Who can use the care finder service?
To receive care finder support, a person must:
- have no carer or support person who can help them, or
- not have a carer or support person they feel comfortable or trust to support them, and
- be eligible for government-funded aged care.
In addition, they should have one or more of these reasons for needing intensive support:
- have difficulty communicating because of language or literacy problems.
- find it difficult to understand information and make decisions.
- be reluctant to engage with aged care or government.
- be in an unsafe situation if they do not receive services.
The eligibility criteria are flexible, and help is not means tested. The program is mainly to help care recipients but, with permission, care finders can also work with carers or representatives.
Specific examples of who might be eligible to receive support from a care finder are:
- People who are uncomfortable with government due to past discrimination or trauma
- LGBTQIA+ community
- Forgotten Australians
- Care Leavers
- Refugees or migrants from conflict zones
- People with language barriers and no support
- People with cognitive impairments and no support
- People at risk of homelessness
- People at risk of elder abuse
- Veterans
- People struggling with dependence on alcohol and other drugs
- People living with mental illness
How is this different to other services?
While My Aged Care is the single-entry point for aged care services, the community have asked for more localised and face-to-face support. This is why the care finder program exists. Care finders work locally, face to face in community, with people who are struggling to engage with services.
The care finder network aims to integrate into the local aged care system, and enhance links between the health, aged care, and other systems at a local level.
The care finder program forms part of a significant investment in aged care reform in response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission and is one of the first aged care programs to be delivered through Primary Health Networks (PHNs).
