Q&A Types of Care
What different levels of residential care are available?
What is the difference between a rest home and a dementia rest home?
What home care services are available?
What is residential care?
Residential care is long-term care provided in a rest home or hospital.
It includes these types of care:
- Rest home care
- Hospital care
- Dementia care
- Psychogeriatric care
It does not include independent living in a retirement village.
What different levels of residential care are available?
These levels of residential care are available:
Rest Home
Rest homes provide 24 hour care by trained staff to aged people. People at rest homes can do some daily tasks themselves, but cannot live independently in their own home.
Dementia Units
Dementia units provide care to elderly suffering dementia or other mental illness. Dementia units provide the same services as rest homes in a secure environment and have staff trained in specialist dementia care.
Hospital
Long-stay hospitals provide 24-hour health care for people with high clinical needs. Most residents cannot move without the help of another person, and need assistance to do most daily tasks.
Psychogeriatric Care
Psychogeriatric care is a high level of care for people with a very high level of dementia or challenging behaviours
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What is the difference between a rest home and a dementia rest home?
Dementia rest homes provide specialist dementia care in addition to all services offered by a standard rest home. Dementia rest homes only provide care to elderly suffering dementia or other mental illness. Security is tighter than standard rest homes, and staffing levels are higher to make sure that residents are monitored closely. Staff members are trained in specialist dementia care.
What home care services are available?
A range of home care services are available, including:
- assistance with personal hygiene, such as bathing, showering, oral hygiene and hair washing
- help with dressing, undressing, and grooming
- help with household tasks, such as cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and preparation of food
- nursing care
- medication management
- supervision of people with epilepsy, diabetes, dementia and mental health issues
Click here for more information about home care
What is day care?
Day care is personal care during the day for the elderly by trained care workers. An activities programme of exercise and hobbies is generally included. Rest homes, retirement villages and stand-alone day care facilities offer day care programmes.
My mother’s carer needs a break. Can my mother get government assistance to cover the cost of replacement care? What are her options for replacement care?
Your mother may be able to get a subsidy to help cover the cost of replacement care while her carer takes a break. To apply, the carer needs to arrange an appointment with the assessor. The needs of your parent and their carer will be assessed. The carer will be given a number of days off per year, and can choose when to take them.
Options for replacement care:
- someone to replace the carer at home
- day care
- care in someone else’s home
- short-term residential care, such as a rest home