Arranging home care can be an emotionally complex experience for the people who need it. The loss of independence can hurt their pride even when they know they need the help. The situation is not improved when somebody else, such as an agency, makes all the care decisions for them. Perhaps that is why self-managed care packages have recently grown in popularity. Here is everything you need to know to decide if they are right for you.
What is Self-Managed Care?
Self managed home care packages put the recipients of care services in charge of key decisions like the type of care they will receive, who will provide it, and when. Most care is funded or subsidised by government programs, and the traditional model has been for the state to pass the funding onto agencies who make those decisions on behalf of the recipients. With self-managed care, they are in charge of how the funding is spent.
While this model offers recipients more flexibility, it also makes them responsible for budgeting, record-keeping, and other administrative tasks.
Who Can Benefit?
Those who are well-suited to self-managed care are generally proactive people who have experience with budgeting and coordinating services, and who have access to basic administrative tools such as a computer. Often, the people who choose self-managed care are retired professionals and carers, and sometimes people with uncommon cultural or language needs. However, individuals without the administrative skills to manage their own care can delegate those tasks to their family and still make their own care decisions.
What are the Benefits?
There are four main benefits to self-managed home care: flexibility, cost-effectiveness, personalisation, and empowerment. Choosing to self-manage gives recipients the freedom to work with providers that they trust and like, and to schedule home care visits at convenient times for their lifestyle. Self-managing also usually ends up cheaper because you are not paying a provider to do the administration, although some recipients will spend this money on more hours of support or a higher quality service.
Another big benefit is personalisation, because you can choose care that suits your cultural preferences and specific needs. In some cases, people self-managing their care have been able to hire their own family members. Lastly, empowerment should not be overlooked as a benefit. Managing their own care can help restore a sense of independence and agency in those who can no longer function without assistance.
Types of Care Covered
Many common types of home care can be self-managed. These include personal care such as bathing and grooming, domestic assistance such as meal preparation, and transportation to appointments and events. However, the funding body will usually set some guidelines about what kinds of care they will cover.
Conclusion
For people with the right attitude and skills, self-managed care can be an empowering and much more enjoyable way to access the care they need. But with the added workload, it is not a decision to be taken lightly. Make sure you or the intended care recipient do thorough research before deciding.
