FAQs

Anyone seeking assistance in the home, or community home support must request the assistance through the national My Aged Care program. 

This applies to people seeking help with cleaning, home maintenance, shopping, personal care, carer respite, social support and allied health and therapy services such as physiotherapy or podiatry.

My Aged Care is the Federal Government’s centralised application system.  People wanting to receive services for the first time must go through My Aged Care to request assistance.  My Aged Care will then make a referral for these services to organisations like Uniting AgeWell.

It is important to note that if you want to use Uniting AgeWell’s services, you must advise My Aged Care.  A referral will then be sent to us.

If you require assistance with the My Aged Care process, Uniting AgeWell can support you to do this.

Appointments will range from 30-60 minutes, depending on the treatment and your needs.

If you are unable to attend an appointment, please notify the centre at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. Please note that:

• Clients may be charged 50% of the scheduled fee if 24 hours notice of cancellation is not given.
• If three (3) consecutive appointments are missed without contact or without an appropriate reason, your appointment time may be unavailable in the future or you may be discharged from the program.
• Another referral/doctor’s clearance will be necessary if treatment is to resume.
• If you are late for an appointment, your treatment time may be reduced in order to ensure that other clients are not disadvantaged.

Uniting AgeWell will endeavour to assist clients to access suitable transport that is responsive to clients’ needs to ensure equitable access to the centre-based programs.

Please discuss the transport options available with the Program Coordinator at your orientation

Morning tea and lunch will be provided for clients attending our day activities, unless advised otherwise.  Dietary requirements or preferences should be discussed with the Program Coordinator.

Family members and friends may bring food to share, including birthday cakes, providing they meet the requirements of our Food Safety Plan.  

Clients are welcome to invite friends and/or family to participate in various social events within the Social Support group, such as special occasions and parties. Please notify the Program Coordinator if you wish to bring a friend or family member to the Social Support group, as consent is required.

Uniting AgeWell is an organisation of the Uniting Church in Australia. The AgeWell philosophy is built on the recognition that people want to grow old in their own community. To be as independent as possible and have purpose. And to be valued and make a contribution.

AgeWell recognises the different stages of the ageing process. These are reflected in the services you may choose to support your goals, while offering service continuity and peace of mind as your needs change.

Our aim is to support everyone on their individual ageing journey through choice, autonomy, flexibility and community.

The Uniting AgeWell Service Model has six elements: Connect, Being, Assist, Restore, Care and Palliate.

Approval for access to residential care is required before anyone can be considered for a place at Uniting AgeWell.

The Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS) in Victoria, and Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) in Tasmania, determine a person’s eligibility for aged care services. All residents must have a Comprehensive Assessment prior to admission to a Uniting AgeWell home. To organise an assessment contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au

Uniting AgeWell aims to provide you with the highest possible quality of care, regardless of your financial circumstances. The Australian Government determines what you may be asked to contribute towards your care and accommodation and is based on your income, assets and ability to pay. These fees and charges fall into three categories:

• Basic daily fee: Residents will pay a daily fee that is set by the Australian Government. This fee goes towards your day-to-day living costs such as meals, cleaning and laundry, heating and cooling. The maximum basic daily fee is 85 per cent of the single person rate of the basic Age Pension and is adjusted every six months in line with pension increases.
• Means-tested care fee: This fee is an additional contribution towards the cost of care that some people may be required to pay. The Australian Government will work out if you are required to pay this fee based on an assessment of your assets and income, and will advise you of the amount.
• Accommodation payment: This fee is for your accommodation in the home. Some residents will have their accommodation costs met in full or in part by the Australian Government, while others will need to pay the Accommodation Payment set for the rooms within Uniting AgeWell. You have the ability to choose how you would like to make this payment.
• LiveWell Advantage Daily Fee: Many aged care providers offer additional services that go beyond the minimum care and service requirements. These services are not subsidised by the Australian Government. Uniting AgeWell offers the LiveWell Advantage package of additional services at some of its facilities and charges an additional daily fee. LiveWell Advantage offers residents a premium experience through a wider selection of services and lifestyle options, including superior in-room, dining, wellbeing, social and personal services.

You can use the Residential Care Fee Estimator on the My Aged Care website to help you estimate what costs you may be asked to pay. For more information visit: myagedcare.gov.au

A resident entering aged care will need to choose how to pay for their cost of accommodation either via a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) or Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) or combination of both.

The DAP is calculated from the RAD amount at a government prescribed interest rate (MPIR). A resident can elect to pay a combination of RAD and DAP to suit their financial circumstances.

Uniting AgeWell’s Admissions Team is happy to explain the different options for Accommodation Payments or you can seek independent financial advice.

Aged care providers are required to provide places for residents who have limited financial means. Depending on your level of assets and income, part or all of your accommodation costs may be met by the Government.

To see if you are able to receive the accommodation supplement, you can complete an income and assets test through Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

As with any move into a new residence, and to ensure your legal security, a comprehensive Residential Agreement between you and Uniting AgeWell will be part of this process. Once this has been signed by all parties, you are able to move in to your new home.

Our wonderful team of qualified registered nurses and carers are carefully selected and screened and are committed to providing the high quality care you would expect from Uniting AgeWell. They have expertise and qualifications in many areas, including dementia support and palliative care. They are complemented by vibrant lifestyle staff, dedicated food services staff and domestic and environmental services staff.

At Uniting AgeWell we have an ageing-in-place approach to care. Ageing-in-place allows our residents to enter care and then remain in their new home as their care needs change.

Uniting AgeWell provides dignified end of life care in the setting you want, honouring the spirit within. Our palliative care staff are highly trained and work around the clock to ensure each person’s end of life experience is as close to their wishes and preferences as possible.

We strongly encourage visits from family and friends. There are no restrictions on visiting hours, we just ask that visitors are considerate of others. Please see our Code of Conduct.
Well behaved/leashed pets are also welcome to visit.

You are entitled to 52 days of Social Leave each year without the loss of your place at Uniting AgeWell. Accommodation fees and charges will continue to apply on these days.

All our rooms are furnished with a bed and wardrobe, although many residences offer fully furnished rooms with televisions, bedside tables and lounge chairs. Residents are encouraged to bring with them personal items such as paintings, books, framed family photos or special mementoes. Personal items should not be so large as to obstruct the use of lifting machines and cleaning equipment. All electrical items, including radios, shavers etc, must undergo electrical testing and tagging prior to, or at the time of, admission.

Every effort is made to accommodate individual likes and dislikes, specialised dietary needs and menu variety. A consulting dietician assists us in this task. Personal preferences are recorded on admission and meals are prepared with this in mind. Our DineWell service brings the restaurant experience to life for our residents, with nutritious meals freshly cooked on-site by our chefs and served on formally set tables.

Respite care is available at some of our residences for those who have been assessed for respite care. Respite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home.

Respite is a good way for a person to spend some time in residential accommodation to see what it is like for a short period. Many find the experience very positive and beneficial. It may help them decide whether residential care is appropriate for them or not.

The financial implications of aged care are complex. If you have queries regarding your specific financial situation, you may choose to seek independent financial advice. If you have queries regarding our room pricing, payment options or general questions about the costs of aged care, please contact the Admissions Team on 1300 783 435.