Chances are you will need to consider the move to residential aged care once more support is needed than home care can provide. But how do you know when residential care is needed? Making the decision to move into care is emotional, and requires careful consideration.

National Seniors Australia and CareAbout, our partner in care can help members navigate their way through the care options and find quality providers for Home Care or Nursing Homes.

When the time comes to start selecting an Aged Care Home, it is a great idea to create a checklist of questions and required information. Obviously, the checklist may feature items applicable to your particular circumstances, however, here are some questions/information you can use as a starting point.

• Does it appear clean on the first inspection?
• Are the people answering your questions and showing you around giving you respect, listening to you, and providing you with all the time you need to get the information you want?
• What is the daily menu? (Make sure you also see a variety of meals being served to ensure the facility is delivering on what they are promising).
• What assistance can family members provide e.g. can they help with bathing and eating?
• What medical specialists and facilities are on the premises?
• How far away are emergency medical services?
• How many people are on duty during the day – and at night?
• What are the full costs involved (beware of hidden costs)?
• What are the recreational options and facilities?
• Can family members, particularly partners, stay overnight?
• What are the visiting hours and how easy is it to organize visits outside visiting hours?
• How do the staff interact with their residents? Watch closely!

For more support contact the team at CareAbout who can help you make confident decisions with expert guidance to help you through Australia’s complex Aged Care system, in a language you understand.