Home Care Packages now part of a retirement village's value proposition: DCMI Masterclass

DCM Institute's latest Home Care and Retirement Living Masterclass has heard how the care landscape is continually evolving for Village Managers and head office staff. 

Kylie Johnson, Home Care Operations Manager at Living Choice, and Bev Smith, Executive General Manager - Self Managed Division, myHomecare Group, told the Masterclass that retirement living operators now ensure residents can access Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Services (CHSP). 

The decision on which provider a resident can use is their own choice but an increasing number of retirement living operators are providing their own home care operations. 

Kylie told the Masterclass that Living Choice tends to see residents who have Level 3 and Level 4 Home Care Packages.  

"I think our Level 4s are becoming more and more complex as we try and maintain people to remain living independently at home and out of residential aged care,” she said. 

Bev said when home care providers and retirement living operators work together, it provides a better outcome for residents, from a health perspective and better commercial outcomes.  

"When home care is delivered to a large number of residents in the village, you've got the benefits of reduced travel time, which is great for those residents and also for the provider,” she said.  

"Equally, from a retirement living perspective, the symbiosis that flows when retirement village operators offer the service as part of their model, whether they partner it in or deliver it directly themselves when it's offered. As part of that proposition right from the get-go, there's actually higher demand for those villages."  

Bev and Kylie both said it was vitally important for a Village Manager to prepare a resident for the eventuality of requiring a Home Care Package.  

"I try to encourage the village managers to have those conversations with residents. It's not about you failing as a resident, it's not about you failing at all. It's about being prepared as the resident ages and to allow care services to support you as you age,” Bev said. Bev said it would be ideal when somebody moves into the village, to start the conversations about home care. "Just getting that paperwork, getting that process started because it does take such a long time. What you're eligible for will wash out in the fullness of time once you have assessment,” she said. Find out more about the DCM Institute and how its management training program can empower village managers. Click here.