What to do when the home-support assessor calls

Your home help can be cut as the result of a telephone assessment of your needs. We tell you how to get your case across.

District Health Boards around the country regularly review the help given to older people to help them stay in their own homes. Needs assessors (NASCs) may do this by telephone. Here are some ways you can ensure the assessor gets an accurate picture of your needs.

If you get a phone call asking how you're coping:

1. Ask for the purpose of the call – ask if this is a review or assessment of your home-support care.

2. Get the caller's name, role, the organisation they're representing and their contact details.

If it is a needs assessment:

3. This is an important call – it's okay to be pleasant but don't treat it as a social call.

4. Take time to prepare: ask them to phone back when you're ready. Collect your notes and information and have a quiet suitable place to talk.

5. Take notes of the conversation.

6. Cooperate with the assessor – give them all the information they need to get an accurate picture of your needs.

7. Don't put on a brave face if you're having trouble coping with household tasks or experiencing depression – be accurate. This an opportunity to increase the support you're getting if it's inadequate.

8. Give full information – if you can do an activity but it involves risk or pain say so.

If you're having difficulty:

9. Say if you can't hear or understand the questions.

10. Say if you have other disabilities that could affect your ability to answer questions.

11. It's your right to have a support person or whanau/family involved.

After the assessment:

12. Ask your appeal rights, and how to make an appeal against an assessor's decision if necessary.

13. Tell Age Concern your experiences.

Resources

> READ our Mailbox. We ask the Ministry and the Minister about telephone assessments

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