Frequently Asked Questions

Does St Luke's provide Home Care in your area?

St Luke's provides Home Care in the local government areas of Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick and Botany.

How do you apply for Home Care?

First you will need an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) to assess your health and circumstances to confirm your needs. Contact details can be found on the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing website.

How does the assessment work?

One or two members of the Aged Care Assessment Team in your area will visit you and ask you questions to help them work out the degree of care you need. You might want to ask a family member, friend or carer to be present during your assessment. It's also helpful to make a list of your current medications before undergoing your assessment. With your approval, your doctor may tell the assessment team member about your medical history. The assessment team will ask you a number of questions during the interview which are designed to help them work out the best care for you.

What kind of aged care do you need?

The helpful Aged Care Assessment Team will assess all your needs and be able to provide you with any additional information you might need. They will also advise you whether you are eligible for Australian Government subsidised care.

What about your assessment results?

Assessment by the people on your Aged Care Assessment Team is the key to you receiving an Australian Government subsidy for the cost of your aged care. They will discuss with you whether you need community help to continue living at home or if your needs would be better met in an aged care home. If this is the case, they will discuss whether you need low or high level care. At the end of the interview, they will explain your assessment results and either leave a copy of the report with you or post it to you. If you have been assessed by the team as being eligible for Home Care, then you can simply contact St Luke's to make an application and fax us your assessment form on (02) 9380 2703 or mail it to us at St Luke's Home Care, 18 Roslyn St, Potts Point 2011.

Will Home Care be immediately available for you?

We do have a waiting list and the length of time you have to wait can vary. For high care at home (nursing home level) and dementia care, the waiting period is significantly longer due to a limited number of government approved packages.

What does Home Care cost?

The fee for pensioners is set by the Department of Health and Ageing and is indexed to the pension - currently less than $10 per day. Fees for non-pensioners are agreed at the commencement of the service. The fee needs to be paid to St Luke's each month, not directly to the carer. To make things simpler, payment by bank direct debit is arranged.

What about parking?

You will need to make arrangements with your carers so that they are able to park and have access to your home. You may need to make access arrangements with your carer if you live in a restricted unit block, or reimburse them if there is a cost to park during their visit.

Can you take leave from the program without losing entitlement?

Yes, this can be arranged according to program guidelines.

How many hours a day and how many days a week will I have help?

You will be assessed by St Luke's trained staff and the number of hours of help will depend on your needs. If your needs change over time, the carer's hours and/or the services we provide may need to be adjusted in accordance with program guidelines.

Do you choose the days and times that the carer comes to your home?

We will do everything we can to fit in with what is convenient for you but obviously we have to take into account the carer's availability also.

Who are St Luke's carers?

We have a wide range of male and female carers of varying ages and will do our best to accommodate any preferences you may have. Our carers are appropriately trained and also receive ongoing education and a security check is undertaken prior to employment. You will also have regular contact with your Case Manager and we can arrange family conferences if ever they are required.

What sort of help can you expect?

For those needing low level care, St Luke's can provide help with personal care such as showering and dressing, driving to medical appointments, shopping and monitoring medications. For those needing more complex care, we provide individually designed programs to suit your specific needs. Our service is for personal care only so we do not provide cleaning or pet care. While our carers don't do gardening, such as mowing lawns or weeding the garden, they can assist with tasks such as watering pot plants or sweeping the balcony or pathway.

What respite is available for carers?

At St Luke's we offer Respite Programs for those who are caring for someone who has been diagnosed with dementia. We may be able to provide some hours of Home Care to provide the carer with respite. We also run an activity period at St Luke's for the person with dementia to give the carer a break from the emotional strain of caring.

If you have more questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.

More Information

St Luke's Home Care Brochure