Alice Carter is happy to have 'someone in her corner'.
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"She's not a carer, she's a friend," says the 78-year-old of her Feros Care community support worker, Angela Diamond.
Alice is legally blind but she doesn't want everything done for her; she just wants a bit of help and support.
"Angela takes me shopping, but she doesn't take away my independence," she says.
"She lets me do it all myself until I ask for help. And that's what I want - I don't want somebody who pats me on the back and does it all for me.
"I need to be independent, I don't want anybody to take away my freedom and liberty. I just need help - and that's what I've got from Feros Care."
It started with a phone call to Centrelink.
"Feros Care have guided me all the way," she says.
"Even when we made that first call to Centrelink, the person on the line said that she'd never spoken to two people at once before.
"Feros Care just said 'we're here to help Alice' - and that's what they did. They helped me navigate the system and access the funding. They really stood by me and made the whole process simple."
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Alice says before she started her government-funded Home Care Package through Feros Care, she barely left her home.
"Before Feros Care, I was kind of stuck in the house," she says.
"With my sight problems, I was really quite afraid of going outside. I feared for my safety.
"Having Angela has given me something to look forward to. She's given me back my confidence - not just outside the house but at home as well.
"Feros Care don't just do your housework, they have your health and safety under control too.
"They've arranged for me to wear an alarm around my neck and have a key in a lock box at the front door so if I fall, I can easily alert people and someone can get in to help me.
"I live with my daughter but she's away a lot, so the extra safety measures put her mind at ease too."
Alice says most seniors could benefit from a Home Care Package.
"My advice to people who are hesitant because they think that getting help will take away their independence is, you have to try it," she says.
"If you find the right help, it will change your life for the better."
Senior Australians can apply for a government-funded Home Care Package worth up to $49,500 a year.
To find out more phone 1300 763 583 or visit the website at feroscare.com.au
