Home Care Package recipients, David and Laura jumped through hoops to find quality home care with honest pricing. Here’s their story.
‘We are absolutely over the moon with our caregivers.’
David B. lights up when he speaks about Tanya and Fran, The CareSide support workers who provide in-home care for his partner, Laura.
‘It feels like family,’ he continues. ‘Last week Tanya brought Laura flowers for her birthday—it’s little things like that, you know?’
David and Laura have been with The CareSide since 2023, but their home care journey hasn’t always been as smooth as it is today.
Laura suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, osteoarthritis and dementia. She qualified for a Level 3 Home Care Package in early 2023, and before activating it, she and David packed up and moved from Queensland to Western Australia so they could be closer to family.
That’s when they started contacting home care providers.
‘I had to leave the workforce early to be a full-time carer,’ David recounts. ‘I don’t think many people realise how difficult it is being a home carer, it’s a heavier load than holding down a full-time job.’
Like so many other home care recipients and their families, David hoped securing reliable support would be simple—only to find it was quite the opposite.
‘It was a very overwhelming and complex process,’ he says.
Initially, David and Laura interviewed numerous home care providers and left those conversations with more questions than answers. Lack of transparency proved a major issue, but David and Laura eventually settled on their choice.
‘And then they contacted me and said, “Oh, actually we don’t provide service in your area,”’ David recalls. ‘If that was the case, why did they even start the process with us?’
Frustrated, David and Laura went back to square one.
‘The other home care providers we spoke to weren’t very transparent about pricing. They told us we might have to pay this, or we might have to pay that—they really left us up in the air.’
More time, energy and research ultimately led them to The CareSide, and finally, they felt like they had an instant match.
Their biggest concern was cost: David and Laura wanted to know upfront exactly what their out-of-pocket commitments would be. They understood that their Level 3 Home Care Package would cover a large percentage of Laura’s home care, but they were concerned about extra (and hidden) costs on top of that.
‘The other home care providers we spoke to weren’t very transparent about pricing,’ David says. ‘They told us we might have to pay this, or we might have to pay that—they really left us up in the air.’
The CareSide was different, David explains, because the fee structures were outlined clearly and the costs were transparent from the outset. With The CareSide, pricing is readily available and there are no hidden fees.
‘Our Care Manager was great, she explained everything clearly and made it easy to understand the workings of our Home Care Package,’ David says. ‘We knew exactly how much we’d owe and basically signed up on the spot.’
‘I can’t speak highly enough of the caregivers. They’re just really great people.’
As the best value home care in Australia, The CareSide is on a mission to make support services as affordable and accessible as possible. Those qualities immediately stood out to David and Laura, but in the days and weeks that followed, they realised The CareSide offers a lot more than just transparent pricing.
‘I can’t speak highly enough of the caregivers,’ David says with a smile. ‘They are so friendly, professional, and knowledgeable, and they are very sensitive with the hands-on care they provide for Laura.’
‘They’re just really great people.’
David and Laura receive companion care for two hours every week, plus physical therapy, home cleanings and gardening services throughout the month. They’re also in frequent contact with their Care Manager, Tracey, who always comes through with the information and assistance David and Laura require—which David sincerely appreciates.
‘David and I are in regular contact either by email or phone, and he keeps me updated on Laura’s progress,’ Tracey says. ‘Being able to make Laura’s life easier by assisting with equipment, Allied health or just supporting David… that’s why I love doing what I do.’
Like numerous other Care Managers at The CareSide, Tracey began her career as a nurse and specialised in dementia care. But she wanted to work more closely with the people she cared for, so she pursued a role in aged care by completing her Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) and joining The CareSide.
Today, Tracey bands together with Tanya, Fran and the rest of The CareSide team to provide care recipients such as David and Laura with the support they deserve.
‘That’s the great thing about Home Care Packages,’ David explains. ‘It allowed me to get help from everyone at The CareSide, and now Laura can remain at home.’
