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Dementia

Support Options to Suit You

SRS Staff aim to offer positive experiences for people with dementia / other Disabilities and at the same time give their families a break. Sunraysia Residential Services in conjunction with golden city support services are funded to provide a support option to suit you.

We provide information, support, respite coordination and serviced development.

Caring for a person is rewarding and we can assist you to:
  • Gives you an opportunity to talk confidentially about your issues
  • Plan innovative care options to suit your needs
  • Support you to access existing parent/carer support groups

Qualified staff providing a fresh outlook for individuals, families and carers.

Who is this service for?

This service is for carers who look after someone who has dementia or is frail aged and who needs assistance with caring for the person.

What are the options?

Respite is planned and is usually ongoing. Emergency respite is also available.

  • In your home respite, this could involve cooking, gardening or some meaningful task to the person for who you are caring for. 
  • In our home respite. 
  • Out in the community, which could involve shopping, visiting a coffee shop, participating in community activities, visiting parks and gardens. 
  • Holiday respite: you decide where and when; we help make it possible.

Who is eligible for this service?

Respite under this program is available to people who care for someone who has dementia, is frail aged, is a stroke survivor, has a life threatening illness or disability, is over the age of 64 years.

  • Respite services can be utilised weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
  • Carers are entitled up to a maximum of 4 hours of respite service per week. Hours may be used every week, fortnight or month. (For example – 1-4 hours per week, 1-8 hours per fortnight, 1-16 hours per month).
  • Hours of support are flexible to suit your needs. 
  • 24 hours notice must be given when cancelling or changing respite. 
  • We are unable to provide this service to those who receive more than 2 hours of respite service from their local Council/Shire. Please ask us for other options. 
  • Service is unavailable for those in receipt of services from Veteran’s Affairs.

Support for decision making

Should you need help with entering or exiting our service, you are welcome to use a support person of your choice – we will help you to find a support person if you don’t have one.

Service allocation

Our intake and referral assessment team does their best to ensure that all people eligible for the service can receive services on their specified days and times. However, depending on the number of staff available and the number of requests received at one time, we may not always be able to accommodate for the requested times/days.

We work on a ‘first in, first served’ basis, however, we will endeavour to accommodate all requests.

Service conditions

  • SRS Active Support Assistants cannot provide transport or use a private transport vehicle (ie in the care recipient’s vehicle or in a carer’s vehicle). Should transportation be required for outings when supporting someone, taxis or public transport are to be used, with the person receiving support being responsible for payment of the fare.
  • SRS Active Support Assistants cannot work in an area which poses health hazardous–(eg- a house where someone is smoking). Care recipients must refrain from smoking whilst in the care of an SRS Active Support Assistant, otherwise services cannot be provided (SRS No smoking policy). 
  • SRS Active Support Assistants cannot physically lift people receiving the support (SRS No Lift Policy).
  • SRS Active Support Assistants are unavailable to work on Public Holidays. 
  • SRS Active Support Assistants will contact an ambulance in the event of an emergency (please note that the person receiving support will be liable for any ambulance fees charged).

Fees, charges and applicable costs

Out-pocket expense to the service recipient is $2 per hour. This cost covers the provision of respite care by a qualified SRS care worker. An invoice for this cost will be sent to you monthly.

If you experience any difficulties with paying the fee, please discuss with SRS Intake Team.

Additional out-of-pocket expenses will depend on personal activities as requested/chosen by the service recipient to be undertaken during the provision of respite services. These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Personal spending 
  • Public transport costs (if applicable) 
  • Ticket fares (eg. Cinema) 
  •  Meals

Exiting our service

Please contact us as soon as possible should you wish to exit this service.

Referral to other services

If we are unable to assist, or we know of another service that could assist with your needs, we will provide details of people who may be able to help, and refer you on (if you wish). To do this, you must give us consent to pass your information onto another service.

Further information

We are more than happy to provide you with further information – please do not hesitate to ask should you require assistance – contact 03 5022 1741 or by send us an email.

SRS Provides Dementia and Frail Aged Support Services in conjunction with Golden City Support Services.

For more information, see the GCSS website: www.gcss.org.au