Mable - Find and connect with independent support workers

Key takeaways

Protection for everyone: Clear professional boundaries are not about being rigid; they protect you and your independent worker physically, emotionally, and professionally.
Mutual platform agreements: Every support relationship begins with a direct service agreement where you and your chosen independent support worker mutually establish scheduling, task lists, and transparent rates.
Direct control over services: Mable connects you with independent workers across diverse categories, including domestic assistance, social support, and certified personal care or nursing.
Recognising role limits: Certain tasks fall outside an independent worker's scope, including making medical diagnoses, executing major structural home repairs, or executing financial decisions.
Collaborative updating: If your day-to-day needs shift, boundaries can easily be adjusted by having an open discussion and digitally updating your service agreement on Mable.

When you’re new to managing an independent support worker at home, it’s natural to have questions about how it all works. You may be unsure about what support workers can and can’t do, or how to ask for help with things that could make daily life easier.

This guide may help take some of the uncertainty out of getting started. It explains the types of support available through Mable, where home care support limits may apply, and how clear expectations can help you get the most from your support.

Why are aged care support worker boundaries important?

Boundaries are not about making support feel formal or rigid. They may actually help make things easier for everyone.

When a support worker has a clear understanding of their role, they can focus on what they do best: supporting you. The same may apply to you. When you understand what support workers can and can't do, it may feel easier to ask for help with confidence.

When everyone knows what’s expected, the relationship with your support worker has room to grow into one that feels comfortable and professional. It can also reduce confusion and help protect both you and your support worker emotionally, physically and professionally.

What does an aged care support worker do?

Through Mable, you can choose independent support workers and arrange the type of support you want at times that suit your needs.

Once you’ve found an independent support worker on Mable and agreed they suit your needs and preferences, you both sign a service agreement. The agreement sets out the support to be provided and the terms of your support relationship including the rates of service and the schedule of the support agreed upon mutually by you and your support worker. If you’re ever unsure about asking for help with a certain task, you can refer back to this document.

Depending on your situation, support available through Mable may be paid for in different ways. It might be through accessing Support at Home funding, or by self-funding.

Below is an overview of the types of support available on Mable.

Domestic assistance

Support with everyday tasks at home. This may include:

Housework: for example, dusting, vacuuming and mopping
House maintenance: for example, minor repairs and general upkeep
Gardening: for example, weeding, planting and pruning
Meal preparation or meal delivery
Shopping: for example, grocery shopping and unpacking groceries
Personal admin: for example, help with organising paperwork, paying bills and managing appointments.

Support with tasks that can help you stay connected. This may include:

Community outings and activities: for example, a support worker can join you at social and family events, or activities you enjoy
Social support: for example, connecting with someone for companionship
Sport and exercise: for example, help with staying active, whether it’s walking or accompanying you to the gym
Transport: for example, support with getting to appointments, social events, shopping or running errands.

Personal care

Only independent support workers with certain qualifications can provide this type of support through Mable. Personal care support can include:

Showering, dressing and grooming: for example, help with bathing and dressing
Toileting: assistance to support comfort, dignity and independence
Light massage: gentle massagefor relaxation, to relieve muscle tension and improve circulation
Exercise assistance: for example, exercises tailored to your needs
Medication assistance: reminders and help with taking prescribed medication on time
Hoist and transfer: for example, help to safely move between positions or locations
Manual handling and mobility: for example, support with moving safely around your home and reducing the risk of falls.

Allied health

Qualified allied health workers can help with:

Occupational therapy: support with developing skills and adapting routines for greater independence
Psychology: mental health support to help manage emotions, improve wellbeing, and address life challenges
Physiotherapy: support to strengthen muscles, improve mobility and assist with rehabilitation
Speech pathology: support with speech, swallowing and communication skills.

Nursing

Through Mable, qualified nurses can provide services such as:

Wound care: dressing and managing wounds for cleanliness and to promote healing
Continence assessment and management
Catheter care: ensuring cleanliness, comfort and proper functioning
Vital signs monitoring: regular vital sign checks, such as blood pressure and temperature
Pre- and post-acute hospital care: assistance with recovery and daily tasks before and after a hospital stay
Respiratory care: help with respiratory support, including managing devices and monitoring breathing needs
Medication management: support with organising, scheduling and taking medications safely.

Learn more about the support services you can find on Mable.

What can fall outside a support worker's role?

When it comes to aged care support worker role expectations, there are a few tasks that fall outside what they can reasonably provide. This includes:

Making clinical decisions or giving a medical diagnosis
Major home repairs, moving heavy furniture or other intensive physical labour
Handling cash, bank accounts or making financial decisions for you
Providing counselling or mental health care beyond their role and qualifications
Tasks that sit outside your service agreement
Providing support for other members of your household.

This doesn’t mean these needs are unimportant. It simply means the support may need to come from a different qualified professional or a family member.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that available support may not only be shaped by an independent support worker’s role and qualifications, but also what's covered by your Support at Home funding, or your financial situation if you choose to self-fund your support.

How should you handle boundary uncertainty?

Not every support situation will feel completely clear-cut, especially at the start. In these cases, the simplest approach is to ask. Many support workers would rather have a conversation than have assumptions made on either side.

You can ask questions during your initial meet and greet, when you’re discussing your service agreement, or at any time during or after your support session. For added peace of mind, you can always reach out to our support team for advice.

If your needs change over time, it may also help to update your service agreement so it reflects the support you need.

Tips for building a positive support relationship

Building a strong, open and trusting relationship with your support worker may make it easier to get the support you need. Here are some extra tips that may help you:

Be clear about what you need

It’s important to be specific about the support you need. For example, you could explain that you’d like help with showering and making your bed in the morning, a weekly grocery shop and using your phone to join a family video call.

Communicate openly

If something is working well, letting your support worker know may help build trust. If something is not quite right, providing feedback early on may help prevent frustration later.

Respect their time

An important part of a support worker’s role is effectively managing their time and workload. Where possible, try to give them advance notice if you have a change in plans. This may help keep the relationship positive and professional.

How can representatives manage an independent support worker?

If you’re arranging support on behalf of someone else, it’s important to keep their preferences, routines and comfort at the heart of the relationship.

The Mable platform can help you keep up to date with what’s happening, even remotely. This means you don’t need to feel like you should step into every interaction. Through Mable, you can:

If your loved one’s support needs change, it’s best to discuss it openly with them and their support worker first. If you’ve reached a verbal agreement with the support worker and the support still fits within the available Support at Home funding, you can then update the service agreement through Mable.

Clearer boundaries can lead to better support

Understanding what support workers do, especially where their role begins and ends, may help create a smoother support relationship. Clear expectations and open communication can help support workers do their best work, and may help you feel more confident asking for what you need.

If you haven’t already, feel free to browse support worker profiles to look for someone who is a good fit for your needs, preferences and daily life.