Meet Sam – Our ADEC Aged Care Case Manager with a big heart

Supporting independence with care and compassion

At ADEC, the people we support are unique individuals, each having their own stories and life experiences. However, a common characteristic they all share is a need to maintain their independence and not burden their families or others with their changing needs. Every person we support has their own story—a lifetime of experiences, relationships, and challenges that shape who they are. As a Case Manager, Sam provides something invaluable to her clients: support without judgment, companionship without intrusion, and expert guidance to ensure they can continue living safely and happily in their own homes.

 What is Case Management in Aged Care?

Case Managers are a crucial part of a client’s team, and our Case Managers see this trusted advisory role as a privileged responsibility. Our Case Managers assist clients and their families to access the services that will help them live well and independently. They support our clients to navigate the care network and choose the services that will be most beneficial for that individual at that time and ongoing. For many people, the system can feel overwhelming, so that’s where Sam and her colleagues step in—to simplify the process, offer advice, and connect clients with the right services to meet their needs.

The next section features a Q&A with Sam, where she speaks about her experience as a case manager in her own words.

Q&A

Q: Can you tell us about yourself and why you chose to be a Home Care Package Case Manager?

Sam:  I’ll be honest, I kind of fell into the role! I started working as an administrative assistant at a company that provided aged care, and I gradually fell in love with the industry as I saw the kind of support and independence we could bring back into people’s lives.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working with Home Care Package clients?

Sam:  I really enjoy building a rapport with people and learning about them. My clients have anywhere between double and triple the life experience I have, so it’s always fascinating talking about their experiences and learning the wisdom they have to share.

Q: How do you build trust and good relationships with your clients?

Sam: I think the simplest way is to respect them as a person. It’s easy to take a clinical approach in aged care, particularly for clients with cognitive challenges, but it’s important to remember that these are people you are caring for. Making them feel seen and understood is absolutely vital to building trust.

Q: Can you share a special or memorable moment with one of your clients?

Sam: How to pick just one?! Recently I found out that one of my clients comes from the same small town in Italy as my own grandmother, which opened the floodgates for us to start laughing and talking about the area and our respective families. What a coincidence!

Q: What is a small but meaningful way you have seen Home Care Packages make a difference?

Sam: I recently helped one of my clients regain some mobility through physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. I received feedback that he has “become his old self again,” and now finds joy in things he had previously thought were beyond him. Helping with reablement like that is exceptionally fulfilling.

Q: Is there a story of a client overcoming a challenge with your help that makes you proud?

Sam: One of my clients, after a fall and subsequent pelvic fracture, was admitted to a hospital facility to recuperate. She wasn’t able to tolerate living away from home and found great stress in the programs she was offered, so with the hospital’s support, we arranged for her to receive the therapy she needed at home through her Home Care Package. She is now back to walking around her apartment every day, without fail!

Q: What’s a common problem clients face with Home Care Packages, and how do you help them with it?

Sam: I think one of the biggest problems with Home Care Packages is simply understanding the system and how everything works. It can be extremely daunting if you’ve never had to deal with government support before, and all of the details can be very overwhelming. My role, as well as that of any case manager, is to help someone navigate that system in order to receive the most appropriate support for them.

Q: How do you make sure your clients feel supported and confident about their care?

Sam: I often start by asking someone what their goals are. If there were no other factors, what do they want out of life right now? That’s often a great starting point for building someone’s care plan—around those goals that will give them joy and satisfaction. Once you connect those dots between what someone wants and how to get there, it’s often much easier to understand the types of support that will help best.

Sam: What advice would you give to clients or families choosing a Home Care Package provider?

Sam: Honestly? There are a lot of providers out there, and a lot of information about fees and costs. There needs to be more awareness about the Care/Case Manager you will be working with and the rapport you have with them. This relationship dictates a lot of your Home Care Package experience, so it’s important to find the right fit for you. Shop around and make sure you’re able to talk to the care manager you’ll be working with before making your decision.

Q: In your own opinion, what makes our ADEC Home Care Package services stand out from others?

Sam: There are a lot of organisations with plenty of case managers. What sets us apart is our emphasis on building rapport with our clients and their families, and our willingness to consistently go above and beyond for them.

Sam’s story highlights the heart of ADEC’s approach to aged care: providing person-centred, compassionate support that empowers our clients to live independently and happily at home.

Click here to find out more about how ADEC’s home care services can support you and your loved ones to live better. Or call us on 1800 626 078 (toll free) or email info@adec.org.au for more information.