July 22nd, 2021

​Your Parents need Residential Care

Therapy Professionals has work in Aged Care since 1985 and we have seen the industry grow and develop from almost a cottage industry to the corporate dominated industry it is today. We have personally experienced and watched others struggle to navigate their way through the whole process of entry into residential care.  
 
We know how hard it can be for you and your parents to accept it’s time for residential care (rest home, hospital, dementia and special care hospitals). Once this decision has been made knowing how to access care is not always straight forward. 
 
This information from the Ministry of Health can be very helpful when negotiating your way through the process.  
 
This link will take you to the following questions and answers on the MOH website. 
 
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/life-stages/health-older-people/long-term-residential-care/residential-care-questions-and-answers
 
What is residential care?

Is there a list of residential care providers?
 
Who is responsible for funding residential care services for older people?
 
What are the criteria for entry into residential care?
 
How does a person apply for residential care?
 
How does a person apply for a residential-care subsidy?
 
What happens if the circumstances of the person in long-term residential care change?
 
While the person is in care, what individual services/items do they have to pay for that are not covered by Government funding (the residential care subsidy)?
 
What is a License to Occupy?
 
If a person is admitted to hospital whilst in a residential care facility, do they have to continue paying for their bed at the facility?
 
How does a resident make a complaint?

Once you have the residential subsidy or have freed up the funds to enter residential care, you then have to choose which facility will suit your parent/s and you.  Working this out will be limited by the availability of beds.  At the time residential care is needed your preferred option may not be available. 
 
When looking at the options you need to have some way of comparing them. Consumer did a Rest Homes Checklist a number of years ago witch we have added a few items to. You may find this helpful.
 
https://d3c7odttnp7a2d.cloudfront.net/assets/8159/Rest_Homes_checklist.pdf

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If you have an elderly family member struggling at home or in care and you want additional rehabilitation, just contact us at
 
                               Phone:  03 377 5280                                    Email:  [email protected]