Karon and Laurie’s care provider took a sudden turn for the worse after the Support at Home program began. They transferred their self-managed plan to The CareSide, enabling them to regain essential services while retaining their long-time support workers. Here’s their story.
When the Support at Home program replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025, it was reasonable to expect a period of transition and change. For some home care recipients, though, the transition initiated much more than that.
In Maryborough, Queensland, self-managed participants Karon and Laurie Pope faced a series of post-transition challenges they didn’t see coming. Unannounced and drastic price hikes, precipitous dips in communication, and a loss of essential services made the first few months of 2026 highly stressful for the couple.
‘We were with [our previous provider] for two years, and we were very loyal,’ Karon says. ‘I rang them and asked, “What is going on? You haven’t communicated anything to me, and suddenly, I am getting a budget at the end of the first quarter—how am I supposed to manage that?”’
Karon is Laurie’s primary carer and manages his package. She’s also a support worker for people with complex disabilities and is training as an Allied Health Assistant, meaning she knows the aged care system intimately. Even so, Karon couldn’t wrap her head around the situation unfolding with her husband’s care.
In early 2026, Laurie’s supports were reduced, and the couple received a surprise statement saying they owed thousands of dollars. Karon knew she needed help. She contacted an aged care advocacy organisation and began asking people in her network for recommendations. That’s when someone suggested The CareSide.
‘The people, the staff,’ Karon says when asked about what drew her to The CareSide initially. ‘They were just caring. They listened, rather than telling us what we needed.’
‘If we asked a question about costs or other things, they made an effort to help us understand what was happening and why,’ Laurie adds.
The Pope’s first interactions with The CareSide left a strong impression, but they made an effort to explore other providers. Karon learned that many have policies they were trying to avoid: lock-in contracts, expensive self-managed plans, rigid scheduling, and restrictions on outside support workers.
‘We’ve been down that route with our support workers,’ Karon says, explaining how constant support worker turnover negatively impacts the care experience. ‘We were determined to remain self-managed and continue with the support team we’d onboarded ourselves.’
Ultimately, transparent pricing, predictable scheduling, and the ability to onboard their existing support workers led Karon and Laurie’s search back to The CareSide.
‘The CareSide wasn’t pushy; they allowed us to process the information,’ Karon shares. ‘We [transferred services] quickly because it was easy to understand and we were confident—we just knew that we’d be looked after.’
Before long, Laurie regained access to all his supports, including companion care, gardening services, and allied health. Best of all, he continued receiving care from the support workers he already knew and trusted.
‘That support allows us to spend more time together, so it all doesn’t fall on me,’ Karon explains. ‘Onboarding our support workers with The CareSide was a breeze—with our previous provider, it was such a rigamarole.’
To Karon’s point, finding and retaining trusted support workers can be challenging for people who choose to self-manage their care. That’s why self-managed plans aren’t for everyone: they require more time and attention for administrative tasks that would otherwise be taken care of under a fully managed plan.
But self-management also comes with greater flexibility, especially when it’s under the guidance of a devoted provider.
‘The fact that we’re self-managed with The CareSide—we’re not just being left to our own devices,’ Karon says. ‘There are lots of check-ins, and The CareSide makes it so much easier. We know our workers will be paid on time, and we have control over what we’re doing.’
Karon also credits their Care Manager, Emma, with making the transition smooth.
‘Nothing is too much,’ Karon says. ‘Emma is quick to get things sorted for us, and she explains everything.’
For Laurie, it all comes down to being confident in the provider overseeing his support.
‘We’re able to ask questions, and they’re answered properly,’ he says. ‘It’s personal care. We aren’t just treated like clients, we feel valued.’
