Introduction

If an elderly person can no longer manage safely at home, even with the intervention of services, they may need to consider a move to a nursing home or hostel. Before admission to a nursing home or hostel you must contact the Macarthur Aged Care Assessment Team for an assessment and advice on whether residential care is appropriate to consider. The Aged Care Assessment Team is responsible for assessing and approving eligibility for entry to residential care.

Macarthur Aged Care Team
Camden Hospital
PH: 4654-6322

Aged Care Reforms have introduced a number of changes to the way nursing homes and hostels operate. Briefly these are some of the changes:-

• Nursing Homes and Hostels will generally be termed Aged Care Facilities. The paperwork for approving a persons suitability for entry into an aged care facility is termed a 2624 form. Approval may be given for "high" care or "low" care.
• There are three main types of payments you may be asked to make for this care:
1. A daily care fee
2. An additional (income tested) care fee
3. An accommodation bond - for hostel level residents OR
4. An accommodation charge - for nursing home level residents.
• The fees and charges you may be asked to pay are determined by your level of care and your income.
• Full pensioners will pay a daily care fee which is covered by the pension ($22.25 per day 1999 figures)
• Part pensioners will pay the daily care fee plus an additional income tested care fee (average $3.60 - maximum $13.28 per day 1999 figures)
• Non pensioners will pay a higher daily care fee ($27.80 in 1999) plus an additional income tested care fee (average $11.90, maximum $38.95 in 1999)

Nursing Homes

A 2624 form marked "high level" care means a person is approved for nursing home level care. Nursing homes are for elderly people who have higher needs and require 24 hour nursing and personal care.

An accommodation charge is an amount you may be asked to pay when you enter nursing home level care. This is on top of your daily care fee.

The accommodation charge must be arranged and agreed to in writing between you and the nursing home.

The accommodation charge is determined by your assets. If you have assets of less than $24,000 you will not have to pay a charge. A sliding scale applies to determine the amount payable. The maximum accommodation charge is approximately $12 per day (1999 figures). For married couples half the combined assets are counted.

No one will be asked or forced to sell their home. However selling or renting out your house may need to be an option for some to consider. A person's home is protected and not counted as an asset, if at the time of entry to an aged care facility the home is occupied by a spouse, dependent child, close relative or care giver who has resided with you for the previous five (5) years.

A choice may be made to rent the family home to pay the accommodation charge. The rental income is exempt from income testing for both daily care fees and pension purposes. In this case, the family home may also be exempt from the Pension assets test.

Nursing Homes in Macarthur

Nursing Homes in Liverpool

Nursing Homes in Fairfield

Nursing Homes in Bankstown

Nursing Homes in Southern Highlands

Retirement Village Association NSW

Provides information to members of the public considering a move into a retirement village. A free comprehensive book available listing accredited villages in NSW and ACT. Training courses and seminars for members on current industry news. Accreditation program available.

Unit 3/17 Burwood Rd Burwood 2134
Phone: (02) 9747 4732
Fax: (02) 9744 1557
Freecall: 1800 240 080
Email: jboik@ozemail.com.au
Website: www.retirementvillagensw.com.au
and www.rva.com.au

Aged Services Association of NSW & ACT

The ASA is the peak body representing religious, charitable and community based providers of aged services in NSW and ACT. Ninety per cent of these providers belong to ASA. Services offered include policy and advice on best practice in the areas of industrial relations, human resource management, legislative compliance, organisational change and financial management.

The ASA offers an extensive training program, ensuring member organisations are able to upgrade skills and keep abreast of ongoing changes in aged services. ASA offers advice and encouragement to members to help them achieve best practice in compliance with the legislation governing aged services, including the Aged Care Act 1997, NSW Retirement Villages Act 1999 and the ACT Code of Practice for Retirement Villages.

Aged Services Association of NSW & ACT
Level 3, 9 Blaxland Rd
Rhodes NSW 2138
PO Box 3124 Rhodes NSW 2138
Freecall: 1800 424 770
Phone: (02) 9743 4066
Fax: (02) 9743 4556
Email: mail@agedservices.asn.au
Website: www.agedservicesassociation.com.au

Australian Nursing Homes and Extended Care Association (NSW)

ANHECA (NSW) promotes quality services, support and representation within the aged care industry, and strives to improve the political, economic and scoial environment in the industry operates.

ANHECA (NSW)
Level 8, 418A Elizabeth St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
PO Box 7 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Phone: (02) 9212 6922
Fax: (02) 9212 3488
Email: admin@anhecansw.net.au
Website: www.anhecansw.net.au

Blue Hills Manor

Tulich Av, Prestons 2170
Phone: (02) 8784 2400
Fax: (02) 8784 2499
Website: www.bluehillsvillage.com.au

Camden Downs Retirement Village

Self care accommodation for older people.

31 Crookston Dr, Camden NSW 2570
Phone: (02) 4655 1632
Fax: (02) 4655 3112
Email: camdendowns@bigpond.com.au

Carrington Retirement Village

Non profit, public benevolent institution providing self care, hostel and nursing home accommodation for aged persons, dementia unit. Includes Carrington Nursing Home, Mary McKillop Hostel and Paling Court Hostel.
Carrington Centennial Nursing Home
Accommodation for frail aged and developmentally disabled persons. Paramedical servics are available.
Community Care Program
Provides personal care and support services for frail aged persons in clients homes throughout the Macarthur area.
Community Aged Care Packages
Available 7 days a week, up to 7 hours a week, fee dependent on clients ability to pay. Contact (02) 4655 0335.

90 Werombi Rd, Grasmere 2570
PO Box 269 Camden 2570
Phone: (02) 4659 0590
Fax: (02) 4555 1984
Email: carrington@carringtonrv.org.au
Website: www.carringtonrv.org.au

Frank Whiddon Masonic Homes

Self care, hostel and nursing home accommodation for the aged.

81 Belmont Rd Glenfield 2167
Locked Bag 8, Minto BC 2565
Phone: (02) 9827 6666
Fax: (02) 9829 1516
Website: www.fwmh.com.au

Macarthur Accommodation System

Provides community based supported accommodation for adults with an intellectual disability and provides training in daily living skill and social skills for residents.

4/67 Jacaranda Av Bradbury
PO Box 1107 Campbelltown
Phone: (02) 4628 0370
Fax: (02) 4628 0151

Hostel Care

A 2624 form marked "low level" care means a person is approved for hostel level care. Hostels provide some assistance with personal care but are for people who maintain some degree of independence with daily living.

• If you enter hostel level care you may be asked to pay an accommodation bond. This is on top of your daily care fee.
• An accommodation bond is an amount of money, like an interest free loan, payed to the aged care facility.
• Most of the money is refunded if you leave and the government takes no part of the bond.
• Aged care facilities may keep, from the bond, up to $2,600 each year for up to five years.
• There is no fixed amount for an accommodation bond. However you cannot be charged a bond which would leave you with less than $24,000 in assets.
• Accommodation bond lump sums are counted as non financial assets by Centrelink and Veteran's Affairs asset tests and no income is deemed from them.

Hostels in Macarthur

General Information

• Concessional residents are full or part pensioner's who have not owned their own home in the past two (2) years and who have assets of less than $24,000 (or $48,000 for a couple).
• Concessional residents only pay the daily care fees.
• All aged care facilities (hostels and nursing homes) must have a number of concessional places for people who are unable to pay an accommodation payment (bond or charge). All facilities must take a minimum number of concessional residents and they receive an extra government subsidy to cover their care.
• Centrelink and Department of Veteran's Affairs conduct income testing (for daily care fees). They do not do assets testing (accommodation payments) - this is individually negotiated with the aged care facility.

For further information on nursing homes or hostels contact:-

Nursing Home and Hostel Information Co-ordinator
Macarthur Aged Care and Rehabilitation Service
Camden Hospital
PH: 4654-6322

Aged Care Complaints Resolution Scheme

The Scheme is available to anyone who wishes to make a complaint about an aged care service. This might include residents of nursing homes and hostels, their families, staff, people receiving community aged care packages or anyone else. Complaints can be made anonymously or confidentially if required.

The Scheme is a free and independent service run by the Federal Department of Health and Ageing. The focus of the Scheme is on resolving your complaints. A complaint may be about any aspect of an aged care service that you think is unfair or which maked you dissatsified with the service.

You can make a complaint either by telephone on 1800 550 552 during business hours or in writing to:
Aged Care Complants Resolution Scheme
C/o Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
Sydney NSW 2001