Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions about Embracia Aged Care
1. What makes Embracia different from other aged care homes?
At Embracia we believe that your years shouldn’t interfere with the life you lead. Nor should age affect your position of respect in your community or your entitlement to be free, independent and individual. We believe that our relationship with our residents is built on a mutual trust that is treasured and meets the needs, desires and aspirations of you as an individual. We believe that this is best achieved by centring our vision on you as a person, not a process; on flexibility, not routine; and on innovation, not standardisation.
2. How do you help me settle in to the community once I move in?
When you choose to live at any one of our Embracia Aged Care homes, you can expect to be free to make decisions about your life, which includes how you spend your time, how much – or how little – you’d like us to be involved in what you do and who you do it with. It means that you can expect that life with Embracia will be designed with your latest needs in mind. Your family, friends, neighbours and acquaintances will be as welcome in the aged care home as you are. We don’t have set visiting hours – they are welcome anytime as long as they are considerate of other residents.
3. I like my privacy, how private will my room be?
At Embracia Aged Care homes, we believe that every resident’s room is their personal space and we respect your need and right to privacy. We follow the same etiquette you would expect in your own home.
4. Can I make my room personal, with my own furniture and belongings from home?
Yes. By all means bring your own furniture, even your own bed if you want (we know that a good night’s sleep is very important). We will supply a bed, chair, drawers and the like if you don’t want to bring furniture from home. Just remember that you might need to limit the amount of furniture you bring in, to leave safe access around your room.
We can also help you make it more personal by helping you put some pictures on the wall. You are also welcome to bring electrical equipment provided you have it tagged and tested on entry into our home and each year for safety purposes.
5. Are pets allowed?
Yes. At Embracia we believe a loving companion is the answer to loneliness and that caring for animals can improve your quality of life (where pills and therapy have failed). You just need to consider any impacts on other residents (or their pets), the wellbeing of the animal, and whether the animal would hinder our staff from helping you when you need us.
6. Can I get extras like my own phone, the internet or pay TV?
Yes. Each room has a telephone connection point where you can arrange your own telephone, through your own provider. For privacy, it won’t come through our switchboard. The same applies to having the internet connected in your room. You can also have pay TV connected, or a personal air-conditioner installed. Just ask us first and then you are welcome to arrange these things. All we ask is that when you leave, you restore the room for the next person.
7. I know hospitals have their routines. Do your aged care homes have them too?
At Embracia we believe in personalised care and that means flexibility, not routines. At all our Aged Care homes, you can expect to wake up when you’re ready, have breakfast when you’re up, and go to bed when you want. If you prefer a routine, then it’s a different routine for each person, and you can decide how it will be.
8. Can I manage my own finances?
We will never require your finances, pension, etc, to be administered by us. We do not allow any of our staff, including management, to have access to or control your finances, your pension payments, etc.
We encourage you to maintain control of your own finances. If you don’t wish to manage your own finances, we strongly suggest creating an enduring Power of Attorney in favour of a close friend, relative, your solicitor or accountant.
9. Can I come and go from the home as I please?
All our Aged Care homes are there to provide you with care, safety and security. At Embracia, we are all about helping you maintain your lifestyle, not limiting it. You have all the same rights in our homes that you have in your own home. Any decision that you can and would legally make at home is yours to make in our Aged Care homes. So with your permission, or in some cases, the consent of a loved one, provided you are able, you can enjoy the freedom you would at home.
10. Can I continue to see my own doctor?
Yes, of course. It’s your doctor and whether he or she will stay your doctor is totally up to you. It’s not our decision to make. Some doctors will visit our homes, while others are based too far away to be able to do so. Some residents visit more distant doctors at their practices.
Should you need or wish to change doctors, talk to us and we can tell you which doctors already visit us and what other practices are in the local area. But we will not take the decision out of your hands.