Having worked with providers in this system now for many years, there is a decline in the service that is provided. We changed to a consumer direceted care focus in July 2015. What this is supposed to mean is that the consumer directs the care as in when and it can include having the same worker. You do have the right to request the same worker at the same time, if the organisation cannot provide you with the support you need you have the right to ring up My Aged Care and complain and swap providers. In some places they are struggling to meet the demand due to workers becoming ill and burned out, but if the consumer is informed then they can make a choice in terms of waiting for the person to become well again.

I would always recomeend smaller companies who have employees rather than the larger companies who rely on agency staff as they only will get numbers, not the same workers all the time. It's really important that the consumer feels safe and respected and that they are in charge and if things are not right, you have the right to complain and be heard.

During this time of COVID-19 any worker that comes into your home should have a mask on and gloves at a minimum and they should be changing those gloves frequently. They should also be showing you the COVID Safe plan for their organisation if you the consumer requests it.

I have contacted three different providers now - small, medium and large.  It seems that they are all suffering staff shortages and at the moment are not able to offer consumer directed care.

They will offer a service, but you have to be fitted in with their staffing constraints,  no matter what level of package you receive.

I will stay with the provider I have,  at least I am getting a home service once a week, gardener/handyman once a fortnight and physiotherapy once a month.  Transport for shopping is not being offered by any of those who I contacted.

I am in northern NSW and I live in a city where the "aged over 65" population is about 25%.

We have several providers, all of whom claim on My Aged Care site that they have vacancies in all levels of packages.

There is a wait list for those who don't have a package, but require a minimal amount of help around home.  The wait list times are about 12 - 24 months.

thanks very much for your insights but are all managers the same or are some better than others from the pensioners point of vieu

How about managers are they all about the same so far as their charges ?

i read where a manager charged $80 per hour for a gardener but the gardener only got paid $24 per hour and the manager charged a management fee of 15% on the $80 calling it administrative fees

maybe this is the way things go but I would like to find out what really goes on?

There are two basic charges that all providers have - The Care Management fee and the Package Management fee.  Those do vary from provider to provider - some charge more and some charge less.

Same with the hourly charge for each type of service.  They all charge various amounts.

If they don't have their own gardener/handyman employed they can charge a brokerage fee for employing a subcontractor to provide those service to you.

The amount paid to the actual worker is up to them, it is the fee which is charged to your package that is the most important thing.

You can visit the My Aged Care site and compare all the fees and charges made by different providers in your area.

What sort of care were you advised you could get Plan B?

If it was the Commonwealth Home Support Plan,  there could be quite a wait.  That is the lowest plan that the Government offers.  That may provide you with about one or two hours per fortnight.  For that, you would be asked to contribute between $10 and $23 per hour - at least in my town.

For Aged Care Package Level 2, 3 or 4, the wait can be anywhere between 12 months and 3 years.

The money is not paid to you, it is paid to the providers who provide the service.

Have read a report that says that self management is the way to go - but not sure how that works

understood that the package is entrusted to a manager and they pay the bills for a fee

one manager stated their fee was 13% and for that you ordered your gardner and the invoice was paid for you and an invoice issued

does anybody here self manage their package at all

regards

peter