Family, Friend and Carer - A Guide - Macular Degeneration ...

The Aged Care Rights Service (TARS): This is a community legal centre thatprovides advocacy for the residents of Commonwealth funded hostels and nursing homes,self-care retirement villages and recipients of in-home aged care. They also give informationon the costs associated with entering an aged care facility and advice on retirement villagecontracts. All calls to TARS are confidential.The Age Page: The Age Page is a listing at the front of most telephone directories. Itprovides the listing and contact details for aged care services in the local area.Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS): This service can arrange for apre‐booked telephone interpreter or a face-to-face interpreter. There is a charge for thisservice.Transport: Transport services can assist people who are unable to use or have no accessto regular transport. Help can be provided to get to and from appointments, shopping orsocial activities.Volunteer Programs: Volunteers can carry out home visits and help with shopping andtransport to aid carers.For more help and information, call theCarer Advisory Service on 1800 242 636,or the Commonwealth Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222.See the Service Directory section of this guide for more information.Talking to Service ProvidersWhen contacting a service provider to request a service consider the following suggestions:Write down the key points of the issueAsk yourself “What is the problem?”Ask yourself “Have I checked that this is the appropriate service provider?”Ask yourself “What do I need from the service provider?”Ensure all the important information you may need such as pension numbers are in frontof you before making the callCommunicate the points as clearly as possibleProvide only relevant and important information to the service providerDocument the important points, phone numbers and the name of the person to whomyou are speaking and their direct contact phone number as part of the care planAsk questions such as “When will the service be available?” “Is there a cost?” and “Whatforms are required to be completed?”Be polite but firm. Do not finish the conversation without feeling confident that yourquestions have been answeredFamily, Friend and Carer - A Guide 23