Obtaining an aged care financial advice is a great way to stay on top of your future legal, health and accommodation matters. Support services are available to guide you through the process and provide you with personalised information so that you can make informed decisions regarding your money and your life.

Whether you are considering applying for at-home assistance or want to move into a residential facility, there is help out there for you.

This article shares everything you need to know about getting an aged care financial advice.

The benefits

Benefits of getting assistance include:

• Receive help obtaining the money you need to support yourself when you can no longer work or live independently
• Ensure your family understands your wishes in the event of a severe illness
• Create a legally valid will that reflects how you want your estate to be managed after you pass on.

Information and strategies

An aged care financial advice planner can provide you with information and strategies to help you:

Pay for accommodation fees

Accommodation fees can be the most costly component of retiring, regardless of whether you are living in a retirement home or in your family home. A planner can give you information on strategies for paying your RAD and DAP fees.

Minimise costs and boost cash flow

They can also give you information on how you can access funding to cover these costs, and guidance on how to reduce your overall bills and boost the amount of cash flow you’re getting.

How to find a good provider

There are many aged care financial advice planners out there, and it can be tricky trying to figure out which one to use. Word-of-mouth recommendations are helpful. Here are some resources you can use to find the right provider for you:

• Your GP
• Department of Social Services
• NSW Government website

Types of accommodation

There are several different kinds of accommodation and aged care financial advice options available to the elderly, with something to suit every need. They may be provided through community organisations, state government or private companies, each with varying costs.

At-home support

If you would still like to live with relative independence but need a bit of extra support with doing certain tasks, at-home help is an option. This involves having someone come around to help you do activities that you need support with, whether it’s doing the grocery shopping or getting dressed. This allows you to live independently for as long as you can. Home support services may include:

• Cleaning
• Shopping
• Personal support (e.g. bathing)
• Meal preparation
• Exercise
• Social activities
• Gardening & home maintenance
• Transport

Retirement facility

If you would like additional support with your daily tasks and/or ongoing health needs, moving into a retirement facility may be an option. This involves living in a facility with other elderly people where you receive ongoing support with things like meals, laundry, taking medications and going to the bathroom.  Aged care financial advice can help you to afford this option. Your family or GP may also be able to provide you with extra help during the transition from home to retirement facility.

Subsidies

Monetary subsidies may be available to support you. The Australian Government provides a number or subsidies covering accommodation, health support and supervision. Check their website for more information.

Feel free to make your aged care financial advice decisions with the support of family and friends, or independently with a planner. Help is available to support you during this time, so don’t be afraid to reach out.

If working as a tour leader in the great African wilderness sounds like a dream come true, consider signing up for safari guide training.

People interested in a career in wildlife and nature conservation can study courses either online or over in Africa with top-rated companies to get qualified to work as a tour escort. And the best part? You can complete a course in as little as four weeks!

Here’s an overview of what to expect when signing up for a safari guide training course:

Why do it

Working in the African savannah alongside lions and elephants may just be one of the most exciting careers on the planet. If you’re a people person with a love for the natural world, this might be the job for you. Keep in mind that it is hard work that involves long hours and few holidays – but if you’re okay with that, then go for it! Assuming you apply at an accredited school, you should come out of your safari guide training course with a qualification making you certified to work in the field. Of course, high rates of competition mean that you should also get some volunteer experience before applying for jobs to increase your chances of getting hired.

What it involves

You will be taken out into the field and taught by experienced rangers skills in orientation, navigation, ecology, astronomy, geology, zoology, bushcraft, conservation and more. A tour escort’s job is to be able to interpret the environment and its wildlife and communicate this information to guests in an entertaining way. You will also be taught safety and respect for the natural world, which are essential in the industry.

The first safari guide training course starts at level 1 and goes up to level 3 – you can then branch out into specialist fields if desired. Completing a level 1 qualification is the minimum requirement to work in the industry.

Getting work as an expatriate

If you’re coming into Africa for safari guide training as a tourist, you may experience some difficulties getting work in the industry – but it’s not impossible. Work and residence permits present the biggest obstacle, as the industry is quite competitive. In order to compete with the locals it’s recommended to have other skills to offer, like a second (or third language) and/or a university degree.

Locations

Safari guide training courses are held all over Africa, including Kenya and Botswana. They generally take place in bush camps which provide access to large amounts of untamed bushland and native animals – the perfect place to learn new skills! You will get plenty of first hand exposure to the life of a ranger, with escorted walks, game drives and sleep-outs that will create lifelong memories.

Requirements

To be qualified you must be over the age of 18. You must be qualified with the FGASA, which requires you to complete a certified course and pass exams. You will need to be aged over 18, have an international drivers licence and register with the FGASA.

Costs

Costs depend on the specific provider and course you are undertaking, but they generally range from around $1500-6000 AUD. These costs should also cover accommodation, meals, first aid courses, registration fees, exam fees and study materials.

Safari guide training is an incredible experience that sets you up for an exciting career in the tourism and conservation industries. Ensure that you go in prepared for what to expect and bring all your skills to the table in order to maximise your chances of getting a job at the end of it.

While they certainly aren’t as important as your wedding cards, you want to make sure that your engagement party invitations are the best they can possibly be. It is also the first chance for you and your fiancé to celebrate your upcoming nuptials. Naturally, you want to get the celebrations off to a great start and, a lot of the time, this starts with your choice of engagement party invitations. If you’re not sure where to begin, then read on to find out where to start.

No obligations

You don’t have to host an engagement party; however, it is definitely a nice way to get everyone together and celebrate the future. Unlike a wedding, where there are general guidelines and a certain sense of decorum, how you organise your first get-together is completely up to you! It could be anything from a Sunday brunch to Saturday night cocktails to a simple weekend BBQ and lunch with close family and friends. At the end of the day, you want your engagement party invitations to reflect the theme and style of your overall function.

Mandatory information

If you decide to go through with it and host a small gathering to celebrate the upcoming wedding, there are a few things you must have on your notifications. The names of you and your couple is essential, for those who may have never met your fiancé or future partner. People also want to know what to wear. Even if you’re having a very casual BBQ at your home, it’s worth including the dress code on the card (just to give your guests peace of mind).

It’s also important to include the name of the host(s) on your cards; however, this is only important if you are not hosting your pre-wedding celebrations. It could be your parents, your fiancé’s parents or a specialist host company. Either way, list the hosts’ name on your engagement party invitations so your guests know who to thank for the great event!

Naturally, you need to include the date, day and the location of the event. If you’re hosting it at a function centre, try to be as specific as possible. If you think you need to include directions, make sure to include them. If you don’t think you’ll have room on the card, consider including a link to a Facebook page, where you can add your guests and explain the directions in greater detail.

Think about the tone and prose

Now that you know what to include, we’ve reached the point where you probably want to know how to write it. If you’re opting for a more traditional event, you want your engagement party invitations to be written in formal verse. In this case, you’ll be using phrases like “You are cordially invited” or “We request the pleasure of your company.” Dates should be written in words (e.g. the Twelfth of August).

On the other hand, if you want to go for a more casual or modern pre-wedding celebration, consider using more semi-formal wording. “Join us for our celebrations” or “We welcome you to attend” are generally the most popular phrases. Dates can be written using numbers.

Don’t forget the RSVP

It might sound unbelievable, but many new couples forget to put the RSVP date on their engagement party invitations. Make it clear on the card when your guests need to be responding by, so you can finalise numbers with a caterer or host. Consider putting the text in bold so it stands out on your engagement party invitations.

Feel like you’re ready to start planning? Get in touch with a formal wedding planner or card designer today!