Aged care: When there is no one to help

For many older people, navigating aged care comes with help from a husband or wife, an adult child, another relative or a trusted friend. But not everyone has somebody beside them. Some older people live alone. Their family may be hundreds of kilometres away, they may have lost a partner, become socially isolated over time or simply have nobody they trust or feel comfortable asking for help. When health, mobility or memory begins to decline, navigating an already complicated aged-care system alone can become another difficulty to overcome. Across the Hilltops, one of the services designed to help vulnerable older people in this situation is the care finder program. Delivered locally by Marathon Health and funded by the Australian Government, care finder provides intensive, one-on-one assistance to eligible older people who may otherwise struggle to access aged care and other community support. Senior Care Finder Maree Piffero, based in Cootamundra and working across the region, said many of the older people she supports have very little assistance around them. “Many live alone, have no close family nearby, or may have become socially isolated over time,” Maree said. “Some are experiencing memory loss, declining health, mobility issues, homelessness or housing insecurity, while others are simply finding it difficult to navigate what can be a very complex aged care system.” For some, asking for help is itself difficult. “Often the people I meet have reached a point where everyday tasks are becoming a little harder, but they don’t know where to turn,” she said. Who notices when someone is struggling? An older person who is isolated may not know what support exists or be in a position to seek it out themselves. Maree said people came to care finder through GPs, hospitals, community health services, allied health professionals, social workers, community organisations and My Aged Care. But in a regional community, it can also be someone much closer to home who first notices something is wrong. “In a regional community like Young, people often look out for one another,” Maree said. “Sometimes a neighbour notices someone struggling, or a local service provider recognises that an older person needs extra support but doesn’t have anyone to advocate for them.” Sitting down and working through it Care finder support is more intensive than simply providing a telephone number or directing someone to a website. Maree said the starting point was getting to know the person and understanding what was happening in their life. “I usually meet with people face-to-face, often in their home, where they feel most comfortable,” she said. “We talk about what’s happening in their life, what challenges they’re facing and what goals are important to them.” From there, a care finder may help contact My Aged Care, organise assessments, attend appointments, gather documents, explain service options and connect the person with suitable aged-care providers. They can also link people with other services when the problem extends beyond aged care, including health, housing, mental health and community support. For someone already dealing with poor health, loneliness, grief or cognitive decline, even basic steps can feel overwhelming. “Being overwhelmed is something I see every day,” Maree said. “The aged care system can be difficult to understand, especially for people who are already dealing with health concerns, loneliness, grief or cognitive decline.” “I explain things in plain language, break tasks into manageable steps and make sure they understand their options before making decisions,” Maree said. “Sometimes the first and most important support is simply having someone sit down, listen and genuinely care about their situation.” “Many people tell me they simply feel relieved knowing they no longer have to navigate everything on their own,” she said. Finding help is different from having an advocate A care finder can help an older person navigate the aged-care system and connect with services, but there are times when someone may need a different kind of support. That is where aged-care advocacy can come in. Seniors Rights Service provides free and confidential aged-care advocacy across NSW for people using, or trying to access, Commonwealth-funded aged-care services. Its advocates can listen to concerns, explain rights and responsibilities, help resolve problems with providers and, with the older person’s consent, speak directly with an aged-care provider on their behalf. Seniors Rights Service explained that care finders focus on helping eligible people who need intensive assistance to access and navigate aged care. Advocates, however, are focused on the older person’s rights, wishes and voice once they are dealing with the system or an aged-care provider. “An advocate is always on your side and will be guided by what you want and need,” Seniors Rights Service said. Advocacy is not only available when something has gone badly wrong. An older person who feels overwhelmed, unheard or uncertain about their rights can seek support, and advocates can help them raise concerns or communicate with their provider. Seniors Rights Service also has financial advocates who can help older people understand aged-care fees, costs and pricing and work through concerns about charges. Someone noticing can make the difference The care finder program does not replace family, and an advocate does not take over an older person’s decisions. But both can provide something important for someone trying to navigate aged care alone — another person who understands the system and can help make sure they are not left to work everything out by themselves. Maree said many of the people she supports have spent a long time struggling before reaching the program. “They may have known they needed help for some time, but didn’t know where to start, who to contact or how to navigate the system,” she said. For some, the biggest change is simply moving from feeling alone and overwhelmed to having a plan. “Everyone deserves to age with dignity, respect and the support they need to live the life they choose,” Maree said. “For many people, simply knowing there’s someone in their corner who can help guide them through the process can make a world of difference.” In a regional community, that first step towards help may begin with somebody else noticing. A neighbour, GP, health worker, community organisation or local service provider does not need to become someone’s carer to make a difference. Sometimes, helping an older person find the right person to call is enough to begin.