In residential care, low care is suitable for people who need some assistance with daily living activities.
High Care
For those people who are less able to undertake daily living activities or require palliative care, a high care placement may be suitable.
How to do I get into care?
If you are having difficulty managing day-to-day tasks, even with the support from community services, it is the time to speak to your General Practitioner (GP). They are in the best position to help you address any changes in your health and independence.
After consulting your GP, your needs must be assessed and you must be approved for placement by the Adelaide Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). This ACAT assessment will determine whether you require high level (formerly 'nursing home') or low level (formerly 'hostel') care. Contact with the ACAT team can be made directly by you, a family member or your GP. You must supply us with a clear photocopy of the full ACAT assessment as part of the application.
The next step is to complete and supply an application. We will accept the government (5 Steps) application or you may use one of our own forms which you can download using the link to the right of the screen. Alternatively, contact the ECH Referral Officer on 08 8407 5151 and request an admission package to be sent directly to you.
Finally you must supply us with an Assets Assessment that is undertaken by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (whichever is applicable). The Request for an Assets Assessment should be given to you by the ACAT Assessor at the time of their assessment. Altermatively, it can be ordered from the Aged Care Information Line telephone 1800 500 853.
Respite Care
Respite care is provided for various reasons, including:
post operative convalescence
pre admission assessment
carer respite
Respite can be for either high or low level care (depending on the facility), and we have a policy of booking for a minimum of three weeks.
Approval for admission to a residential care centre as a respite client is provided on a 12 month basis, and must be renewed every 12 months to remain valid. Clients are entitled to have 63 days respite per financial year, however, unused respite days do not carry over into a new financial year.
ECH respite is popular, and booking well ahead is advisable. For respite bookings in any of ECH’s residential care centres, contact the ECH Referral Officer on 08 8407 5151.
What happens if I cancel my respite prior to the date?
Respite can be cancelled providing you allow more than 14 days before the date of admission. If less than 14 days notice is given, you may be liable to pay for a portion of the time of your respite period, unless:
you were admitted to hospital prior to the date of respite
you were admitted to a government subsidised residential care facility on a permanent basis
death occurred prior to the respite period
Permanent Care
What happens when a permanent bed is offered?
All applications are considered on a priority basis rather than on the length of time you have spent on the registration list. Also, all applications are accepted in good faith that you want to move into care from the moment of application.
When you are offered a place in residential care, you will have very little time to decide whether or not you will accept the placement, although you will have up to seven days before you need to move into the residential care centre.
You are entitled to decline any offer for care, however you may not be considered to be a priority applicant following the decline of an offer.
