Things to consider

Where to start

Your retirement should be lived the way you want it to be.

With retirement villages throughout Queensland and Melbourne, Victoria, Churches of Christ Care has the community and location to suit you.

Our villages offer a wide range of lifestyle options, where residents can age-in- place with freedom, independence, privacy, dignity, security and respect among a community of friends.

All of our units and homes have the privacy and security you’ve longed for, allowing you to feel safe whilst relaxing at home, and away.

Individually tailored care packages are also available if and when you need them, including:

• Minor home maintenance and modifications
• Meals, transport and domestic assistance
• Nursing, personal, after-hospital and respite care
• Allied health social and carer support

You just need to choose the option that’s right for you.

Our care approach

At Churches of Christ Care your care and wellbeing are our foremost priority.

Our award-winning Positive Wellbeing Model of Care framework is designed to bring uplift to your days, enhance your quality of life, improve your health and happiness, and increase your sense of belonging.

The Positive Wellbeing Model is built on four key elements which are:

• Person-centred care
• Evidence-based practice
• Collaborative care partnerships
• Supportive living environments

We focus on delivering person-centred care through evidence-based practice and collaborative care partnerships in a supportive living environment.

Most importantly, we offer residents and their family’s peace of mind in knowing we have been providing quality seniors living for over 85 years.

For more information, call us for a chat on 1800 199 740

Caring for someone?

When the time comes to seek additional care or support for yourself or a loved one, Churches of Christ Care has many options.

Our in-home and community care services provide a range of care and support, including:

• nursing and personal care
• meal and transport assistance
• minor home maintenance and modifications

We also offer a variety of specialist services including dementia and respite care, as well as pastoral and spiritual support.

Our engaging activity programs cater for each client’s emotional, cultural, social, spiritual and physical needs.

These services are also available for residents in our retirement villages.

Churches of Christ is committed to progressing innovative care for people with dementia. The Virtual Dementia Tour® is medically and scientifically proven to be the closest we can give carers an experience of what living with dementia might be like. If you would like to learn more visit www.cofc.com.au/vdt.

In many cases our retirement villages are co-located with our community and residential aged care services at one of our innovative integrated communities, known as Churches of Christ campuses.

For more information call 1800 199 740, or read the Advanced Care Planning, Selling Your Home and Estate Planning sections of our website.

Care needs

You now have more choice than ever with what services are delivered to you, when they are delivered and by whom.

From helping with everyday chores like cleaning and gardening to home maintenance and high-level nursing care, there are a wide range of services that can support your wellbeing and independence to remain living independently in your own home.

Churches of Christ Care helps thousands of seniors every year to maintain independence and get the most out of life. Our home and community care services can help in many ways including:

• Personal care
• Medication management
• Domestic assistance (such as help with shopping, cooking, cleaning, gardening etc)
• Nursing
• Home maintenance
• Transport
• Social support
• Respite care
• 24-hour telephone response to emergencies

However, residents in our villages are able to access any community care service, regardless of the provider. Just remember that if you are looking to access a funded care program you will need an ACAT assessment. More information is available from the Federal Government site: www.myagedcare.gov.au

For more information on our services please visit our Home and Community Care website site.

Selling your home

Relocating to a retirement village is a big move that requires a lot of thought and organisation. Most people will need to sell their home to finance this lifestyle change, and this can evoke a lot of emotions for both you and your family.

How to make the process easier

• If you are selling the home that you raised your family in, the sales process can be particularly emotional. It is important to recognise and respect the fears, anxiety and regret that may arise amongst you and your adult children. Before making the final decision, you should talk with your family members and be honest and open about how you all feel.  You might want to spend some time reminiscing about your time in the home and sharing any particularly special memories.

• Finding a good real estate agent is critical to the sale of your home. Be sure to take the time to find someone you feel comfortable with. A good agent should be able to offer you advice and insights into selling your home, help you set the sale price and talk with you about preparing the property for sale. Meet with several local agents until you find one who you feel understands you and will do the best job at selling your home. Speaking to friends and family members about their experiences with real estate agencies and sales people is also a good guide.

• It is not until you sell your home, that you realise just how many unnecessary bits and pieces you have held onto - often for sentimental reasons. Having lots of furniture and mementoes can make a sale more difficult, emotionally and physically. Selling your home offers the ideal time to go through all of your belongings, and dispose of what you no longer need.  Remember, people who are coming to view your home once it goes on the market are interested in the property, not your personal belongings. Your new retirement unit is likely to be smaller than your family home, and you usually won’t need as much furniture. Offer what you no longer need to family members or friends, and donate the remainder (of good quality) items to charity before you move.

• There are specialist home transition services that can help reduce the overwhelm you may feel leading up to the sale and move. Some of these services even specialise in supporting seniors who are looking to move into a retirement village or residential aged care. They can help you through the entire process, including choosing a real estate agent, preparing your house for sale, ‘decluttering’, and making those important downsizing decisions. They can even pack up the house in preparation for your move.

Estate planning

Effective estate plans include Wills to protect your estate and the interests of your beneficiaries after your death, ensuring that the wealth and assets you have built during your life are transferred smoothly and according to your wishes. An estate plan includes your Will and any directives on how you want to be cared for medically and financially if you become unable to make your own decisions.

Wills

What is a Will?

A Will is an important legal document that anyone over 18 years of age, who has the capacity, should have. It is generally a formal written and signed statement which provides for the distribution of a person's property and assets, to take effect on that person's death.

Why do I need a Will?

Preparing a Will is essential. Leaving a clear guide to how you want your assets distributed by your chosen executor/s is cost efficient and may avoid lengthy court battles over “who gets what”.

Dying intestate (without a Will) means that there is no guarantee that your assets will be distributed as you would like them to be.

Making or altering your Will is particularly important when life circumstances change. It is recommended that you review your Will every three to five years to ensure that it still reflects your wishes.

A Will also provides you with the opportunity to establish a trust or donate directly to Churches of Christ in Queensland or any other charity that you may wish to support.

Help with making your Will

It is advisable to seek professional advice and assistance when making a Will. Homemade Wills can lead to problems as the meaning and validity is often unclear.

A solicitor or The Public Trustee of Queensland can confidentially discuss your concerns and requirements. The Solicitor or Public Trustee of Queensland will prepare a Will for you and assist with the correct wording to ensure that your wishes regarding your estate are honoured. The Will making service by The Public Trustee of Queensland is 100 per cent fee free. Private solicitors may charge for making a Will.

Power of Attorney

What is Power of Attorney?

A Power of Attorney is should be given the same consideration as a legal Will. It is a formal document which gives your another person the legal authority to look after your personal and/or financial affairs on your behalf, if and when you are not able to do so yourself.

Various forms of Power of Attorney

• General Power of Attorney – would be used to appoint someone to make financial decisions on your behalf for a certain period of time
• Enduring Power of Attorney – gives wide ranging powers to act on you behalf immediately or at a specified date or time, such as if you suffer a loss of mental capacity
• Limited Power of Attorney – limiting the actions that can be performed on your behalf

As with your Will, Power of Attorney documents can be drawn up by a solicitor or the Public Trustee of Queensland.

Advance Health Directive

Every adult has the right to accept or refuse recommended health care. However, there may be events or circumstances that prevent you from expressing your wishes, such as accident, emergency, illness or incapacitation. Sometimes referred to as a living Will, and Advance Health Directive is a legal document that states your wishes or directions in relation to future health care and medical treatment and how you would like your body to be dealt with if you can no longer make decisions for yourself.

It comes into effect only if your cognitive health deteriorates to the point you are unable to make your own decisions. If you have already given someone Enduring Power of Attorney you need to discuss your Advance Health Directive with them.

When to make an Advance Health Directive

It is best to make an Advance Health Directive before any urgent, unexpected health condition arises. However, if you haven't already made one, and existing medical conditions are likely to affect your ability to make decisions, you should make it now.

You can dowload a free Advance Health Directive , which needs to be completed by you and your doctor and signed by a witness. If you are admitted to hospital, you would let your medical staff about it and where it can be obtained.