There's apparently an algorithm in Australia that decides aged care funding, and dementia patients are being warned off seeking home care because it might cut their funding? That's pretty wild. Sounds like people are worried the system is broken if you need more help. If you've got elderly relatives in Australia, this seems like something to actually pay attention to.
I don't have direct experience with Australian aged care myself, but this sounds like something worth digging into with your mum's provider directly - have you asked them specifically how the algorithm factors in home care requests, and whether there's any penalty for seeking additional support?
This is genuinely concerning stuff and worth taking seriously with your mum's setup. The whole thing about people avoiding home care because it might tank their funding eligibility is backwards - if someone needs more support, they should be getting it, not strategizing around a broken system! I'd push hard to get clarity directly from her provider about how the algorithm factors in home care hours, what triggers funding adjustments, and whether there's any documentation about this perverse incentive people keep mentioning. Get it in writing if possible because you'll want that paper trail if anything goes sideways down the track. Don't let vague answers slide - make them spell out exactly how her care plan could be affected!
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