When it comes to navigating the permanent residential aged care system, processes and options, many people just need a helping hand. That’s where InteCare NQ’s Helen Turner comes in, to guide you through and ease your transition.

Moving a loved one into aged care can be an overwhelming experience. There’s choosing which aged care home will best suit them, as well as all the paperwork involved in assessments or applications, and of course helping to ease their worries during what can be a major transition. Recognising this overwhelm, Townsville local Helen Turner this year launched her aged care placement consultancy, InteCare NQ.

“The aged care placement system is quite confusing for many people, particularly someone who’s elderly, frail or suffering from dementia or a chronic condition. They don’t know the facilities, the processes, their options or even which questions to ask,” says Helen. “It’s an impossible task for them to understand all of the financial assessments that are involved to get a good outcome.

“I’d come to realise that Townsville residents were engaging placement consultants from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to guide them through the process of transitioning into permanent residential aged care, and I knew if there was a local option with a personalised service it would be well received,” says Helen of designing her business earlier this year.”

Helen operates as a mobile case worker, where she goes to the client’s residence to chat face-to-face, around the kitchen table, often with their family as well. There, she explains the system, and asks questions to understand the client’s situation and needs.

“The decision for families to transition their loved one into permanent aged care can be very stressful, and adding to that is the paperwork and all of the misconceptions you hear about going into a rest home…”

“The decision for families to transition their loved one into permanent aged care can be very stressful, and adding to that is the paperwork and all of the misconceptions you hear about going into a rest home; it’s often too much for families that are already strained from making the decision,” says Helen. “Some families reach this decision because they are in crisis, so they don’t then have the time or energy to deal with the red tape and paperwork and sitting in queues on a phone for hours. I do that for them.

“I complete and submit all documentation required for aged care applications; and provide some move management services, from dealing with property managers when clients vacate rental property, to helping with removals and organising rental cleans.”

Helen’s services can include involvement through the entire process, from initial consultation explaining the system and their options, to touring facilities with families so they know which questions to ask and what to look for, kickstarting your aged care assessment, guiding you through the paperwork required for your income and assets assessment, and follow up visits to ensure the placement is going well.

“It’s not a case of panic and just go into the first home that’s available,” says Helen. “We now have options; there’s a variation and price and standard of facility. It’s up to the individual as to what suits them. It’s a power of consumer choice. And I believe that I’m helping to provide that for them.

“I have been surprised by how many older people in Townsville have been left alone with very little idea of how to transition into that next stage of their life,” shares Helen. “I’ve developed ways to assist them, at whichever stages they need help with, and to suit their budget. If someone only needs me to help them with only, say, their comprehensive assets assessments, I’m available to do that. IF they want someone to guide them through the entire process, I’m available to do that too.”

Currently, Helen offers her service to Townsville, Ayr and Ingham residents. To enlist Helen’s services, request a referral from your healthcare provider, phone Helen at InteCare NQ on 0451 280 532 or visit intecarenq.com.au.