How to Find a Home Care Provider on My Aged Care
Introduction
There are several important milestones in your aged care journey.
Once you decide you’d like some help at home, the next step is figuring out what type of aged care service is best for you. There is a wide range of options, but the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and the Support at Home program (SAH) are the two primary government-funded programs in Australia now that Home Care Packages (HCP) have been phased out.
There may be a wait time depending on the path you take, but even so, you can keep the process moving forward by finding the best home care provider near you—one that has all the services you require, and one that meets your specific needs. It can take some time to find a home care provider that checks all your boxes, so it’s a good idea to begin the search early.
Home care in Australia operates on a consumer-directed basis, empowering you to select any provider of your choice. There are hundreds of service providers in the home care marketplace, and narrowing down your options can be a daunting task.
That’s why the My Aged Care website is an essential resource. Here’s how to find a home care provider on My Aged Care.
Search Home Care Providers on My Aged Care
The first step in finding the best home care provider for you is to create a comprehensive list of providers in your area that offer what you need. Your initial criteria can be broad: you need a provider that offers support in your local area and provides the services you’re eligible to receive as a Support at Home participant (or whichever program you’ve chosen).
You can search for approved providers with the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool.
Every provider in the My Aged Care service directory is authorised and compliant with the Aged Care Quality Standards. The selection can be robust, so it helps to start your search by creating a shortlist.
The Find a Provider tool is located in the main menu of the My Aged Care website, under the ‘Set up your services’ dropdown at the top of the page. To start the process, click the ‘Start searching for a provider’ button and begin answering the initial questions.
Keep in mind: Searching with broad criteria could result in an extremely long list of results. To create a more manageable list, you have to be specific about what you want.
Fortunately, the Find a Provider tool features numerous optional filters, enabling you to be granular about your priorities. The more filters you provide, the fewer results will appear. (Important note: some filters may already be applied for you based on information you’ve shared through other My Aged Care tools and features. You can edit those if you don’t want to include them in your current search.)
For example, you may want a provider that will understand and respect your cultural background, or specialises in care for your particular condition or situation. The database search offers options for specialisations, language, faith preferences, and more.
Make a Shortlist of the Best Home Care Providers on My Aged Care
Once you’ve decided what your top care priorities are, you can start compiling a list of providers to consider.
It’s a good idea to create a ‘shortlist’ of 3-5 providers that can deliver all the services you need while being a good fit for your unique situation (Note: the Find a Provider tool allows you to add up to 16 providers to your shortlist on the My Aged Care website). Once you have your shortlist, you can interview each of the providers before making a final choice. It’s critical to compare aged care providers directly, as their services and practices may differ significantly.
After you add more than one provider to your shortlist, you can compare providers side-by-side to find your best matches. My Aged Care lets you compare up to three providers at a time, making it easy to analyse each provider’s quality, prices and specialisations.
Below is a step-by-step example of how you can use the My Aged Care provider search tool to create your shortlist.
Not sure how to find the best provider for you? We can help.
Step-By-Step Example: Finding a Provider on My Aged Care
Visit the Find a Provider page on My Aged Care, click the ‘Start searching for a provider’ button, and answer the initial questions (or click ‘Skip – I’m just browsing’ to skip the initial questions).
In this example, we will search for providers by location in Melbourne. We’ve specified our program (Support at Home) and the approved services (Personal Care). When you select your own criteria, My Aged Care will produce a list of providers in your area.
On this results page, you can fine-tune the results by selecting more filters using the options at the top, such as Care Duration, Specialised Care, and Health Support. You can also use the search bar to type in what you’re looking for and narrow down the results.
While scrolling down the list of results, click the ‘Show Details’ button to learn more about specific providers and ‘Add to shortlist’ to add providers to your personalised list. Remember: You can add up to 16 providers to your shortlist.
Your shortlisted providers are added to your My Guide, making it easy to pick up where you left off. You can access My Guide by clicking the yellow button at the top of the My Aged Care website. Your list of providers is saved under ‘My shortlist’ in the left-hand menu. From here, you can also email your shortlist to yourself or someone else.
After you add more than one provider to your shortlist, you can compare up to three providers side-by-side to find your best matches. If you have more than three providers on your shortlist, you can change your selections at any time. In this example, we are comparing The CareSide to two other home care providers in Melbourne. Scroll down this comparison page to learn more about each of your selections, including services and costs.
Remember: You can also click the ‘Show Details’ button under a provider’s name to view that provider’s profile and learn more specifics (such as contact details).
Additional Ways To Make a Shortlist
The My Aged Care Find a Provider tool is an easy and reliable way to build a shortlist of home care provider options—but it’s not the only way. It’s also helpful to seek advice from people you trust.
For instance, your primary doctor may suggest a specific provider. Additionally, friends, family members, or neighbours who use home care services can provide valuable insights based on their experiences, helping you add recommendations to your shortlist.
However, keep in mind that your needs may be different from those of others. A provider your doctor admired five years ago may have changed management since then. If a provider is recommended to you, find them in the My Aged Care directory, review their quality compliance page, and ensure they are currently meeting care standards.
It’s also wise to use the Find a Provider tool to compare prices. For instance, while your neighbour may be happy with his caregiver, he may not know he’s paying 10% more per hour than necessary—money that could otherwise be allocated to additional services or more hours of care.
Finally, make sure your shortlist is actually short. Include only providers that are likely to be a good fit for you. Keeping the list manageable ensures you can easily contact and interview all the candidates. Typically, a list of three or four providers is sufficient.
Interview the Best Home Care Providers
When you’ve narrowed down your list, it’s time to pick up the phone. Speaking with providers will give you more detailed information about their caregivers, processes and prices.Â
Consider what matters most to you.
Is your top priority to spend wisely and make sure your government funding covers as many hours of care as possible? Ask detailed questions about their pricing. Make sure you uncover any hidden fees and charges that may not be clearly listed.
Is scheduling and convenience your main concern? Request more information about caregiver scheduling and availability, and find a provider that guarantees caregivers will arrive at a specific time rather than within a broad window.Â
Create a list of questions you want to ask. Then, call each provider on your shortlist and pose the same questions to each one. If you have numerous questions, consider scheduling a time to talk with someone who can answer inquiries about their home care services. Don’t hesitate to take your time and continue asking questions until you feel satisfied.
Remember: the consumer-directed system means you have a choice about your provider. You deserve to make an informed decision.Â
Questions to Ask Home Care Providers
Asking important questions is the best way to learn about the in-home care providers on your shortlist and confidently choose one based on your care needs and package level. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Choose Your Aged Care Provider
After you’ve talked with all of the service providers on your shortlist, it’s time to make a decision. Review your notes and compare each provider’s responses. You may want to create a list of the things you like and dislike most about each provider. Or, after talking with all of the providers on your list, you might feel confident from the tone of the conversations that one of them is the best fit for your unique needs.
Remember that you don’t need to put too much pressure on this decision—you can always change home care providers if your needs evolve.
The important thing is that you make an informed selection and recognise that you have control over getting the support you want and require.
Are you interested in transferring your care to another provider?
Begin Care With Your New Home Care Provider
Finding a home care provider can feel complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Ultimately, this guide recommends steps you can take, but you don’t have to use this entire process. Even if you only spend a few minutes researching potential providers, the information you gain will help you make better decisions about your care.Â
If you’re having difficulty finding the right provider, don’t hesitate to seek assistance. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) (1800 700 600) is a reliable resource for older Australians who don’t have friends or family members available to help. Through the OPAN website, you can request a free advocate who will help you identify your priorities, understand your options and navigate the aged care system to find the best home care provider for you.
Consumer-directed care shouldn’t be overwhelming. The purpose of provider options isn’t to inundate you with choices but to ensure you receive quality care. Finding the right provider is an important step toward getting care that meets your specific needs, respects your rights, and empowers you to enjoy life as you age in the comfort and security of your home.
- By Renee Lunder
- By Renee Lunder
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