A placement consultant makes your job easier

Needing to place a loved one into an aged care home can be a highly stressful event for families and carers.

You might think its a lack of information or understanding but in fact its because you are both the carer and the person emotionally involved as well as the decision maker.

This process can be eased significantly with the help of an aged care placement consultant who can take control of the running around, paperwork and planning.

Moving into residential care is a situation most people postpone for as long as possible until the point of necessity, often leaving little time to organise everything.

If some initial planning were to be undertaken it could soothe the transition and reduce the stress at what is a critical turning point in people’s lives.

Planning should include obtaining information on the financial implications of entering residential care, gaining information on the facilities available in your area and ensuring Wills and Powers of Attorney and Guardianship are up-to-date.

A placement consultant can take over a lot of the stress of searching for and transitioning into an aged care home.

How a placement consultant can help

Every single transition to aged care is unique and a placement consultant will take several things in consideration to make sure the advice is right for your circumstances:

Are you looking for care options for a single person, or a couple?

Is there a physical condition that is deteriorating, are mental faculties and awareness impaired?

Is there acceptance or understanding of this part of the journey?

What are the family dynamics around the placement decision and the impact on everyone involved?

Having extensive knowledge of facilities in their area, as well as the placement process, an aged care placement consultant can often find a home faster, and one that is specially suited to your requirements. Through their established relationships with aged care homes, they are familiar with the culture of each home and, most importantly, they have advanced knowledge when vacancies become available.

By knowing the culture of each facility and getting to know you, placement consultants can determine which homes would best suit your needs and preferences, and make prior applications to these homes.

Without the assistance of an aged care placement consultant, you or your carer would need to constantly phone the facilities of your choice to demonstrate your eagerness and commitment to obtaining a bed in that home.

Negotiate and advocate for you

The aged care placement consultant advocates on your, and your family’s, behalf and is able to assist with the whole assessment process.

They also complete all the necessary paperwork and application forms for entry into an aged care home which is helpful, as the applications can be quite daunting. They may suggest seeking financial advice where required.

An aged care placement consultant helps share the load at this crucial time, can significantly speed up the time it usually takes to find a placement at a suitable home, thereby easing the transition into residential care.

Be sure about your expectations of service and what the placement consultant is able to provide, including:

Face to face family meetings to discuss your situation and a respect for the emotions of all the family members involved Support and recommendations that cater for the specific requirements of your family and loved one

Counsel that prioritises family sensitivities, needs and special requests, before asking how much money is available and getting the status of the financial situation

Practical assistance with urgent placement situations – which they often are – where reducing the typical waiting times, or arranging respite care, is a necessity.

Choosing a placement consultant

Within Queensland, there is a range of well qualified placement consultants who can help you in your search for aged care options. When you’re choosing a placement consultant to support you through the aged care transition, look for someone who is an expert in building and nurturing relationships, who is unbiased and independent, and has no business investment or alignment with any aged care facility.

An independent professional is able to provide guidance based entirely on your individual circumstances, not biased by commission or kickbacks from any particular facility or provider.

Choose an advocate who will ease your concerns, supporting your family with all aspects of this transition, allowing you to focus on your loved one. Placement consultants are most happy for you to call them for a chat and understand you may talk to a number of them before making your choice.

You can be open in your discussions because, as health professionals, they have a policy of confidentiality.

Their professional fees may differ and it is reasonable to advise them if you are working to a budget.

Some placement consultants charge by the hour, whilst others offer a package of services for one fixed price. Ensure that you are advised of all the possible fees and costs up front.

Finally make sure you feel comfortable talking with the placement consultant because your professional relationship will rely on them understanding what you want and organising the appropriate care services to meet those needs.

Resolving family disputes

Placing a family member into care can be life changing. There are many factors – physical, social, psychological and financial – that may arise which families sometimes find too difficult to cope with by themselves.

Every family member wants their opinion considered when it comes to making choices. Such situations can result in family conflicts. There are specialist health professionals who offer independent, non-judgmental services, which can explore the subtleties of each situation and offer caring support in addition to counselling and conflict resolution.

You can find placement consultants in the products and services directory on page 190 or search on AgedCareGuide.com.au