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"We do a lot of walking and other fun activities. The staff are very encouraging and engaged with us."
Resident, Crestwood Village
"It was lovely to see mum painting again. The staff took time to listen to mum and understand what makes her happy… we can't thank them enough for that personal touch."
Family of resident, Somervale Village
"We chose this work because we're passionate about making a difference in the lives of older people. It’s easy to go the extra mile when you love what you do."
Village nurse
We understand that moving into care is a big decision and things may feel a bit overwhelming. Wherever you're up to in the process, we're here to support you by giving you personalised advice.
Let’s look at what’s involved in each stage of the journey.
Let’s look at what’s involved in each stage of the journey.
If you need more care, even if you’re unsure about residential care, a needs assessment will help you understand your options and the type of care that is right for you.
Your GP can refer you for a needs assessment or you can contact the local Health NZ Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) team directly.
Find your local NASCYour needs assessment will determine the type of aged care required.
You are no longer able to live independently and require around the clock support from trained caregivers and registered nurses supported by regular visits from a GP or Nurse Practitioner.
You require a higher level of care usually because your medical or mobility needs are more complex. This level of care also includes palliative care services. Palliative care is the true test of a care home, and at Metlifecare, where we put people first, it is our honour and privilege to support residents and their families through this phase of life.
Our specialist care team helps residents and their families with the complex challenges of living with dementia whilst providing a balance of freedom and security to help keep residents safe.
This is a temporary care service that may be available for people who need some extra support to recover from an illness or surgery, or to give your usual carers a break.
Once you know what type of care you need, it’s time to find what options are available at your preferred location and what the costs will be.
The amount every resident is required to pay for Aged Residential are Services is set by the local DHB (now Health NZ), and the amount is the same for all residential care facilities within the specific district.
The Daily Care Fee covers accommodation in a standard room including key things such as: all meals, laundry, housekeeping, activities, visits from Metlifecare’s GP or nurse practitioner, certain Pharmac-funded prescribed medications, and assistance with transport to some health service appointments. The Nurse Manager can provide in more detail other items covered in this fee.
Some residents may qualify for a Residential Care Subsidy to help cover some or all of the Daily Care Fee in a standard room. Hospital and dementia care have a higher daily care fee, but provided Health NZ criteria are met, a top up subsidy is provided to cover the difference.
Residents receiving the Residential Care Subsidy will redirect most of their Superannuation payment toward the cost of care. If care is paid for privately, Superannuation payments continue as usual.
Most Metlifecare care homes offer a higher level of accommodation than a standard room funded by the Daily Care Fee. Additional premium room features like ensuite bathrooms, larger rooms or outdoor balconies incur an additional cost. The additional cost of premium accommodation is not subsidised, so must be paid for by private means.
These premium accommodation costs are charged daily as a Premium Accommodation Charge (PAC), or in selected villages are funded via the purchase of an Occupation Rights Agreement (ORA).
In selected villages, Metlifecare offers premium accommodation as a Care Suite that is available under Occupation Right Agreement (ORA).
Each Care Suite has a full ensuite bathroom and kitchenette, and many
have a private balcony or patio. Some are large enough to accommodate couples, so you can receive care together in the same suite, even if one of you requires hospital level care. With more space to call your own and offering both rest home and hospital level care, there’s no need to move for high levels of care. Our Care Suites provide you with peace of mind, privacy, and a space to call home.
If you’re transferring to a Care Suite from a Metlifecare apartment or villa, you can use the equity in your unit to fund the purchase of a Care Suite. There’s no need to find additional funds while waiting for your villa or apartment to sell, and you’ll always be able to afford a Care Suite if you’re already a Metlifecare resident.
Please talk to our Nurse Managers if you’re interested to learn more.
Once you’re happy with your chosen care options and the associated costs, Metlifecare will help you prepare for moving in.
We can host another visit for you and any family or friends who may be helping you with the move. We will create a plan to ensure your room is set up with your favourite items ready for you.
On the move-in day itself, we’ll be there waiting to greet you and to help your family make it feel like home. We’ll discuss your preferences and make a personalised care plan with you. It’s our goal to help you settle in quickly so that you can continue to do the things you love.
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Please use the form below to contact our friendly team about your care needs.
You will need to contact a lawyer or the Public Trust to set up your Enduring Power of Attorneys. You will need an EPOA for Personal Care & Welfare and an EPOA for Property. These are legal documents that decide who will take care of your personal or financial matters if you are unable to do so.
This is your home and we encourage personalisation. If you wish to bring favourite pieces of furniture or artwork with you, please check with our Care Team to ensure there is still enough space to move around safely. We provide all linen, but feel free to bring your favourite bedspread.
We publish an activities planner for group activities and outings and you are welcome to join as many, or as few, of these as you wish. We understand that sometimes you will want to spend time just continuing to do the things you love. We would love to help, so please discuss this with us.
All meals are included in the daily care fee and are prepared by our onsite food and beverage team. We have a seasonal menu with tasty and nutritious meals. There will always be a choice for each meal. If you have allergies, dietary requirements, or specific preferences, we can adapt to meet your needs.
Yes, of course. We ask this be arranged ahead of time wherever possible.
We do not have restricted visiting hours, however our Care Team are very busy in the morning, so we encourage visits after 10am.
We know how important it is to stay connected with the people you love. Our villages offer free WIFI to help you stay connected. If you need more information about this, talk to our Care Team.
We ask that all your personal items are labelled with your name. All your personals will be washed in commercial machines, folded and returned to your room. If you have special care items, please ask your family to launder these or alternatively we can arrange dry cleaning at an additional cost.
Personal mail will be delivered to your room. If you wanted to post a letter, stamps can be arranged through our reception.
For all banking needs, like drawing cash, online banking or making deposits, please ask a trusted friend or family member to help. Our staff are unable to assist you with this. However, you can charge items like hairdressing to your monthly account.
We do not provide insurance for any personal belongings (including hearing aids, glasses and dentures), so we recommend you obtain your own personal insurance for your valuables.
All our Care Centres have a contracted GP or Nurse Practitioner to look after our residents. It may be possible to stay with your own GP, but visits will be at your own cost.
All medication is managed by our clinical nursing team, under the supervision of a GP or Nurse Practitioner. This includes over-the-counter medications.
Personal toiletries like toothpaste and luxury items are not covered under the daily care fee.
We support a smoke free environment. Please discuss your needs with our Care Team.
In some circumstances, this may be permitted on compassionate grounds with the approval of the Nurse Manager.
We do not allow care residents to keep pets. However, family and friends are encouraged to bring pets to visit. Many of our Care Centres arrange pet therapy sessions for residents.
Your spiritual needs will be discussed with you as part of your individual care plan.
If you have been assessed as requiring ‘rest home level care’ by a Needs Assessment and Service Coordinator (NASC) you may be eligible for a government subsidy to assist with paying for care. Subsidies for care are means tested by Work and Income on application and take into account your income and assets. Please call WINZ on 0800 559 009 for advice and assistance with your application. If you prefer, speak to us and we can help assist you with this process.
One of the biggest worries retirees have is whether a care bed will be available when it’s needed. Unfortunately, there is a well-documented shortage of care beds in New Zealand and, because care beds are allocated according to need and demand is difficult to predict, we can’t always guarantee that a care bed will be available straight away. Metlifecare is proactively developing more care homes to extend our offering and we encourage you to contact us about your needs as early as possible. We’ll do our very best to help.
