Your home has its own routines. Before a support worker starts visiting, talk about what you want help with and how you like things done.
A useful plan describes the assistance clearly enough for a new worker to understand, while leaving room for you to make choices during the visit.
Be specific about everyday tasks
“Help with breakfast” could mean preparing food, getting items within reach, providing prompts or assisting with eating under an agreed plan. Explain what you need and what you prefer to do yourself.
The same applies to personal care, laundry and other household tasks. Consent, privacy and time to respond matter throughout a visit.
Prepare for tasks with health or safety requirements
Tell the provider about current instructions relevant to the support. Medication assistance, swallowing support, transfers and other complex tasks may require particular training and professional plans.
Ask who checks that the worker is prepared and what happens if instructions are missing or something changes. A general support plan is not a substitute for clinical authorisation.
Agree how people will communicate
You may want a written summary, a particular communication method or a trusted person involved. Decide what information can be shared and with whom.
Ask how a replacement worker learns the necessary information without having to make you repeat everything. Only relevant information should be shared for the agreed purpose.
Review the visit together
If a task takes longer than expected or a routine isn’t working, say so. The team may need to review hours, worker preparation, equipment or the support plan. Changes to costs and services should be discussed before being agreed.
You don’t need to wait for a formal review to raise a concern. Our feedback page explains how to contact Vana Care about something that needs attention.
To ask about a new arrangement, see in-home support or make an enquiry. We’ll check the needs, funding and workers available for the request.
