Aged care and support services
About
For all information on Ageing Well, visit our Ageing Well page
This page has information about aged care services available to Cardinia Shire residents, and how to get started.
Please note: Cardinia Shire Council does not provide any direct aged care service to residents.
Where to start
My Aged Care
For people aged 65 years and over (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders): My Aged Care is your starting point to access government-funded aged care services. This includes whether you have low or higher needs.
To get started with My Aged Care
- Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or
- visit the My Aged Care website
and ask to arrange an assessment.
Ask for an interpreting service if you need one.
What to expect
The first step will be to find out if you are eligible for subsidised aged care. There is a simple online form to assess your eligibility through the “My Aged Care” website. It will take you through each step to see if you qualify for a first assessment.
Open the My Aged Care Assessment Eligibility Checker
There are different levels of support available with My Aged Care, which will depend on your needs.
Help provided by My Aged Care
Help at home
Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)
- Access to entry level support services to live independently and safely at home.
- People aged 65 years or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people), or
- 50 years or older (45 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) who are on a low income and homeless, or at risk of being homeless.
Home Care Packages (HCP) program
- For more complex care needs for people living at home.
- Depending on your care needs, an assessment (organised through My Aged Care) will determine what program is suitable for you.
Short-term help
There are three types of short-term care.
- Short-term restorative care - designed to help reverse or slow the difficulties with everyday tasks.
- Transition care - helps when recovering after a hospital stay.
- Respite care - supports with giving a break for a short period of time.
More info: Short-term care | My Aged Care
Care in an aged care home
- Also known as a nursing home or residential aged care facility for older people who can no longer live at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care.
More info: Aged care homes | My Aged Care
My Aged Care Regional Assessment Service - Cardinia
- For local advice and referrals for all home care support & packages for seniors. Contact Mecwacare
Phone: 8573 4960
Care finder: Help to access My Aged Care
Care finders support vulnerable older people who would not be able to arrange aged care services without intensive support and do not have a family member or friends who can help. This service is provided at no cost as they are fully funded by the Australian Government.
We are hosting two free sessions this March on Care finder.
Care finder sessions event page
Call one of the local providers for Cardinia below and ask to speak to someone in their Care Finder team.
Wintringham
Monash Health
Care Connect
- Ph: 1800 940 633
- Email: carefinderenquiries@careconnect.org.au
- Care Connect - In Home Care Packages, Assistance & Services
Get an interpreter to help
If you need an interpreter for any of these services, please call 131 450
Full list of Care Finder organisations
A full list of care finder organisations can be found by visiting the My Aged Care website.
Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP)
The program provides basic support and maintenance services to help people with disabilities remain living at home as independently as possible.
To be eligible, you must be:
- Under 65 years old and have a disability or care for someone with a disability, or
- Aboriginal and under 50 years old and have a disability or care for someone with a disability and
- Not eligible for NDIS.
Services available
- In-home services such as personal care, domestic assistance, and property maintenance.
- Community services include transport, activity groups, food services and respite.
More info:
To enquire / apply: Contact Mecwacare South East Region Service on 5941 5454. Referrals will be sent to the intake team for assessment.
Support services for My Aged Care
View more Aged Care support services at our Cardinia Support website
Mecwacare - Pakenham Office
Offering services for those not eligible for My Aged Care services including:
- domestic support
- community transport
- in-home support
- community programs
- disability support.
For more info: Call 8573 4980, email intake@mecwacare.org.au or visit the Mecwacare website.
Aged Care Specialist Officers
Aged Care Specialist Officers are part of My Aged Care face-to-face and via video chat services. They can help with your aged care matters.
If you need support to make decisions about aged care for yourself or someone you care for, Aged Care Specialist Officers can help. They can:
- provide in-depth information on different types of aged care services
- check if you’re eligible for government-funded services
- refer you for an aged care assessment
- help you appoint a representative for My Aged Care
- provide financial information about aged care services
- connect you to local support services.
Appointments are free and available in person in many Services Australia service centres, or through video chat. Video chat appointments are a great option if you can’t get an in-person appointment near you.
To book an appointment call Services Australia’s Aged Care line on 1800 227 475 or visit a service centre.
Location of Services Australia service centre in Cardinia
Pakenham Service Centre
31 Treloar Lane
Pakenham VIC 3810
Contact
You can find more information about Aged Care Specialist Officers on the Services Australia website.
To apply for an aged care assessment or find out more about accessing aged care services:
- call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
- visit My Aged Care website
Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre
Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre provides:
- multicultural planned activity groups for seniors
- aged access and support workers
- friendly home visiting services
Saturday Centre-Based Respite Program provides weekly, out-of-home respite support to both a carer and the person for whom they care. Program is based in Noble Park between 9.00 am and 3.00 pm. Transport can be arranged. The program is funded by the Federal Government through the Department of Health and can be covered through a Home Care Package.
To be eligible:
- aged 65 or over
- live in Cardinia Shire, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey or the City of Kingston.
More info: call 9767 1900 or visit the Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre website
Wintringham
Access and support for seniors who require help with home care packages and financial disadvantage.
More info: Call 9769 0202 or visit the Wintringham website
Volunteers for visiting people in residential aged care or at home - Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
Volunteers from the community are available to visit people in residential aged care and living in their home. The scheme provides friendship and companionship to support isolated and lonely people who are receiving Australian Government-funded aged care services in an aged care home or through a Home Care Package (HCP).
Volunteers visit at least 20 times per year. They can be:
- one-on-one or group visits to residential aged care homes
- one-on-one visits to people receiving Home Care Packages.
Older people can refer themselves. The scheme also accepts referrals from:
- aged care service providers
- family members
- friends.
Referral form to help match a care recipient to a suitable volunteer visitor
Volunteer social support for older LGBTIQ+ people
Rainbow Connection specialises in providing regular volunteer social support for older LGBTIQ+ people who live in aged care, or receive aged care supports at home.