Making Lives Better Million: WA’s vulnerable aged population given relief with $1m in free at-home care

WA’s aged-care population who are going without basic essentials like a daily shower because they cannot afford support may be eligible for free in-home care to combat a growing crisis.

Home care provider Nurse Next Door is providing $1 million of free care to vulnerable Aussies who have fallen through the cracks thanks to the Making Lives Better Million.

As hospital ramping gets worse and more older Australians struggle to receive government support, the short-term solution aims to help those who have been given the short end of the stick.

Nurse Next Door Perth’s South East managing director Keir Williams said that it is often a sudden shift for older Aussies who need support and many cannot access it right away.

“There’s a massive gap in the market, and a lot of those vulnerable clients are going without things like a shower, meal preparation, personal care or medication management,” she said.

“There’s many aged-care participants in our community that are perfectly safe, well and healthy, and able to do all these things in their home, until they’re not.

“That’s where the system fails that population.”

The Making Lives Better Million will provide the support of caregivers and nurses to older Australians struggling to cope at home.

As many wait for government-funded care to be approved when they can not pay for private support.

“There are people going without basic essential needs like a shower or a meal, all because they haven’t got the funding or they haven’t got the personal financial resources to be able to pay for it,” Ms Williams said.

“Short-term funding to help bridge the gap while they’re waiting for either the government funding to come through, or a place in a residential facility.”

Locals in need who live within an area serviced by Nurse Next Door can apply today.