Helga Forster House Aged Living

Room Amenities

Rooms – each room contains:

• Ensuite (shower, toilet and basin)
• Central heating
• Wardrobe
• Points for TV and telephone
• Grab rails
• Emergency Call buttons (in units and in ensuites) and pendant
• Light fittings and ample power outlets
• Security door and fly screens
• Air conditioner

Residents supply all their personal items and are requested to have all of their clothing labeled.

Facility Amenities

Emergency Call System

A new state of the art Emergency call system and falls monitoring system has been installed in all residents rooms. This system is monitored regularly throughout the day to ensure that all residents needs and requirements are met.

Security

The security system is installed on the five main exit doors. Staff set the panel board to either day or night mode to ensure appropriate security measures are in place. CHRV prioritises resident safety, ensuring continuous monitoring at all times. During night mode, security doors remain locked to provide complete protection.

Smoking

in the interests of fire safety, smoking is prohibited in the resident’s room. Christophorus House is a smoke-free building. Smoking is not permitted anywhere within the Hostel. Please discuss further with the Residential Manager regarding designated smoking area’s within the Village.  If the fire alarms are triggered by cigarette smoke, the attending fire brigade is likely to charge you for a false alarm. Please advise visitors of this risk.

Ceiling Smoke Sensors

Christophorus House has a modern fire detection system based on smoke detection sensors on the ceilings throughout the building. Sensors are located in every resident’s room and are very sensitive.

Keys

Residents are issued with a key to their room, to ensure that each Residents’ Privacy is maintained and Respected.

Electrical Appliances

In the interests of the safety of all Christophorus House residents, controls are placed on the type of electrical appliances which may be used. Residents should ensure that items are in good working condition. Double adaptors and extension cords are not permitted. With televisions, radios, record or cassette players etc, residents are asked to ensure that the volume is not sufficient to disturb others. If necessary, personal headphones or earplugs could be used.

New residents should take electrical equipment to an electrician for safety checking and tagging, prior to admission, unless it is bought new and still in its packaging. Re-tagging of all electrical appliances is undertaken annually.

Lounge Room

Lounge/sitting and recreation room facilities are provided throughout the building for the enjoyment of residents and their guests.

Heating / Air-Conditioning

Central heating is provided.

There is also a reverse cycle air-conditioner in every room.

Services

Activities

A wide range of activities including bus outings; exercise groups, bingo/hoy; indoor golf and craft. All special days are celebrated as per religious festivals, Melbourne Cup Day and St Patricks Day to name a few. Special events such as Carols by Candlelight, entertainers, visitors who give talks, weekly talks on various themes, armchair travel, happy hour and other such activities.

Cleaning

Residents’ rooms are Deep cleaned weekly, with daily spot clean. Additional Deep cleaning of any room may be arranged with the Residential Manager should this be considered necessary.

Care Services

The following personal assistance services, including individual attention, individual supervision and physical assistance, on an identified and assessed need basis are available, such as:

• assistance with bathing, showering or personal hygiene;
• assistance with dressing, undressing, or grooming, including the fitting of artificial limbs and other personal mobility aids and sensory communication aids;
• assistance with eating and drinking;
• assistance with transfers, including collecting and positioning of a walking aid or wheelchair;
• assistance with mobility, including the use of mobility aids;
• toileting;
• assistance with maintaining continence and managing incontinence;
• provision of special diet for medical or personal reasons;
• assistance with rehabilitation exercises and therapy treatments;
• assistance with treatments or procedures and supervision of medications.

Please refer to the Medication Policy included with this Handbook. Individual attention and support because of recurrent confusion including dementia and other cognitive impairments and behavioral disorders.

Laundry Service

Residents’ laundry is done Daily over night. All clothing is to be labelled prior to entry, preferably with printed and sewn name tags.

Maintenance

The Village has a Preventative Maintenance Schedule in place to ensure that all equipment remains operational at all times.                 A Maintenance Service is provided to residents, offering support for repairs and ongoing upkeep to maintain safety and functionality across the Village.

Podiatrist

A podiatrist will visit Christophorus House when required. Appointments can be made by notifying the Registered Nurse.

Hairdresser

A hairdresser visits Christophorus House fortnightly, or as required. Appointments can be made by notifying the Personal Carer/Registered Nurse on duty at a cost to you.

Support

The support provided to residents is as unobtrusive as possible. Residents are encouraged to do as much for themselves as they possibly can.

Pricing

Basic Daily Care Fee:

All aged care residents pay the same Basic Daily Care Fee. This fee covers day-to-day living costs such as meals, cleaning, facilities management, and laundry, and it is not means tested.

The basic daily fee amount is set by the government. It is set at 85% of the single person rate of the basic age pension. The government updates the basic daily fee in March and September each year. Currently the maximum basic daily fee is $65.55 per day. It is paid by every resident and contributes to your daily living costs.  

Means-tested fee:

The Means-Tested Care Fee is an ongoing contribution some residents pay toward the cost of their personal and clinical care in residential aged care. It is not fixed and varies based on a means assessment conducted by Services Australia, which considers both income and assets.

Current Fee Range (as of September 2025)

• Daily fee range: Between $0 and $406.39 per day
• Annual cap: $34,311.23
• Lifetime cap: $82,347.13
  (These caps ensure residents don’t pay more than these amounts in a given year or over their lifetime.)

Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD):

If a resident’s financial situation meets certain criteria, the Australian Government may subsidise the RAD. This is determined through a means assessment conducted by Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).

Eligibility Criteria for Government Support:

• Income threshold: Below $33,735.00
• Asset threshold: Below $63,000

Residents who meet these thresholds may qualify for low means status, making them eligible for government assistance with accommodation costs.

Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP):

The Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) is a non-refundable daily fee paid by aged care residents who either:

• Choose not to pay the Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) upfront, or
• Can’t afford to pay the full RAD amount.

Instead of a lump sum, the DAP allows residents to pay for their accommodation periodically (usually fortnightly or monthly).

How Is the DAP Calculated?

The formula is:

DAP = (RAD × MPIR) ÷ 365

Where:

• RAD is the advertised refundable deposit for the room (e.g. $500,000)
• MPIR is the Maximum Permissible Interest Rate, currently 8.17%

Example Calculation:

If the RAD is $500,000:

• DAP = ($500,000 × 8.17%) ÷ 365
• DAP = $40,850 ÷ 365
• DAP ≈ $111.92 per day

This amount would be paid regularly and is not refunded when the resident leaves care.

Combination Payments:

Residents can also choose a combination of RAD and DAP, such as:

• Paying part of the RAD upfront (e.g. $250,000)
• Paying a reduced DAP based on the unpaid portion (e.g. $250,000)

This offers flexibility based on financial circumstances.

If you would like to know more about costs and pricing, please contact us on (02) 9476 3161

Rights

Residents’ Rights, Obligations And Responsibilities

Each resident has a right to:

• Courtesy
• Dignity
• Privacy and security
• Be consulted (through meetings of residents)
• Have his/her wishes respected
• Maintain a sense of worth

To achieve these rights, it is necessary to have a number of rules and regulations. The rules of living at Christophorus House are designed to ensure that the residents enjoy the quiet comfort of living in a community setting and in the secure knowledge that caring staff are available to assist in the event of personal crisis. Any changes in rules and regulations may only be made in consultation with the residents.