Interchange Illawarra Inc

Interchange Illawarra

Interchange is not an after hours emergency care service. In cases of emergency contact the Illawarra Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre or Emergency Care Service and inform them of your emergency care requirements.

Approval may be given to organise emergency care with your Interchange volunteer/support worker if they are available. If not, these services will organise support for you.

Illawarra Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre

Phone: 1800 059 059

Accessible: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The Illawarra Carer Respite Centre coordinates access to respite services in the Illawarra and can arrange 24-hour emergency respite care.

Call their toll free number if you require emergency respite care or other assistance.

The Illawarra Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre also provides carers with:

  • information and advice on different respite options
  • help with organising planned respite
  • assistance to access periods of short term respite
  • after hours assistance in times of carer crisis
  • booking service for respite in aged care facilities
  • programs to link carers with other carers

Emergency Care Service

Phone: 4228 4500

Accessible: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The Disability Trust's Emergency Care Service aims to give people with disabilities support in their own homes during times of family emergency. We try to make these periods as stress free as possible, by keeping the person in familiar surroundings. The program is funded through the Home and Community Care scheme.

Who can use the service?
This service is for children and adults with a disability under the age of 60 years. The service is used at times when the primary carer is unable to provide support such as:

  • Death of primary carer or a member of the immediate family
  • Hospitalisation of primary carer
  • Immobility or serious illness of primary carer eg. broken leg
  • Instances where the mobile treatment team is involved with a carer and there is an unresolved crises
  • Other situations where there is a need for urgent care will be negotiated on a case by case basis
  • In a case where a parent with a disability is hospitalised, or where a carer is required to stay with a person with a disability in hospital and care is required for children at home, this may be provided by Illawarra Carer Respite Centre.

What type of care can be provided?
The service offers 24-hour care in your home. Service will be provided for an initial period of up to 72 hours over a maximum two-week period. After this period the situation will be reviewed to determine the need for further care. The service will be provided by Care Solutions (a service of the Illawarra Disability Trust) or by Interchange Illawarra. Where a person has additional needs (eg medical), we will organise care from an appropriate agency.

How much does it cost?
The service is FREE to people with a disability. Expenses incurred by Emergency Care staff while providing care must be reimbursed eg. purchase of food for the clients.

How can you get the service?
Referrals for the program can be made through any service that you currently use. You can also ring us yourself.

What areas does the service cover?
Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven

Can the Emergency Care Service be pre-booked?
The Emergency Care Service can be booked in advance if you know that the primary carer will be unable to provide care for the person with the disability, eg, hospitalisation. You can also register with us so that, in the case of an emergency, we have the information needed to provide care.

Does the Service provide service to siblings/children of the person with the disability?
Service can be provided to siblings where they are living with an eligible person with a disability and where no additional staffing is required to meet their needs.

Is there a limit on access to the Emergency Care Service?
Usage of the Emergency Care Service is normally limited to 72 hours per year. The number of times a client may assess the Emergency Care Service will depend on client assessment and the availability of funding. Provision of care on any one occasion will not automatically mean that you will get additional care in the future. All applications will be assessed on the basis of their relative needs and the availability of funds at the time of application.

Is there assurance of ongoing support?
The program does not provide ongoing support for clients. The program makes available a pool of funds that will allow the occasional emergency care needs for people with disabilities to be met. The Disability Trust can provide information on agencies that provide long-term support.