Need support at home - use the CHECKLIST

Letting someone into your home to support you can feel daunting. Use this list to help navigate the process. 

BEING PREPARED

• Have you thought about what’s going to make life easier? Do you need help with housework, your personal care or something else?
• What support can your friends and family give?
• Will you have to pay for the services yourself or will they be subsidised? Eligibility to funded services is via an assessment.

PRACTICAL THINGS

• Do you check IDs before you let unknown people into your home?
• Are you careful about your financial practices? Never give your bank card and PIN, or a blank, signed cheque to anyone.
• If you are partially or fully paying for the service, do you have a clear indication of the fees? Check whether GST has been included. What is the billing process?
• Are there minimum charges?
• If you live rurally or remotely, will you be charged for travel?
• Can the agency deliver culturally appropriate care, if required?

YOUR SUPPORT WORKER

• Do you have a choice about who will provide your service?
• Are you comfortable with the person who has been assigned to you?
• Will you have the same support worker coming to you, or will this person change? How important is this to you?
• Will you have to do some things for yourself or with assistance from your support worker? It’s a good idea to do as much for yourself as you can.

YOUR SUPPORT OR CARE PLAN

• Has the agency worked with you to establish a clear support or care plan? This plan gives you and those working with you a common understanding of what’s needed to achieve your goals.
• Do you understand and agree with it? You should have input.
• Does this plan make it clear if you need to pay for anything?
• Do you know what will happen if your health needs change?

PROBLEMS

• Do you have information about who to call if you have questions or complaints about the service?
• If you wish to stop the service or change the agency, have you been given details about how to do this?

Find more information on Eldernet - New Zealand’s most trusted provider of information for older people and their whānau.