The thought of aged care can often bring up some anxious thoughts. Many older Australians feel unprepared for a move into aged care, and many are concerned about how they will pay for their care. It’s also common to wonder how you’ll fill your time, if you’ll like the people you’ll be living with, whether you’ll be lonely and whether you’ll like the food.
If you’re struggling with aged care anxiety, rest assured, you’re not alone. But the reality of aged care is usually nothing like the idea you have in your mind – and many of the problems you may be worried about can be easily overcome. Here’s how you can reduce that anxiety and look forward to your golden years in aged care.
Take control
Often fear comes from a position of powerlessness. People fear what they can’t control – which is perfectly understandable. No one wants to be left feeling powerless, helpless and unable to control their environment. It’s not a pleasant feeling.
The answer is to take control of your aged care decisions while you still can. Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to lose your ability to make choices and decisions. It’s your life, after all, and those decisions should be yours to make.
However, all too often they’re not. Accidents, injuries or serious health conditions can strike out of the blue, leaving many people forced to face the issue of aged care unprepared. A sudden crisis or emergency can make the decision about aged care unavoidable and immediate. And it’s much harder to make good decisions when you’re sick, injured, stressed, anxious and under time pressure. Finding suitable aged care accommodation when you’re in a hurry is often impossible, and can lead to less than ideal situations while you go through the process of applying for an aged care place. Plus, if you’re too incapacitated to make the decisions yourself, someone else will have to make them for you.
So, don’t let things get to this point. It’s far less stressful to have an aged care plan in place before you need it. This allows you to take control of your future, make your own decisions and make thoughtful and well-planned choices that will work for you when it comes time for an aged care move. Like most things in life, planning is the key to feeling prepared – and that’s certainly true when it comes to aged care.
Get your financial situation sorted
It also helps to have a financial plan in place to help you manage a move into aged care without undue stress. There are many factors to consider when moving into aged care, such as what to do with the family home, how to fund your aged care move, how much your services will cost, how much care is needed, and how your existing assets and income will affect the amount of government support you need. These are not decisions that can be made in a hurry. So, it makes a lot of sense to seek early advice from a financial planner or aged care advisor, who can help you navigate all these questions.
Keep in mind though that some aged care services are subsidised by the Australian Government, meaning they could be free or very low cost for you, depending on your income and assets. This helps ensure that aged care is within the reach of all Australians. However, if you are eligible for aged care and you can afford to do so, you will be expected to contribute something towards the cost of your aged care. But having a plan in place and knowing that you’ll be able to cover your costs will go a long way towards relieving any financial anxiety you may have over aged care.
Remove ‘Fear of the unknown’
Fear of the unknown can be quite anxiety-inducing, especially as you age. And there’s no doubt about it, a move into aged care is a big change. But there are plenty of ways you can remove the fear of the unknown before you make the move into aged care.
Start easy – with home care
Home care allows you to access a tailored package of care services in your own home – and allows you to gradually adapt to someone helping you with household tasks and caring for you. It’s the perfect way to ease into supported living without having to leave your home, and it a great way to get a feeling for life with care.
Book a tour
Although the internet can show you plenty, there’s nothing like seeing the place for yourself. Book a tour of aged care facilities in your area (or the area you’d like to move to) and see for yourself what life in aged care is all about. Ask plenty of questions, view all the facilities, especially the rooms, and talk to other residents about their experiences if possible. This will help you not only choose the place you want to live, but feel much more comfortable and familiar when you move in.
Click here to discover all the essential questions you need answered before you move into an aged care home.
Try respite care
Respite, or short term, care services may be available in a residential care home for situations such as a transition from hospital to home, recovery from an accident or illness, or restorative care (returning you to independence). Respite care of up to 63 days each financial year can be accessed on a planned or emergency basis (for example, if your carer needs a break or is unable to care for you for some reason, if you would like a break from caring for yourself, or if your level of care required is higher for a short period of time). Accessing respite care in your home of choice will allow you to “taste test” life in aged care first-hand, and can go a long way towards relieving your anxiety about aged care.
Talk to your doctor
Many aged care facilities will be more than happy to allow you to still visit your own trusted doctor, rather than using one at the facility. Speak to your doctor about whether it’s possible to visit you in your aged care home; and if not, your home can usually help you access your doctor’s appointments. This will help you feel much more relaxed about the continuity of your care with someone you’re comfortable and familiar with.
Plan your room
Planning out your room can help remove the anxiety associated with leaving your familiar surroundings and moving to a new place. Find out what (if any) furniture is provided in your room, so that you can start planning out what you’ll take with you to make it homey, comfortable and familiar. Bring your favourite pictures or décor, pot up some plants from your garden to grow in your room (or new garden) and plan out where you’re going to put everything.
Deciding it’s time for aged care can be a huge and emotional decision, but these strategies can help you manage your anxiety and feel calm and prepared for your aged care move.
