NICK BRUINING: Moving Mum or Dad into an aged care facility? Here’s where to start and what you need to know

It’s a conversation that often begins in a hospital car park. Mum’s had a fall and the official word is: “I’m sorry, she can’t go home.”

The time has come for residential aged care. It’s traumatic for all involved and dealing with a completely new and extraordinarily complicated system is stressful for most.

A large variety of aged care places to choose from, accommodation fees, daily care fees, Centrelink, do we sell the house or not? It can easily spiral out of control, and it should come as no surprise that there’s an industry that’s seeing explosive growth — aged care advice.

Specialist independent aged care placement expert Lettie Ennis said there were several hundred aged care facilities spread across the Perth metropolitan area alone.

“From old to new, modest to expensive resort-like places, it’s daunting trying to match what they offer with your loved one’s needs,” Ms Ennis said.

Big organisations have leapt into the space with delight, offering a one-stop service that promises placement assistance, right through to financial advice on funding the costs through to comprehensive financial planning services.

While the financial aspects will become a factor, using organisations that offer a complete one-stop service might not produce the best outcome.

In many cases, the real prize is managing the finances. Charging a fee for placement services is nothing compared to the tens of thousands collected via percentage-based fees that come from investing the proceeds of a house sale from an sought-after location, generally close to the city.

Ms Ennis said there are some simple steps you can take.

“You need to remember that, above all, it’s going to be their new home. Flash facilities aren’t a replacement for the dignity, kindness and genuine care everyone deserves,” she said.

“Luckily, some places in Perth offer both.”

Step one might be to gain an understanding of the financial issues.

A great starting point is myagedcare.gov.au to give you a general overview of the system, along with some handy calculators to give you an approximate idea of fees and costs.

That could then extend to meeting with an aged care specialist officer — a free service offered by Services Australia through selected major Centrelink offices. These officers can give you the critical information with your specific finances taken into account, but they can’t provide financial advice. You must book an appoint before attending.

Specialist aged care financial planners are also an option, but ideally you’ll be chasing someone that will give you the specific advice you need — without strings attached.

That would see you charged a flat fee of no more than a few hundred dollars for the service.

Completely separate to this could be a discussion about managing the finances, but that can take place at a later time and after you’ve sorted things out.

Once armed with the financial options, it’s time to start looking for a place.

While the myagedcare.gov.au site lists every facility, services provided, costs and what, if any, complaints have been received, it’s not enough to make a choice.

“You’ll need to contact the places on a shortlist you’ve made to see if they have a place and then physically visit a few to get a feel for the property,” Ms Ennis said.

“Look to see how the staff and residents interact with each other. Are the residents comfortable, happy and dressed and presented in a way that shows there’s real and genuine care being delivered?”

Most placement experts will be in regular contact with facilities, being made aware of who has what type of accommodation available. Many facilities will email placement experts when places are, or becoming, available.

A placement expert has the advantage of visiting a large number of facilities on a regular basis and being able to apply that experience to an individual’s needs.

“You’re looking at aligning the needs of your loved one with the services and facilities they offer,” Ms Ennis said.

Next, the convenience of the location should be considered.

“A gym and a spa does not replace a visit from a loved one. If the aged care home is too far out of the way, it makes it difficult for busy family members to pop in spontaneously during a busy week,” she said.

The professional placement is a process that’s likely to involve a number of meetings over several days.

While there’s no fee schedule set by any association, expect to pay anywhere between $3000 and $6000 for the full service.

Nick Bruining is an independent financial adviser and a member of the Certified Independent Financial Advisers Association