Home Modifications

RERC/Russian Aged Care Home Modifications service provides you with alterations made to a home to meet your needs for safety.

We are ready to assist you with the organisation and cost of simple home modifications and, where clinically justified, more complex modifications.

We believe that improvements, repairs and home modifications for eldery residents can help you maintain your independence, comfortably, safely and prevent accidents.

What can I get help with?

Minor Works:

• • Access and egress pathways through a property
  • Appropriate lever tap sets or lever door handles
  • Grab rails in the shower
  • Installation and fitting of emergency alarms and other
  • Safety aids and assistive technology
  • Internal and external handrails
  • Ramps (permanent and temporary)
  • Step modifications

Major Works:

• • Bathroom redesign (e.g. lowering or removal of shower hobs, changes to design layout to improve accessibility)
  • Kitchen redesign (e.g. lowering kitchen benchtops, changes to design layout to improve accessibility)
  • Widening doorways and passages (e.g. to allow wheelchair access)

What are the steps of the process?

Step 1 – OT Assessment

Some simple modifications can be done by an experienced builder or another tradesperson, however, an Occupational Therapist will usually be sent to your home to conduct a comprehensive assessment. This assessment is important to ensure that any modification done to your home is based on your personal needs to ensure you get the maximum benefit.

Step 2– Quotes from builder/trade person

This assessment will then be sent to us and we will organise for an appropriately qualified and experienced builder and/or other trades-people to review the recommendations in order to provide a quote. If the builder identifies any potential issues they will discuss these with the OT and identify an appropriate solution.

Step 3 – Finalising a Scope of Works

Once the quote has been finalised you should be provided with a copy and a ‘Scope of Works’ that outlines exactly what modifications have be en recommended for you and the cost. You can request changes to be made or additional modifications at this stage if you wish, but anything that is beyond what is deemed reasonable and necessary for your condition will not be eligible for any subsidy – it will be at your expense.

Step 4 – Finalising payment and scheduling modifications

Once you have agreed with the Scope of Works and the quote provided and details regarding payment have been finalised the provider will schedule your modifications and advise you when to expect the builder and how long it may take.

Step 5 – Sign-off the work

Once the modifications have been completed the Occupational Therapist should return and ‘sign-off’ on the work to ensure that it has.

Works that can be completed without of assessment

• • Hand-held showers, sliding shower rails
  • Removal of shower screens/doors – installation of weighted shower curtains
  • Slip-resistant flooring/step treatments
  • Lowering or removal of shower hobs
  • Lever taps and door handles
  • Repositioning of clotheslines, letterboxes
  • Widening of pathways

How do I get this support?

To receive government-funded service you will need to have a referral from My Aged Care.

Press here to find out more about Commonwealth Home Support Programme, eligibility and how to get a referral from My Aged Care.

After the client has been assessed by My Aged Care and has chosen Russian Ethnic Representative Council of Victoria (RERC/Russian Aged Care) as provider our  Russian-speaking Client Services Coordinator will be in touch to assist you in the next steps of the process.

How much does it cost?

The intent of the CHSP is to primarily fund simple home modifications (i.e. modifications that would incur a cost of less than $1,000).

RERC contribution to the cost of a complex modification is capped at $10,000 (inc. GST) and applies per client per financial year. Any cost over the cap must be borne by the client.

Our Client Services Coordinator will discuss the cost of the service and all the details with you during an initial consultation.

The Australian Government expects people who can contribute to the cost of the care to do so. Our Service Coordinators will discuss the contribution with you before we proceed with the home modification.

Exclusions and responsibilities

• General renovations of the home, capital works and lifts in houses are not in the scope of the CHSP Services will not be delivered where another entity holds responsibility for structural changes to the home
  
• Similar Government support is already provided through other programs or where it is a state or territory government responsibility to provide this type of support (e.g. clients living in social housing would receive home modification support through their state or territory government)
  
• It is the responsibility of the client to investigate and gain any permission necessary before modifications are undertaken. For example, permission to modify a private property the client is renting, strata scheme permission or local council authority where applicable

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