Moving into residential aged care can be a daunting and stressful time for an older person and their loved ones. At Cultura, we encourage our residents to see a move to residential care as another stage of their journey and hopefully to gain some of their independence back, rather than losing it.
Our residential facilities cater for all levels of care, from independent living units through to palliative care and dementia-specific care. We provide tools and resources that empower our residents to have choices and live as independently as possible, while surrounded by a friendly, welcoming and supportive community.
At Cultura, we understand that everyone’s situation is unique, which is why our residential care is available to suit any financial circumstance. Alongside a mix of fully government funded residential rooms, we offer tailored options to suit your needs. If you would like to explore what is possible, our House Liaison Officers (HLO) are here to help with a free, no-obligation quote and friendly guidance every step of the way. You can reach them on 03 4210 0000 or by email at [email protected].
Our residential aged care offerings are:
- Borrela House, Mary Costa House, Annie O’Malley House – providing a total of 102 permanent beds and one respite bed. Home care consumers can take advantage of Cultura’s respite service, allowing carers up to eight weeks of planned respite during the year. All rooms are single occupancy and residents have a choice of a private or shared ensuite. All rooms also have a kitchenette and some have a small patio area.
- Gerda’s House – a modern house with dementia-specific facilities in Geelong, providing 14 beds for residents with dementia who require more secure accommodation and attention to special needs. We aim to maximise autonomy, inclusion in Cultura’s social life and encourage independence and participation in everyday life. Each room has a kitchenette and private ensuite with large windows overlooking the landscaped gardens.
Each house offers an exciting wellbeing program, as well as fun activities such as movie afternoons, craft, gardening, board games and cards, and in-house music concerts.
Residents are encouraged to participate in organised activities that look after the body, care for the mind and nurture the spirit. There is also a walking track with art installations, trio-bike rides, bus trips, a playground for children, bird aviaries, a pet dog and a greenhouse to visit and explore.
Cultura has an on-site multi-faith chapel, beautiful gardens, and communal living areas. In our piazza, families can spend time together, sip coffee, enjoy alfresco dining, shop and have their hair cut. The tiered Italian marble fountain is the centrepiece of the piazza, which is surrounded by paved walkways and beautiful gardens.
Commonwealth Aged Care Subsidies
Residential care is Commonwealth subsidised (based on an income assessment) and places are available to those declared eligible by the Commonwealth Aged Care Assessment Service. You can find out more about the assessment and eligibility process here or contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm and Saturday 10am – 2pm.
Find out more
For more information about the best residential care Geelong has to offer, please phone us on (03) 4210 0000 or make an enquiry by using our ‘get in touch’ form.
FAQs
Making the decision to move into residential aged care is filled with many emotions and can come at a challenging time if you or your loved one have reached a point where further care and support is required.
Understanding the costs involved for accessing residential aged care is extremely important as this will not only impact the person moving into the aged care home, but also potentially a spouse or partner still living in the family home. We recommend you seek independent financial advice when you begin looking at your options to help with the planning process. Our finance team are also happy to support you in navigating these steps, so please get in touch with us on 03 4210 0000 – ask for Accounts Receivable.
Your basic daily fee can change or increase because of regular Indexation in line with increases to the age pension which occur twice a year in March and September.
Your means tested care fee can change because of:
– Changes to your personal or financial circumstances
– Changes to your care needs
– Regular indexation of aged care rates and thresholds, and government subsidies and supplements
– Reaching the annual or lifetime cap and the fee stopping, or reaching your anniversary of starting age care and the fee restarting
Your accommodation contribution can change because of:
– Changes to your personal or financial circumstances
– Regular indexation of aged care rates and thresholds, and government subsidies and supplements
– the rate of accommodation supplement applicable to your aged care home
Accounts will be billed on a monthly basis in advance and direct debited from your nominated account on the 15th of each month or the next business day.
You or your family representative will be sent a monthly account statement detailing the payments. You will be provided with a direct debit form to complete and return prior to admission.
Any changes or adjustments advised by Services Australia will be added to the account and backdated if required.
You can make payment towards your RAD or RAC from the date of permanent admission in accordance with your Resident Agreement. After 28 days from admission you can contribute more towards your RAD if you wish to and if it isn’t already paid in full.
The best way to make payment is via bank transfer to the following bank details using the Residents name as the reference:
Bank: Commonwealth Bank
Branch: Geelong Vic
BSB: 063 512
Account Number: 1073 4170
Account Name: Multicultural Aged care Services Geelong Inc
You will pay the DAP until the agreed RAD amount is paid.
The RAD will be refunded within the legislated refund periods below:
– If a resident permanently moves to another service, the RAD will be refunded the day they leave if they give more than 14 days’ notice or within 14 days after them leaving if they don’t give notice
– If a resident passes away, the RAD will be refunded 14 days after the sighting of probate or letters of administration. Refunds will be made by Cheque to the Estate.
Changes to your personal or financial circumstances can affect what you pay. If your circumstances have changed, you should tell the Centrelink Aged Care Customer Team or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). Doing this will ensure that you are paying the right amount.
You need to report changes to your personal and financial circumstances including:
– a change in marital status
– a protected person, such as a partner or dependent child, moving out of your home (if you are in an aged care home)
– a change in your income
– a change in your or your partners assets, including the payment of a refundable deposit for accommodation in an aged care home.
My MACS Club provides you with added benefits, enabling you to have additional entertainment and lifestyle choices to make your time with us more enjoyable. The package is non optional and costs $14.95 for RAD payers and $5.20 for supported residents daily. Its actual value is $42.00 per day.
There are other Optional Services listed in our brochure which have an extra cost to them if you choose to access them.
This is an additional contribution determined by Services Australia upon completing a means assessment and not everyone will be required to pay this. It’s an ongoing fee towards the cost of your personal and clinical care, which is capped annually and may change based on your evolving needs while living in the home. Annual and lifetime caps are set by the Australian Government 20 March and 20 September each year outlined in the schedule of fees and charges.
To confirm your aged care fees, you will need a means assessment. This is where Services Australia assesses your income and assets. If you are a member of a couple, Services Australia will assess half of your combined income and assets, regardless of who earned the income or owns the assets.
If you choose not to have your means assessed, you will not be eligible for assistance and your provider will ask you to pay:
– the full cost of your care (up to the annual or lifetime caps), and
– the accommodation price you agreed on before you entered care.
To complete a means assessment, fill in the Residential Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form (SA457) or the Residential Aged Care Property details for Centrelink and DVA customers form (SA485) at servicesaustralia.gov.au.
You should lodge your request for a means assessment as early as possible – even before you enter an aged care home. If your assessment is finished before you enter an aged care home, the results are valid for 120 days unless there is a significant change in your circumstances.
Some people think that moving into aged care means they have to give up their home. But this is not true. The decision to keep or sell your home when you enter aged care is yours to make.
There are some circumstances in which the family home is actually excluded from their assets. If a protected person lives in the family home, it will not count towards a future residents’ assets. It is also important to note that this exemption may be lost if the protected person who has been living in the home, moves out. A person is considered protected if they tick any of the following criteria:
– A partner/spouse
– A dependent child
– A carer who is eligible to receive an Australian Government income support payment and who has lived in your home for the past 2 years. It is not necessary for the carer to have received a Carer Payment or Carer Allowance to be considered a carer. However, at the date of entering care the carer must meet the eligibility criteria for an Australian Government income support payment.
If you cannot pay your aged care costs for reasons beyond your control, you may be able to get financial hardship assistance. If eligible, this can include stopping or reducing your fees. financial help paying all or some of your fees.
Some ages care fees are negotiable, whilst others are not. RAD and Extra Services Fees can be negotiated with aged care facilities. Conversely, the Basic Daily Care Fee and the Means Tested Care Fee are non-negotiable as the fees are established by the Department of Human Services.
In accordance with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, MACS, must provide information about our related finances with 7 days of the consumers or their representative request.
We also issue annual reports detailing this information.
