Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre/CarerLinks North

The Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre / CarerLinks North are three co-located services providing free information and assistance to carers and the broader community in the Northern Metropolitan sub-region of Melbourne (which includes the municipalities of Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Yarra). These services are:

• Commonwealth Carelink Centre
• Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre
• CarerLinks North

The focus of our respite services are to support carers in their caring role, while Carelink is an information service aimed at helping people live independently at home.

The services include:

• Intake Service
• Carer Support Workers
• Commonwealth Carelink Centre
• After Hours Service
• Young Carers 'at risk' Respite Program
• Carer Flexible Funding Pool
• Residential Respite Booking Service
• Respite Bed Vacancy Register
• Respite Options
• Support & Choice
• Ageing Carers Program

Who are Carers?

Carers are family members and friends who look after someone who is frail aged, has an ongoing disability or a chronic or mental illness. The person they care for has difficulty managing at home or in the community without assistance.

Why is respite important?

Carers are often on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They need time out to attend to other matters, other family members and above all, have time for themselves. Respite can reduce the stress of caring and assist carers to look after their own health and wellbeing. Respite is most successful when it provides carers with a break as well as providing the person being cared for with a positive experience. Carers can relax if they know that the person they care for is well looked after and happy.
 

Carelink

Commonwealth Carelink Centres aim to help you live independently in your own home. Anyone who needs information about community aged care, disability and other support services can call us on 1800 052 222. We can provide advice on;

• the range of services available and how to contact them
• who is eligible to receive the services
• whether there are any costs associated with receiving the services, and
• aged care assessment services for access to Community Aged Care Packages or entry into aged care homes

Referrals

Methods of Referral

We accept self-referrals and referrals from Service Providers. Referrals can be made by phone by calling our Intake Service on 9495 2500 / 1800 059 059 (reception). Or you can fax 9495 2599 or mail PO Box 2021 Preston BC a referral using either of our referral forms.

Referral Forms

Carers and the services that do not use the SCTT Referral System can use our old referral form.

For services using the SCTT referral tools, you need to complete our Part B: Carer Profile and we also use the following forms from SCTT.

• Confidential Referral Cover Sheet and Referral Acknowledgement
• Part B: Carer Referral Form
• Consumer Information
• Functional Assessment Summary
• Living and Caring Arrangements Profile
• Health Conditions Profile
• Summary & Referral Information

In addition please include:

• Carer / consumer consent
  When the request requires confidential information to be forwarded to a third party.
  For example, referrals to the Aged Residential Respite Program where information
  about the carer and care recipient will need to be forwarded to Aged Care Homes,
  GPs, and ACAS
• Any tools which will be relevant to the referral, for example, Service Coordination
  Plan
• The Aged Care Client Record (ACCR) if available and relevant

If you have any queries regarding these forms please call our Information and Response on (03) 94952500.

Eligibility

Any carer living in the Northern Metropolitan Region, which includes the municipalities of Moreland, Darebin, Banyule, Yarra, Nillumbik, Hume and Whittlesea. Carers can be parents, partners, spouses, children or friends who provide support for people who are aged, disabled or chronically ill.