Shining the spotlight on aged care staff

As part of our celebrations for Aged Care Employee Day, we spoke with one of our very own staff members to find out why she chose to work in aged care. Here’s a candid account by Faye on her journey into aged care.

Somkiat Pluemsaisaeng or Faye as she is known to residents and friends, has been working in the aged care sector for almost a decade. A personal care assistant at BlueCross for the past four years, Faye enjoys her role supporting the elderly with day-to day living and helping them to get the most out of life every day. Her passion in aged care is evident, and often residents seek her out not only for caregiving but also to have a chat.

Working in aged care was a decision she made ten years ago, following her own experience caring for her father before he succumbed to cancer. “I went back to Thailand for a month to take care of my father when he got very sick,” said Faye. “He was doing very well under my care and I thought that this is something I would like to do for other older people.”

Upon returning to Melbourne, Faye took up a Certificate 3 course in aged care which eventually launched her career in aged care. She took up carer positions with several aged care providers before landing her current role with BlueCross.

“BlueCross has a good reputation and it’s near where I live,” said Faye.

Faye developed such a good rapport with her residents that she was recently deployed to nearby BlueCross residence upon special request by a resident’s family. “I speak Greek and the family wanted me to continue supporting their loved one who relocated to another BlueCross home.”

How to acce ss governmentfunded home care

Sometimes, getting some extra help at home can enable you to live independently at home and continue to do the things you love in the community. The Australian Government subsidises the cost of some home care services for those who are eligible. BlueCross Workforce Manager Jacqui Simao explains how to access government-funded home care programs.

A Home Care Package is a governmentfunded program designed to support you to continue living at home independently. Created for people with more complex care needs, it enables you to access an extensive range of affordable aged care services in the comfort of your own home.

Services (ACAS) team who will visit you at home to chat about your needs and your circumstances to determine whether you are eligible for a package.

Faye now works at BlueCross Westgarth supporting the Greek resident who speaks limited English.

I enjoy working in aged care and cannot imagine myself doing anything else."

To those who are considering a career in aged care, Faye said, “Aged care may not be an easy job but it is highly rewarding. You need to genuinely enjoy working with older people – it is something that comes from the heart.”

BlueCross is proud to employ dedicated staff like Faye, who makes up the many frontline heroes in the aged care sector.

There are four levels of packages. Basic entry level package is designed for people who are living largely independently and only need a very small amount of support. You move up to a higher level as your needs increase, with Level 4 being the highest level of support available for people with more complex care needs.

Some of the services that you might access with your Home Care Package can include things like personal care, domestic assistance, transport assistance, companionship or inhome respite. You can also access gardening services and allied health services such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy or podiatry. A Home Care Package can't be used to pay for day-to-day bills like rent, food or things that would be covered by Medicare.

To access a Home Care Package

The first step is to contact My Aged Care (MAC) by calling them on 1800 200 422. They will refer you to an Aged Care Assessment

If eligible, you will be informed by letter of your approved level of funding. Your name will then be added to the national queue until a package is assigned to you. That's the best time to start looking around at service providers. Once your package is assigned, you have up to 56 days to sign a service agreement with the service provider of your choice. If required, you can ask for a 28-day extension by calling MAC.

If you decide to choose BlueCross One of our dedicated Care Advisers will meet with you to develop a care plan based on your needs, goals and preferences to help you get the most value from your package. You may be required to pay an income-tested care fee as per your Centrelink assessment. While waiting for your home care package to be available, you can choose to purchase private home care services if you need some help at home.

If you would like to speak with someone to find out more, please call our BlueCross HomeCare team on (03) 9828 1222.