Care Finder program - Murray PHN

The Care Finder program provides eligible older people who don’t have family or trusted carers with free, localised, face-to-face support to help them navigate the aged care system, engage with services and stay connected.

Murray PHN funds seven local organisations to deliver Care Finder Services:

Organisation	Contact details
Gateway Health	Phone: 1800 657 573 Email: carefinder@gatewayhealth.org.au
Mansfield District Hospital	Phone: 03 5775 8800 Email: mdhpccintake@mdh.org.au
Mount Alexander Shire Council	Phone: 03 5471 1766 Email: intakeassessment@mountalexander.vic.gov.au
NCN Health	Phone: 03 5871 0944 Email: NCNIntake@ncnhealth.org.au
Omnia Community Health	Phone: 03 5421 1666 Email: admin@scchc.org.au
The Salvation Army	Phone: 03 5735 8400 Email: carefinders.nv@salvationarmy.org.au
Wintringham	Phone: 03 9034 4824 Email: intake@wintringham.org.au

Care Finder flyers:

For health professionals
For clients/patients, including in translated languages:
- Italian
- Punjabi
- Karen
- Arabic
- Swahili
- Vietnamese
- Chinese Simplified
- Malay
- Nepali
- Hazaragi.

Care Finders work with My Aged Care. They give free, face-to-face help to older people who need support to access aged care services.

A Care Finder meets the person, usually in their home or another place they choose. They listen, ask questions, and help the person take the next steps to get the support they need.

Care Finders are trained workers who understand aged care services and local community supports.
Care Finders can help by:
- talking to My Aged Care for the person, if needed
- going with them to their aged care assessment
- helping choose and contact aged care services
- helping fill in forms and understand service agreements
- checking in after services start to make sure things are going well
- helping connect to other local support, such as health care, housing, mental health services, and community groups
Care Finders are not advocates, but they can help sort out simple problems with services they have helped the person access.
People may be able to get help from a Care Finder if they:
- need help with one or more everyday tasks
- are:
  - 65 years or older, or
  - 50 years or older if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or
  - 50 years or older (45+ for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) on a low income
  - homeless or at risk of homelessness
  - assessed by the Care Finder service as frail or ageing earlier than expected
- find it hard to use My Aged Care or to get the aged care or community supports they need without extra help.
Reasons may include:
- Do not have a support person
- communication barriers, such as limited English language or literacy skills
- find it hard to understand information to make decisions
- have found it difficult to engage with aged care services
- mistrust of government and institutions
People do not need a referral to use Care Finder services.

People who need support — or their family member, carer, or representative (with permission) — are encouraged to call a local Care Finder organisation. This helps staff check whether the service is right for a person.

Care Finders also work in the community to reach out to people who may need extra help but are not yet connected to services.
The following services are available to assist older adults who need aged care or other community supports:
- My Aged Care to discuss needs and arrange an assessment:
  - Call 1800 200 244 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 10am-4pm Saturday
  - visit myagedcare.gov.au
  - Visit any of the 70 Services Australia centre for face-to-face help, Services Australia website or call 1800 227 475 8am-5pm Monday to Friday for their locations
- My Aged Care – Support for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation – Trusted Indigenous Facilitators
- Help from a care finder: My Aged Care
- Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) or phone 1800 700 600 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 10am-4pm Saturday
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission or call 1800 951 822
- My Aged Care – services for GPs and health professionals
- Carer Gateway or call 1800 422 737 8am-5pm Monday to Friday
- Dementia Australia or call 1800 100 500, 24 hours a day/seven days a week
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or call 1800 800 110
- Disability Gateway or call 1800 643 787
- Ability First Systems Coordinator or call 1800 771 663
- Visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website
- For queries relating to Murray PHN’s Care Finder program, email: carefinders@murrayphn.org.au