care finder – person-centred care

care finder – person-centred care

With the NSW Senior’s Festival kicking off earlier this month, we went behind the scenes with Renae from the care finder team to get an insight into exactly what care finders do for older Australians.

We know that care finder exists because the aged care system can be complex and difficult for older people to navigate and access the services they need. Care finders support vulnerable older people who wouldn’t be able to arrange services without intensive support, and don’t have a family member, friend, or person they trust, to help.

Digging deeper, we found that this description barely scratches the surface of just how impactful and vital this program is – including the care finders who are the embodiment of its name.

Renae from Griffith – not all superheroes wear capes

Renae, a care finder from Griffith NSW, joined the Marathon Health care finder team in late 2023. For Renae, the move into the care finder team was organic. Having worked previously in healthcare and housing supports, she found herself naturally drawn to older community members, so when the job opportunity arose, it was too good to pass up.

Renae looks after an area spanning up to 90 mins drive in every direction, usually with more than 30 individuals she is actively supporting. The help and service Renae provides does not stop with supporting individuals to access My Aged Care – Renae considers client complexities, needs and preferences across all aspects of their daily lives.

This means it’s not just about health – some clients may be at risk of homelessness due to the cost-of-living crisis, or simply through a lack of capacity or ability to maintain their home to an adequate standard, and some may be stuck in a bad living situation or in financial distress. That’s where Renae comes in – through service navigation linking individuals to appropriate supports to meet their needs.

“Some of these people have no one else – they don’t have family available to help, they don’t have friends – with care finder they are being heard, and they are being seen,” Renae said.

“I love being part of their journey, being able to assist them”.

Day-to-day, Renae often finds herself acting as an intermediary. After completing an initial home visit with a client, it might become evident that there is an added layer of complexity to a person’s care – “We see the community space, the aged care and health spaces – and we spend a lot of time linking them all together to provide a holistic approach to coordinating the care that an individual needs”.

No two days are the same

There is no such thing as a typical day for Renae – she juggles home visits, over-the-phone support and sometimes so many emails and phone messages it can be tricky to know where to start!

However, Renae reflects that one day in particular was easy to find clarity on where to start – with a call to the SES for a client whose roof had lifted off following a massive storm overnight – a client who Renae continues to help by linking them with housing supports.

The impact the care finder team is having is inspiring – they are providing vital support to older Australians, linking them with appropriate services and care to ensure they can access the healthcare support they need, closer to home.