Aged Care

Older Australians want to stay at home as long as possible and continue to have greater control over their finances through self-managed care, according to a new Home Industry Study by Catalyst Research. The online survey, conducted during March 2022 with over 4,000 responses from across Australia, found that: For 71% of respondents, staying at home for longer or avoiding residential care was their motivation for considering home care to allow them to manage ageing in familiar surroundings while maintaining positive relationships. Retaining more control over their spending was cited as the biggest benefit of self-managed care by 78% of respondents. 60% of participants cited that the number one reason they would choose to change a provider was inconsistent staffing. Half of the respondents were concerned about cost and the fear that services would not be up to their standard. 43% were challenged in navigating home care, and four in ten see the wait time as a barrier. Only 11% knew if th

Mable is all about empowering clients to make their own choices and decisions around their care. For older Australians who are continuing to live independently at home, support needs may change from time to time, and flexibility is important. Self-managing your own Home Care Package gives you control to change the services you receive, who provides them and when. Meet 72-year-old Trish, who has a team of independent support workers that she connected with on Mable to not just attend to her daily requirements but also provide companionship. She is on a Level 4 Home Care Package and accesses support for her day-to-day life including personal care, dressing, meals and household tasks. Trish also arranges to receive social support as part of her Home Care Package. “I also need someone who’ll do the creative, fun side with me so I can have a bit of fun.” That could be jigsaw puzzles, mosaics, watching comedies on TV or just having a good old chat. Having used traditional providers in the p

We’re proud to bring you the next in our series of Moments with Mable, where we showcase just some of the many thousand connections that are made on the Mable platform every day. It was the Family History Society in Brisbane that originally brought Pam and Doug together. They connected over an interest in history, working together to compile Doug’s family archives to create a history book about the Battle of the SMS Emden. For Pam, what started as a hobby turned into a job opportunity as Doug invited her to join the Mable platform as an independent support worker and continue working with him on the project. Pam is one of a team of independent support workers who now support Doug via Mable. In Doug’s words, their unique connection is a perfect example of how Mable enables him to “Choose who comes into your life, what you do and how you do it.”

If you ask older Australians what they aspire for as they age, chances are, ‘ remaining independent ’ will be among the top goals. Many Australians aim to age ‘in place’, in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. Here are five ways you can take steps now to remain independent for longer . Have support at hand The Guardian took a look at ways in which housing design can encourage independent living. They interviewed a number of housing professionals who identified onsite care as a key aspect to creating homes that support independence. While most people do not have high care needs, help at hand creates an important ‘safety net’ for people as they age. When looking specifically at creating housing for people with dementia, building experts advocated for the removal of specific ‘dementia wings’ as; “The stimulation of being part of a more diverse community and the support networks that emerge are far better for their wellbeing.” Even if you’re not living in a retirement village,

As we age, we want the ability to do so independently – and conversations about aged care become more about the support we need to maintain our lifestyle and manage our health. But even when we’re living comfortably without any support, a little help from Mable can life easier in some surprising ways. Here at Mable, we love looking at ways that people can live independently for longer; whether it’s making your house a smart home, or taking steps to adapt your lifestyle to support independent living. It may be too early for you to start thinking about applying for a Home Care Package. But while you may not need assistance with the tasks of daily living like cooking, showering or mobility, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find support to make life a little easier via Mable. Mable is an online platform that enables you to find and engage independent support workers from within your local community. There might be people from your community who are providing social support and domestic a

Every child goes through the difficult and often stressful process of finding support for ageing parents. Those needing aged care can also add to the strain, as many elderly people want nothing more than to remain living in their own homes. If you’re searching for a support solution for your parent or family member, there are a few things you should consider. Consider your parent’s finances Before you start looking into aged care options, you should consider what funds you can use to pay for the services, and whether your parents are eligible for any Government funding. Complete an aged care assessment My Aged Care is a government-run service that lets those requiring aged care access government-funded services such as in-home care, short-term support, and residential aged care. It can be useful to sign up to My Aged Care if you have little experience or knowledge in setting up aged care support for someone. To find out whether your parent is eligible for My Aged Care

If you’re that person who will do anything to avoid or delay thinking about aged care, even when you know there’s a pressing need, then take heart: you’re not alone. Aged care gets a bad press – and rightly so in many cases, as the recent Royal Commission into Quality and Safety in Aged Care has shown. But aged care hesitancy is more complicated than fear of substandard services and abuse.   Our fear of aged care is deeply connected with our fear and rejection of ageing generally. From childhood we are told that old is bad, sad and lonely and we will go to great lengths to hide or deny the most natural of processes - the passing of time. As a result, we often avoid acknowledging age-related problems or even having practical conversations and, ironically, we put ourselves at greater risk in the long term.   If we want to be on the front foot about ageing well and – ideally, for most people – avoiding entry to residential care, we need to change some of our thinking, get smart and stop

Here at Mable, we know that support can mean very different things to different people. As time goes on, this support can vary – from a little help with getting from A to Z, to day-to-day support with some of the tasks of daily living. Here, we take a look at the range of services provided by Mable’s community of Independent Support Workers. Mable’s online community is made up of independent, experienced aged care workers, nurses and allied health professionals. By using Mable, you design your support around your life, meaning you only engage support workers you have chosen to provide the services you’d like. So, what does support via Mable look like? We’ve broken it down for you into the six main areas. Social Support Depending on who you are and what your life looks like, social support can be very different for each individual. It could be the support you need to get out into the community, pursue a hobby or maintain connections with friends. It may include transport to help you

If you feel your parents are at a point in their life where they need a bit more support in their day to day lives, but that they value their independence and want to remain living at home, you can work together to help build them a safe, secure home and future. Ensure in-home safety According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare , seven in 10 older Australians are homeowners. If they’re finding it difficult to navigate their home and use their appliances and furniture, you should let them know that they can find help. Ensuring your loved ones’ safety is as simple as doing a quick check of their home. Spend some time looking in each room and assessing the potential hazards that may affect your parents. Take notice of trip hazards like floor rugs, furniture or boxes and find where more lighting is needed. Home modifications can be expensive, but by arranging furniture to minimise risk, you’re taking the first step to help your parents live comfortably and safely. Organise