Key takeaways

  • Brightwater, a not-for-profit organization, offers government-funded home care services to assist older Australians in staying at home.
  • GPs can help patients access these services by contacting My Aged Care, assessing eligibility for funding, and arranging services.
  • Services include nursing, cleaning, gardening, and allied health services.

How GPs can help seniors access government funded home care

7 min read
Health professional having a discussion with a client.

With many seniors around Perth choosing to live in their home as long as possible, a common question asked by patients to their GP is “How can I get help at home?”

At Brightwater, we are passionate about assisting older Australians to stay in their own home, with the support they need.

If you are a GP, we have prepared a simple guide for how you can help your patients access government funded home care.

How to organise home care for your patients

  1. Contact My Aged Care

There are two options – you as the GP or nurse can contact My Aged Care, or the patient can contact them.

GP or Nurse: To refer your patient, go to the My Aged Care website and fill in a referral online, OR call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

Patient: The patient can go to the My Aged Care website and fill in the application online OR they can call our Brightwater team on 1300 223 968, and we can guide them through the application process.

  1. Assessment by My Aged Care

My Aged Care will assess the patient to determine their eligibility for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) or Home Care Package (HCP) funding.

Patients can also choose to pay for their services privately, if they are ineligible for funding.

What services are available?

We provide a wide range of services for seniors at home – whether it be nursing to manage a wound, a cleaner or gardener to take care of the home, or allied health services like physios and occupational therapists who visit your patients at home. Our services are centred on the patient, and include:

Help to keep your patients’ home liveable

  • Cleaning, laundry and other chores
  • Home or garden maintenance
  • Aids to stay independent
  • Change to your patients' home

Help to keep your patients’ well

  • Podiatry, physio and other therapies
  • Reflexology
  • Meals and food preparation
  • Nursing
  • Bathing, hygiene and grooming
  • Pet support
  • Help with dementia
  • Help with continence

Help for your patients’ to get out and about and stay social

  • Social outings, groups and visitors
  • Transport and taxi vouchers
  • Shopping and errands
Two people waving at the camera.

Why is Brightwater the right provider for your patients?

Holistic approach to health

We have an inhouse team of health professionals, that includes nurses, physios, OTs and more – who work together to ensure your patients receive the best quality care.

Responsibility for research

We are the only WA home care provider with a dedicated Research Centre – a hub of discovery and innovation, collaborating with national and international universities to find innovative solutions to improve the quality of lives of our clients. Specifically, our Research Centre focuses on brain health, ageing well, independence, dementia care and nutrition.

Dementia specialists

Our Research Centre undertakes important studies that enable better support and an improved quality of life for people living with dementia. Testament to our expertise, we were selected by the Federal Government in 2018 to run the Australian pilot Specialist Dementia Care Unit, accommodating clients who would otherwise require care in a hospital setting and our learning will influence the whole industry in the coming years.

Not-for-profit since 1901

For over 120 years, we’ve been there for West Australians from all walks of life. With humble beginnings in Subiaco, today we provide services all across Perth.

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