What is a Member Help plan?
How a Help Plan can benefit you and your family
Have you ever had the frustrating experience of constantly repeating your medical history or care goals? With some providers, you might often come across new carers and staff members, and find that you have to repeat yourself time and time again.
At Five Good Friends, we believe you should only have to tell your story once. We capture your history, goals and expectations in a living document called a Help Plan. No matter who you speak to, they have those important details right in front of them.
Here we explain what a Help Plan is and how it can improve the care you receive.
What is a Help Plan?
When you join Five Good Friends, we automatically create a Help Plan. This is a living document that captures your needs and preferences. We create this plan from a variety of sources.
- The information you gave us during your initial meeting consultation with us.
- Any preferences you and your authorised representative have given to us during onboarding.
- Your My Aged Care or NDIS Support Plan.
- The Comprehensive and Focal Assessment reports completed by your healthcare team.
Where is the Help Plan recorded?
The Help Plan is recorded in Lookout, our app that tracks your schedule, budget, goals and health outcomes. It’s also a communication tool between you and your family, Helpers and Five Good Friends staff.
Once the Help Plan is created in Lookout, it automatically gets shared with your relevant Helpers, authorised family or friend representatives and you.
It gives Helpers critical details about you including your health history and what medications you're on. It provides practical information like your living arrangements and how to access your home.
You should be able to pick up your Help Plan and see exactly when, what and how services will be provided.
A Helper should pick up a Help Plan and understand everything they need to provide a high quality and safe service to you.
How we support you with a Help Plan?
A Help Plan is more than a direction for our Helpers. It’s our agreement with you about what you can expect from us and how we can improve your care.
It tells Helpers practical information, but it also tells them about those important personal and unique details. Things like what you like and don’t like, information about your religion, culture and identity.
For example, perhaps you attend lawn bowls competitions and training. You might need an OT and physio to help you with strength and mobility. If it’s something that is important to you, we can record it in your Help Plan.
It can help our Helpers understand what’s important to you so they can provide the best care possible. It also helps us choose Helpers who will be a great fit for you.
How can I change my Help Plan?
Preferences and circumstances change, which is why it’s so important that your Help Plan changes with you. Help Plans are updated whenever there is a variation in your needs or circumstances. If there is something that you’d like changed in your Help Plan, please get in touch with our Member Services team.
We do annual reviews of your Help Plan and go through what has been written and make changes as needed.
Would you like to tell your story just once to us at Five Good Friends? Please get in touch with us on 1300 787 581 and we can talk about how we can make a difference in your life.
Learn more: Five ways Helpers change lives everyday
