Thursday 4 August, Sydney: The difficult and often costly decisions faced by families when it comes to elderly care have been made easier with the launch of a new service in Sydney.

Set up by experts in elderly care, National Care Management helps families by coordinating in-home services for elderly and chronically ill relatives. The unique service provides independent advice so the elderly can stay in their home for longer, giving them greater independence and improved quality of life.

Up to 70% of elderly Australians wish to spend their last years in their own home but only 14% come to realise this wish.¹ Care management, in concert with active medical involvement, can help the elderly stay well and independent in their home for longer and has been shown to reduce the likelihood of admission to hospital by up to 75%.²

Dr Peter Hanley, Managing Director of National Care Management, says that by supporting only a small number of clients (20 or less) at a time, their Care Managers have the time to be more deeply involved and available for clients.  This allows them to share the load of care with family carers, and make sure the important things are attended to, leading to better health and quality of life outcomes.

“Navigating the complex health and aged care system can be stressful and costly for those wanting the best for their elderly relatives. We are here for those wanting more personalised guidance and advice that will give people peace of mind that the right decisions are being made,” said Dr Hanley.

According to geriatrician Associate Professor Tuly Rosenfeld, managing the needs of elderly relatives can impact the health of their adult children. “It is very common to see sons and daughters of elderly patients taking on an immense load as a result of their caring responsibilities, which can put their own health at risk. It is important for family carers to draw on available support for the benefit of their own health and the wellbeing of their older relative,” said Associate Professor Tuly Rosenfeld.

The launch of this new service comes at a time when Australia’s ageing population is increasing the pressure on our health and aged care system. There are currently only 80,000 government-funded Home Care Packages and 207,000 subsidised residential care places. Both are inadequate to meet the demand of around 3.7 million Australians aged 65+ years – a figure that is expected to increase dramatically in the years ahead.  The number of Australians aged 65 and over is expected to reach over 5 million by 2026 and 6.3 million by 2036.

National Care Management offers older people a highly experienced consultant who works with them and their families and doctors to prioritise care goals and develop a customised solution to manage their individual health and support needs. Care Managers identify the best quality service providers, and co-ordinate these services to deliver the best care in the home.

Geriatrician Associate Professor Tuly Rosenfeld said: “There are a number of physical and psychological benefits in allowing elderly patients to stay in their home for longer. A greater sense of independence in familiar surroundings has been shown to improve longevity and quality of life.”