Delivered by Social Futures, care finder is a service that helps older people who may be feeling isolated or unsure about how to access My Aged Care and other community support services that could help them with their day-to-day needs. Care finder operates in Dubbo and surrounding areas, and is made possible by funding from the Western NSW Primary Health Network. The program is designed specifically for seniors who don’t have a close family member nearby, or friend who can assist them.
As World Elder Abuse Awareness Day approaches on June 15, Social Futures is reminding seniors that free help is available through its care finder program.
Operating in Dubbo and surrounding areas, care finder helps older people who are feeling isolated or unsure about how to access My Aged Care and other community support services.
Social Futures Care Coordinator, Carissa Perkins said even a simple conversation about meals, transport or home care can open up a whole new world of support for someone who’s been doing it tough.
“We often meet people who have been trying to ‘go it alone’ – and it can be overwhelming,” said Ms Perkins.
“They might not know what help is available, or how to start navigating My Aged Care, especially if they don’t have anyone around to support them.
“A common concern we find people have around reaching out for assistance is, ‘Is this going to put me in a nursing home?’ That’s one of the biggest things we hear. And it’s absolutely not. It’s important to emphasise that this is about supporting individuals in retaining full choice and control.
“You have full choice over what services you want, who you want to go with, which provider, you have full choice and control over who’s coming into your home.”
The care finder service, made possible by funding from the Western NSW Primary Health Network, is designed to help older people who don’t have a family member or friend who can assist them.
Care finder support workers sit down with individuals, walk them through the steps of accessing aged care, help link them to local services, and continue to check in to make sure they’re getting the support they need in a way that works for them.
“Some of the biggest risks for elder abuse or neglect come from isolation,” a care finder team member explained. “Our role is to make sure people are seen, heard, and supported early—before a small problem becomes a crisis.”
Abuse of older people isn’t always physical—it can be emotional, financial, or the result of neglect. Building community connections and knowing where to turn for help is one of the best protective factors for seniors.
With permission, Carissa shares a deidentified story from her recent work, which speaks to the life-changing potential of the program.
“A colleague of mine, Danni, and I supported a wonderful client who had moved into town from a rural property. She didn’t have any close friends or family, and although she had settled into a small retirement village and made some lovely connections, she felt overwhelmed and unsure how to access the services she needed.”
Carissa said the woman had experienced a long history of trauma and domestic violence, which left her feeling unable to speak up for herself when it came to services and she didn’t know where to start.
“She just didn’t know where to begin — she’d never had the chance to develop that knowledge or those skills,” Carissa said.
“We worked closely with her to link her with the right services but also helped her build her confidence and capacity to speak for herself which was amazing.”
With the team’s support, the client began advocating for her own needs, expressing what was and wasn’t working for her, and even decided, at the age of 74, to seek counselling to help with trauma.
“We supported her to link in with Victims of Crime so she could work with a psychologist,” Carissa said.
“She sent a message to our team leader saying how absolutely incredibly happy she was with the service from Danni and I, and that we had changed her life.”
Carissa said it was a powerful reminder of how easily someone can fall through the cracks — and how important it is to have services like care finder available in the region.
“It’s an absolute privilege to be part of someone’s story in that way, it’s really a wonderful program,” she said.
To contact Social Futures’ care finder team, call 1800 719 625, email [email protected], or visit Social Futures at 156 Brisbane Street, Dubbo.
