FAQs

Visit  https://agedcare.health.gov.au/programs/residential-care/steps-to-enter-an-aged-care-home

If you are considering coming into one of Finley Regional Care’s aged care facilities, the first step is to be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT, in NSW) or Aged Care Assessment Services (ACAS, in Victoria). If you have any questions regarding your assessment please contact Accommodation Co-ordinator on 02 5504 6508.

This service is provided for people over 65 years of age, and is made up of geriatricians (doctors specializing in aged care), community nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. Together they provide these important services:-

• Specialist aged care assessment
• Information about community services and how to be referred to them.
• Referral to health professionals and specialist clinics.
• Information about respite care and how to arrange it.
• Information about residential care and how it works.
• Information about support and assistance for carers.
• Help to complete assessment forms which you need to access residential respite care and certain community packages.

You can ask your doctor, a social worker or a community nurse to arrange an aged care assessment or you can contact the Department of Social Services, or you can phone 1800 200 422 for details of the local ACAT (NSW) or ACAS (VIC) and contact them directly.

Or visit http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/eligibility-and-assessment/acat-assessments

At Finley Regional Care, our residential respite care services give carers ‘respite’ from direct care of the frail and elderly for a specified period of time or if their loved one needs extra care which can’t be given or is not available at their home.

If you are looking for respite care, you need to apply in the same way as if you were looking at permanent residential care. Your eligibility must be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT, in NSW) or Aged Care Assessment Services (ACAS, in Victoria)

Private Respite is available for those coming out of Hospital and requiring assistance transitioning to home. Contact us for details.

Simply phone us on 02 5504 6508 and we will arrange a meeting with our Accommodation Co-ordinator. During this meeting you will be provided with our application form and we will also explain the next steps for entry into Finley Regional Care.

“Ageing in place” means that a person’s care can be adjusted over time to suit their changing needs.

Finley Regional Care maintains a “waiting list” which you may request to be included on at any time. Based on your particular needs and care requirements, you will be contacted should a suitable place become available at one of our aged care facilities.

Extra services are an option available to residents of some aged care facilities whereby they are offered a higher standard of accommodation food and services for an additional charge. However, the term ‘Extra Service’ only refers to the standard of accommodation, meals, food and entertainment and not to the level of care.

Home Care Packages are a Commonwealth Government funded program designed to assist you or a loved one to stay in their home as long as possible by providing essential services based on your individual needs. For more information on Home Care Packages click here or phone us and one of our friendly staff can talk to you about and recommend a package that would best suit you

The Commonwealth Government is responsible for the planning, funding and regulation of residential aged care facilities in Australia. An aged care facility must have accreditation for it to be able to access residential care subsidies. For more information about residential aged care in Australia, go to www.myagedcare.gov.au

Accreditation is an external evaluation process that all aged care facilities must undergo to be recognized as approved providers under the Aged Care Act 1997. It also enables them access to residential care subsidies.

Our Residential Care facilities are fully accredited facilities.

That means we have met the 4 standards and 44 outcomes which were in place for quality of care and quality of life in their provision of residential care. The four standards being:

• Standard 1 Management systems, staffing and organizational development
• Standard 2 Health and personal care
• Standard 3 Resident lifestyle
• Standard 4 Physical environment and safe systems

We are now transitioning over the next 12 months to the new Aged Care Quality Standards consisting of eight standards:

• Standard 1          Consumer dignity and choice
• Standard 2           Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers
• Standard 3           Personal care and clinical care
• Standard 4           Services and supports for daily living
• Standard 5           Organisation’s service environment
• Standard 6           Feedback and complaints
• Standard 7           Human resources
• Standard 8          Organisational governance

You can see Finley Regional Care’s latest accreditation report on the Australian Aged Care Accreditation Agency website at this link: www.aacqa.gov.au and then type Finley Regional Care into the search section.

To ascertain any aged care facility’s accreditation status, contact the Australian Aged Care Accreditation Agency Ltd on 1800 288 025 or visit their website at: www.aacqa.gov.au

For independent advice, it’s best to talk to your own trusted financial advisers and solicitors.

You can also talk to Centrelink’s Financial Information Service by phoning 132 300 and then say Financial Information Service when prompted. This is a free and confidential service available to everyone.

A Permanent Residential Aged Request for a Combined Income and Assets Assessment must be completed by Centrelink – www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/forms/sa457 or the Department of Veterans Affairs (www.dva.gov.au)

At Finley Regional Care your happiness, security and peace of mind is our priority. And to achieve a full and satisfying life we believe that you should have the freedom to choose how you spend your time without restriction or routine. That’s why at Finley Regional Care we encourage you to continue to enjoy your hobbies and interests as well as any religious faith – and we provide the resources, activities and means to do so. Your family and friends are welcome to spend time with you whenever and however they wish, just as if you were still at home. Not only do we ensure that all your health and medical needs are taken care of, we also provide extra services including visiting hairdressers, podiatrist and dentists, not to mention the delicious and nutritious meals you’ll enjoy here. In fact, at Finley Regional Care you won’t have to worry about a thing – you will be free to enjoy life the way you want to.

At Finley Regional Care we respect your privacy and you can be confident your room is just that – “your” room. That means we give you the same respect and consideration that you would expect in your own home.

Having your own furniture, pictures and trinkets is the ideal way to make your room the comfortable and familiar space it should be, so yes, please feel free to bring any of your own belongings. If you would prefer not to bring your own furniture that’s fine too, we will provide a bed and chair and some drawers. We will help you arrange your room so that it’s just right – always keeping in mind your comfort and safety. Any electrical equipment you bring will be tagged to ensure your safety.

Yes you can arrange to have any of these services in your room. We just need to discuss it with you first to make sure it won’t compromise your safety, and of course we will do all we can to assist in having these things installed for you. Your room will have a telephone connection point where you can arrange your own telephone, through your own provider. This also applies to an internet connection and pay TV. You can even have a personal air-conditioner installed.

At Finley Regional Care we believe that your life here should be just as it would be at home. As long as you are safe, secure and happy we will be happy.

Yes, we encourage you to control your own finances and if you don’t want to or are unable to, we strongly suggest you organise an enduring Power of Attorney in favour of a close friend, relative, your solicitor or accountant. At Finley Regional Care we do not allow any of our staff or management to have access or any control over your finances, pension payments etc.

At Finley Regional Care we understand that your doctor plays an important part – not only in your health and wellbeing but also your peace of mind. We absolutely encourage you to keep your own trusted doctor and will do everything we can to assist you in seeing him or her. Your doctor may visit you here or we can help to arrange transport to the clinic if need be. Alternatively, if you would like to change doctors we can talk to you about the local practitioners who visit our homes. No matter what, the decision about your doctor will always be yours.

Chief Executive Officer – Ben Levesque
Executive Director of Operations – Nathan Willoughby
Director of Clinical Services – Jo Davis
Choice Packages Co-ordinator – Shirley Ogilvie
Quality Co-ordinator – Jackie Zorzer
ACFI & Accommodation Co-ordinator – Zoe Caspar
Finance Officer – Andy Anderson
Executive Assistant – Jacqui Brown
Receptionist – Tanya Diston