Ideas to Stay Well at Home
This is the Gandhi path. He famously said,
"You find yourself when you lose yourself in the service of others.”
Getting older has its unique challenges and needs. Thankfully, there are many services you can access to meet you where you are, help you safely stay in your home, access different levels of care, and, when needed, transition into Aged Care.
The organisations listed on this page are not exhaustive and may not be available in your area.
Gather My Crew gives people the tools to show up - so no one has to go through tough times alone.
Helping and caring reimagined for today.
Gather My Crew is transforming how Australia helps and cares – by giving everyday people the tools and confidence to offer real, coordinated support when it matters most.
Because helping and caring shouldn’t be left to chance – and no one should go through tough times alone.
Mission
Meals on Wheels™ is a compassionate connector of people delivering care and empathy with every one of their nutritionally balanced meals, making recipients and their families feel safe, supported and a member of the wider community.
Vision
Build independence to nourish the lives of the elderly and vulnerable within our communities.
Purpose
To enable people to continue to live independently by providing meals, social contact and services that support their wellbeing, health and safety.
Neighbours Every Day
We can all work to create, share and grow belonging: for ourselves, for our families and for our neighbours. We can do this by focusing on inclusion and connection, making others welcome, and building respectful relationships with those around us.
The Neighbours Every Day campaign provides simple, practical tools to create, share, and grow belonging every day of the year.
Neighbours Every Day (NED) is Relationships Australia’s year-round social connection campaign. It empowers individuals, communities, organisations and governments to build a more connected, inclusive and resilient Australia — where everyone belongs.
There is a range of service providers who can help you get to appointments, social engagements and the like if you are no longer driving or can't take public transport.
The Community Transport Program supports people who have trouble accessing transport options to get around their local community.
You may have trouble accessing transport because of:
- where you live
- your financial situation
- disability, mental health, or chronic health conditions.
You may be eligible for the program if you:
- are under 65 years of age
- have no or limited access to other transport options, including public or private transport or transport funded through other funded/subsidised schemes
- are an unpaid carer, travelling in your role as a carer
- are not receiving transport services for the same or similar purpose under another government program, for example, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS), Commonwealth Aged Care Programs (including CHSP and Aged Care Packages), or Queensland Health Patient Transport Services.
Red Cross - Telechat
Build community connections from the safety of home with Telechat, a phone-based social service. Telechat can help you meet new people and stay connected to the wider world through regular phone calls with an Australian Red Cross volunteer.
Like our in-person Visiting service, when you sign up for Telechat, we’ll match you with a volunteer who shares your interests, background, values or culture. You tell us what matters to you, and we’ll do our best to find a volunteer who fits the bill.
Telechat options
Your volunteer will call you every week or fortnight (you can choose!) for a chat. What you talk about during your Telechat calls is up to you and your matched volunteer.
It could be:
- what’s happening in the news
- what your grandkids have been up to
- what’s blooming in your garden
- what you’re reading
- what you’ve been watching on TV.
Please note that Telechat is not a check-in service for people with health and safety needs. Visit our Telecross page for more information about our check-in phone service.
Transport Assistance
Taxi Subsidy Scheme and Lift Payment
The Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS) subsidises taxi travel for people with a disability who meet the eligibility criteria.
The TSS pays half the value of a member's taxi fare, up to a maximum of $30 per trip. There is no limit on the number of taxi journeys a member may take to attract the subsidy. The subsidy is paid to taxi drivers—members have no additional costs.
TSS membership lasts for a maximum of 5 years. To extend your membership, you must reapply before the expiry date.
The Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS)
The Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) provides financial assistance for patients who are referred to specialist medical services not available at their local public hospital or health facility.
Eligible patients can apply for a subsidy to assist with travel and accommodation costs for accessing specialist medical services.
Patients approved for PTSS will receive a subsidy to attend the nearest public hospital or health facility that provides specialist medical treatment. Patients travelling to access private specialist services may be eligible for a subsidy if the service is not available within 50 kilometres of their nearest public hospital or health facility.
The Scheme is Queensland Government-funded and administered through Queensland Health. It aims to support Queenslanders to access specialist medical treatment wherever they live in the state.
PTSS applications are assessed by public hospitals and health facilities in line with the PTSS eligibility criteria.
Non-emergency medical transport
If you need to travel to a medical facility for an appointment, you may be able to travel by ambulance, providing you meet at least 1 of the following criteria:
- you need stretcher transport
- you need active management or monitoring while travelling
- you have a condition that would cause you embarrassment or be of serious concern to other people on public transport.
Ambulance transport for Queensland residents is free of charge.
Doulas and Death Care Workers
An End-of-Life Doula is not a new concept. For thousands of years, many cultures have supported the practice of people staying in their homes to die, looked after by family and community. However, in the modern Western world, there has been a trend towards nursing homes and hospitalisation, which can lead to isolation, lack of choice and opportunity for all concerned. Death, which is inevitable, can become a lonely and sombre ‘medicalised’ experience.
An End-of-Life Doula is a non-medical role that provides support, options, and education, assisting the dying and those around them in having their end of life unfold in alignment with their wishes, to preserve quality of life, well-being, and self-worth up to and beyond the end of life as we know it.
They are the “informed companion,” bringing comfort, support, and compassion, and assisting a person and their family in feeling safe and supported during this critical transition.
Listen to two local doulas - Jacqui Williams of End-of-Life Transitions Ep1, and Leah Keating of LK Dementia Doula Services, Ep 4, on the Honouring Life Podcast and hear
Funeral Connect
We provide awareness, knowledge, and easy access to a wide range of services and suppliers, empowering people to make informed choices and plan with confidence during life’s most sensitive moments.
By bridging the gap between families and professional providers, Funeral Connect ensures that everyone can find the right support, guidance, and resources to navigate grief, honour their loved ones, and personalise their end-of-life arrangements with dignity and care
