The myHomecare Group was featured in 9 Now’s article ‘Growing demand for at-home care amid COVID-19 aged care chaos.’
For a summary of the article read on.
At-Home Care Surge.
There has been a demand for at-home care due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
This has taken a toll on many, such as Stuart and Shirley who have been together for 69 years.
Shirley’s health has been deteriorating of late and, after a nasty fall, she was placed into a nursing home by doctors.
Then the pandemic hit, and Stuart was locked out from seeing his wife of nearly 70 years.
“Oh, it was just awful. I just couldn’t take it,” he told me.
With rising deaths from COVID-19 in aged care facilities, Stuart made the decision to take his beloved wife home.
“We’re back together and no one will tear us apart again,” said Shirley.
Stuart and Shirley are among a growing number of older Australians opting to stay at home rather than go into an aged care facility through their Home Care Package with the myHomecare Group.
“The longer someone can stay at home the more in control they will feel about their life. And for the taxpayer and the system … it’s cheaper,” CEO of Older Persons Australia Network, Craig Gear said.
The latest numbers coming out of the government show that more people than ever before are staying at home.
Governments Approach.
The numbers are now about equal, but very soon there will be more older Australians in their own home than in nursing homes.
“The government has funded an extra 80,000 Home Care Packages but it’s not keeping up with demand from older people switching to receiving their care at home rather than by nurses or aged care workers in a facility,” Mr Gear said.
The Federal Government’s Home Care Package gives recipients all the help they would normally receive in a facility.
Someone comes to their home to help with showering, cleaning, buying food, and medical needs.
The demand for at-home care is outstripping the supply.
There are too many older Australians waiting to leave nursing homes or struggling at home without a care package.
The government may find it cheaper to keep older people at home rather than in facilities, but the bureaucracy isn’t keeping up.
In the meantime, Shirley and Stuart are “very grateful we managed to get [theirs]”, thanks to The myHomecare Group.
If you would like to learn more about The myHomecare Group and the at-home care services we provide, click here.
To read this story in full, click here.
