What is Elder Care Support?
Five Good Friends Elder Care Support (ECS) is here to provide confidential support and advice when you need to plan for, or respond quickly to, the care requirements of aged loved ones.
Why ECS?
85% of working women over 45 and 70% of working men over 45 are organising or providing care for an aged parent or loved one[1]. By 2030 the demand for informal care is marked to increase by 23%, meaning more and more of us will be needing to navigate the pathways to aging well, and accessing support when the time is right.
A study[2] by the University of Sydney into Mature age workers with elder care responsibilities showed that when faced with elder care responsibilities:
24%
of respondents reduced their working hours
34%
of respondents believed that their careers have suffered due to the competing demands of caring and working.
67%
of respondents would refuse a job or promotion which prevented them from fulfilling their caring responsibilities.
Further research[3] also shows that elder caregiving has been shown to reduce employee work productivity by 18.5%.
Australia, in comparison to a lot of other countries, has a well-funded system.
However, navigating the aged care system can be confusing and, for many challenging. The process of registering, organizing assessments, completing documentation, and choosing a provider is time consuming and lengthy, with some people waiting up to 12 months for funding and support.
This is where ECS can help. Expert advice and support can help you and your loved ones age well, navigate the system and access timely and good care. We can help you start the conversation earlier and navigate difficult times with greater knowledge and care.
What services are available?
Five Good Friends can assist in a variety of ways:
Advice and support
Our Specialist Care Advisors provide confidential support and advice to you when you are likely to need it the most.
You can talk to us via:
Care Advice Line
A dedicated priority call line where you can speak to an experienced Care Advisor between the hours of 8.30 and 5.00 pm Monday to Friday. This is a great service to use if you have an unexpected question or situation occur.
Consult Booking
Use the booking system on your landing page to book a 30 minute discussion with a Concierge.
Resource Centre
Information and content on growing older well, and aged care funding.
Independence & socialbility
Wellbeing
Finances & funding
The home
Who is Five Good Friends?
FGF delivers over 20,000 Care Advice consultations every year, and connects people to over 21,000 home service supports each month. We provide home and community services that make a difference. We look for ways to provide support and move towards proactive health outcomes. We partner with a variety of health and professional services to help people live wonderfully long, engaged and rich lives in the homes and communities they love.
What's in a name? Friendship.
There are only a few places on earth where people live longer, happier and healthier lives. The people living in these zones share a key thing in common: friendship. The power of friendship is believed to contribute to a much better quality of life as we grow older. This understanding is not only reflected in our name – it is our guiding philosophy. Our mission is to help people live vibrant lives in their own homes, connected to the friends, family, and communities they love.
References
1. AARP. Caregiving Report, 2015
2. The Impact of Elder Care on Mature Age Workers: A Study of the Australian Workforce. The University of Sydney. 2018.
3. The Hidden Cost of Caring for an Aging Parent. Harvard Business Review. Dr Joseph Coughlin. 2018.
Need some help?
You’ll get compassionate and invaluable support from our expert team.
We’re here to answer all your questions and help you navigate your options.
1800 314 788
Email us