Home care after stroke: A guide for families

Key takeaways

• Preparing early with the hospital discharge team helps create a safer, smoother transition home.
• Home-based support can change over time as your loved one’s recovery and independence changes.
• Government funding pathways include Support at Home, short-term restorative care and NDIS eligibility for participants under 65.
• Paying privately for independent support workers via Mable allows you to access support immediately while waiting for government funding.

An older loved one’s stroke can change daily life in a matter of moments. The days that follow may feel confusing and overwhelming. You may be making medical decisions, planning for discharge and arranging aged care assessments while you try to understand what life will look like when your loved one returns home.

For many older Australians, returning to familiar surroundings is an important goal. However, you may feel unprepared for their return, especially if support must be arranged quickly.

This guide explains what home care after stroke may involve, the available funding pathways and what to consider when choosing an independent support worker.

How do you transition from hospital to home after a stroke?

The hospital discharge team can help you plan a safe transition home. Speak with the team early about what your loved one may need, who will arrange it and what should be ready before discharge.

You may find it helpful to ask the discharge team these questions:

• What support will my loved one need with daily routines from the first day?
• How will medications and follow-up appointments be managed?
• Which rehabilitation or allied health appointments need to be arranged?
• Do I need to organise equipment or home modifications?
• Who should I contact if their needs change after they return home?

An aged care assessment may also be arranged before or shortly after discharge. Ask whether the discharge team can begin this process and whether an urgent assessment may be appropriate.

You don’t need every detail settled before your loved one comes home. Practical support from the first day may make the transition more manageable. Over time, you can then adjust support to suit their needs.

How do I care for a stroke patient at home?

When planning after stroke care at home, it may help to remember every person recovers at their own pace. Some people regain many of their abilities, while others continue to experience changes in mobility, speech, memory or thinking. Learning how to care for a stroke patient at home is an ongoing process, and stroke home care may need to change with your loved one’s needs.

During the first weeks, home care services for stroke patients may include:

• Personal care, such as showering, dressing and grooming
• Meal preparation and help with eating, where appropriate
• Transport to occupational therapy, medical appointments and social activities
• Domestic assistance, including cleaning, laundry and shopping
• Companionship and support to stay connected
• Overnight support
• Help with routines affected by memory, thinking or mood changes.

Your loved one may need more help with daily tasks at first, then do more independently over time. Support booked through Mable can be adjusted around their abilities, goals, routines and preferences. You can also search for independent support workers with experience supporting people after a stroke.

How do you access funded support after a stroke?

If your loved one needs ongoing support at home, the hospital team may help arrange an aged care assessment through My Aged Care. Assessments are delivered through the Single Assessment System and may take place in hospital or at home. An assessment may be arranged before discharge if urgent services are needed.

Depending on your loved one’s needs, government-funded pathways can include:

• The Support at Home Program: Ongoing care and services based on assessed needs
• The Restorative Care Pathway: Short-term allied health and nursing support that sits alongside the Support at Home Program
• The Commonwealth Home Support Programme: Entry-level support
• The Transition Care Program: Support for up to 12 weeks after a hospital stay
• The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): Support for eligible people who apply before age 65 and have a likely permanent impairment caused by stroke.

You don’t need to work out the most suitable pathway alone. The relevant assessment process will consider your loved one’s circumstances and support needs.

You can also pay privately for out-of-hospital care and ongoing support through Mable. This means your loved one doesn’t need to wait for an assessment, approval or funded services to begin. Through Mable Last Minute Jobs, after-stroke care can be arranged in as little as 4 hours.

Some families arrange private support through Mable while waiting for government funding, then review their arrangements once it becomes available.

How do you choose a post-stroke support worker?

Building a care team at home may help your loved one adjust to new routines, feel safer and maintain as much independence as possible. Reliable support may also make the transition easier for you.

When comparing support workers for your loved one on Mable, there are a few things you may like to consider:

• Experience: Do they have stroke recovery experience or relevant training?
• Skills: Do they communicate clearly and provide adaptable, reliable and consistent support?
• Support style: Are they patient, warm and respectful?

Mable’s search function allows you to filter support worker profiles by experience, qualifications and services. Profiles also include indicative rates and reviews from other clients, which may help you shortlist people who suit your loved one’s needs and personality.

How do I support my wellbeing as a family carer?

A loved one’s stroke is a significant event for the whole family. Coordinating care, managing new responsibilities and adjusting to changes in your relationship can be challenging.

It’s natural to feel uncertain or exhausted at times. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re letting your loved one down. Looking after your own wellbeing may help you continue providing steady support over the longer term.

Sharing tasks with family members, speaking with health professionals or arranging respite care may give you time to rest, work or care for other family members.

Arranging home care after stroke

Returning home is one stage of stroke recovery, not the point when every support decision needs to be final. Your loved one’s needs may continue to change, and their support arrangements can change with them.

Reliable support may make everyday life more manageable for you and your loved one. You can search more than 23,000 verified independent support workers on the Mable platform to find someone who suits their post-stroke needs and preferences.

Explore support worker profiles on Mable, post a job, or contact the Mable team to find out more about home care for stroke patients.