Aged Care, Older People and Palliative Care - November 2025

Helen Morley, our care finder Program Lead at Country SA PHN, recently attended the annual Carers SA Expo.

This is a popular Expo for the community and the many Service Providers who support those in a caring role. Helen met many familiar faces and organisations, as well as establishing some new connections.

Helen said, "sharing the work of Country SA PHN and learning from others about what they do is so important to understand how together we can better support people, including those who are carers in country South Australia".

Helen is pictured with Julia Overton, CEO Carers SA with whom great discussions were had.

Country SA PHN was pleased to receive and read the national evaluation on the care finder program. The Australian Healthcare Associates were engaged by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, to evaluate the care finder program, and this is the second report on progress.

PHNs, commissioned service providers, care finders, professionals who refer into the program, and older people who have received care finder support across Australia, all contributed to the evaluation content.

The report identified nine key lessons learned and future opportunities for PHNs and the Department’s Navigation and Access Branch. These will be helpful to Country SA PHN as the program enters its second funding period from 2025-2029. Nationally, there are 164 commissioned care finder organisations with a total of 550 full-time equivalent staff, with approximately 75% of the staff being care finders providing direct client support. In country South Australia, there are five commissioned organisations with 14.80 FTEs staff, 95% being care finders.

It was noted in the report, providing a service such as care finders in regional and rural areas is more challenging. Extensive travel is required, often there is less availability of aged care services, and workforce recruitment can be more difficult to achieve.

Encouragingly, the short-term outcomes for the program have been met: the program is established, awareness is increasing, the care finder workforce skill and knowledge is expanding. Older people report they are feeling an improved level of coordination and support, they have a better understanding of the aged care system and most feel more confident to engage with the system going forward.

Country SA PHN looks forward very much to the medium - and longer-term outcomes for the care finder program and it being fully integrated into the health, aged care and other systems at a local level.

Country SA PHN would like to thank past, and present commissioned service providers, delivering the care finder program across country South Australia. Without their dedication, perseverance and compassion, what has been achieved would not be possible.

To find out more or contact a care finder in your region visit the Country SA PHN care finder page.

The care finder program is supported by funding from Country SA PHN through the Australian Government’s PHN Program. 

To read the summary or full report visit Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

Care finders, Department of Health Disability and Ageing and Elder Care Support Program representatives from across South Australia, gathered at the bi-monthly country and metro education and networking meeting.

We learned from two organisations on the work they do, and how they and the care finder services can liaise, support and inter-refer for the benefit of the people they both support.  

Colin, the Team Leader of the Uniting Communities Assessment Team, spoke about the new aged care single assessment service. Then, Passant and Jess from the Exceptional Needs Unit, described, in detail, the complex support they provide to people under 65 years.

Helen, care finder lead, said "these meetings are for all care finders in South Australia, and are jointly hosted with Adelaide PHN. They have become a central part of building the success and cohesion of the program across our State. Care finders and aged care assessors are increasingly communicating and working together, as people transition into and through the aged care systems. While the most of care finder clients are 65 years or older, some people under 65 years are eligible for care finder support, therefore the care finder's awareness of the Exceptional Needs Unit is so important”

To find out more and contact care finders in country South Australia visit the Country SA PHN care finder page.

The care finder program is supported by funding from Country SA PHN through the Australian Government's PHN Program.