If you are waiting for funding or have just been granted your funds, it is important to have a few select providers you wish to interview as your provider. The most important thing to remember is that you are in control. You should ask all the questions you want to ask, feel comfortable with the person you have met and are happy with the services they offer. You should never feel pressured to sign up on the spot with a provider, you are entitled to take time to think about it. It’s not a decision you should rush, so, where do you start?
Where to Find Providers
There are a number of places that you can find providers, it can be both online and in person. We have listed are some of the most accessible and direct ways to find providers that can suit you.
My Aged Care (MAC) website under “Find a Provider” https://www.myagedcare.gov.au
They should all have their up to date price lists on there but be wary, some may not have updated their prices and this can be misleading.
Aged Care Guide Website https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/home-care/perth-wa?page=1
Aged Care Guide WA and Aged Care Navigator WA are both excellent sources of information with hard copies available at libraries, medical centres and Seniors expos or you’ll find them online at https://issuu.com/dpspublishing/docs/acg-wa-edition-24-complete-links and https://issuu.com/dpspublishing/docs/acg-wa-navigator-2025-links
Friends and Family may be able to recommend a Provider.
Have a Go News and Seniors Newspapers: Care Providers advertise in these papers with their contact details and sometimes editorials.
Seniors Expos are free events and you will find a large number of Care Providers have stands at these events. It is a great opportunity for a face-to-face chat for a first impression or to collect some brochures.
- Ageing Well Expo held each year either in July or August at the Exhibition Centre. https://www.ageingwellexpo.com.au/
- Have a Go Day which takes place in November each year at Burswood https://burswoodpark.wa.gov.au/whats-on/have-a-go-day/
Selecting Your Provider
This will happen in two stages. The first is the interview and what to expect. The second is actually signing up with a provider.
Stage 1
Make a shortlist of 2-3 providers you wish to interview and let them know your funding situation. You should then ask for someone to come to your home and meet you for a face-to-face interview. It would be a good idea to have a support person with you during the interview to take notes that you can discuss later.
At the interview you should expect them to be empathetic, respectful and kind, include both you and your support person in the discussions and listen and respond to what you say. You are interviewing them, not they you and you have a right to clear answers to all your questions. You need to feel they are approachable and, on your side, so that you can build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect.
They should not be intimidating or dismissive and should take on board what you are saying. It’s ok to tell them after this interview that you would like to think about what they have said and will get back to them as soon as you can. You should not feel pressured into signing up there and then unless you are 100% certain this is the provider for you.
Stage 2
After the first interviews you can make a choice of who you would like to have as your Care Provider, based on how much care you will receive, what they are offering and how comfortable you felt with the Care Manager who visited. Then you should contact your preferred provider, ask them if they can come back to your home so you can sign the contract with them.
Getting to know your Provider
It will take a little while to get to know each other and during this time you should be able to discuss any problems you are having without feeling a nuisance or intimidated.
If, however, despite trying to resolve any issues, you still feel you aren’t being heard, the funding belongs to you, and you can transfer it to another provider. At this point you would begin the selection process again, telling the new Care Provider interviewees that you are considering transferring.
When you have selected another provider, they should then be able to help with the transfer for you as it can sometimes be confronting having to deal with the ‘Ex-Provider’.