Home Care Packages Melbourne

Your financial situation doesn’t affect your ability to access a Home Care Package, though you may be asked to contribute towards the cost of your services, depending on your circumstances. If you only need a small amount of support, you may be eligible for help through the Commonwealth Home Support Program instead.

Do you need help applying for in home care packages in Melbourne? Home Caring’s team of aged care experts are ready to assist. For a free consultation, please get in touch and chat to our friendly care team.

Home Care Package Level 1 in Melbourne – this level is for older people who have basic level care needs. As entry level support, it’s designed to give you extra help during the week, and may involve one or two visits a week from a professional care worker.

Home Care Package Level 2 in Melbourne – this is the most common type of package in Australia. If you have low level care needs (more than basic level care, but not as much as complex care), this level of funding provides help with daily tasks so you can keep living happily in your local community.

Home Care Package Level 3 in Melbourne – this is for people with intermediate care needs, but who don’t require complex care. This usually means accessing daily support, such as getting dressed in the morning, dementia care, nursing services or medication management.

Home Care Package Level 4 in Melbourne – this is the highest level of care available on the Home Care Packages program, with the maximum hours of care. This includes a wide range of services, including nursing care for complex health conditions and 24/7 support.

Looking for a Level 3 Home Care Package in Melbourne, or a Level 4 Home Care Package in Melbourne? Home Caring provides personalised care service at every level, to suit your individual needs. For more information, please get in touch for your free consultation.

• Start by applying for an Aged Care assessment. You can do this through the My Aged Care portal, which is the primary access point for government-funded aged care in Australia. To apply for a Home Care Package, you need to first apply for an ACAT Assessment (Aged Care Assessment Team), which can be done either on the My Aged Care website or by dialling 1800 200 422. This application usually takes around 20 minutes and involves answering questions about your health, home situation, and the services you currently receive. You will need to have your Medicare card with you during the assessment.
• Conduct an ACAT assessment in the comfort of your own home. Once you have successfully applied for an assessment, an ACAT assessor will contact you to schedule an in-person meeting where you live. During this assessment, the assessor will chat to you about your ability to carry out everyday tasks, seek permission to talk to your doctor about your medical history, and explain the government-funded care services you may be eligible for. You can have a family member or friend present with you during the assessment for moral support.
• Receive official approval for your Home Care Package. If you have been approved for a Home Care Package, you will be issued a letter stating the level of funding you have been allocated. You will then be placed on a national waiting list for home care access and will be notified when a package has been assigned to you.
• Choose a Home Care Package provider. While waiting, you can begin researching and comparing Home Care Package providers that can deliver the services funded in your package. Only providers that are authorised by the government can offer Home Care Packages, as they have proven their ability to provide quality care to a high standard.

Would you like assistance applying for a Level 3 aged care Package in Melbourne, or a Level 4 aged care Package in Melbourne? We’re available to help. Please get in touch to chat to our friendly customer service team.

If you don’t think you can wait to receive care, there are some options you can take. Firstly, you can apply for help through the Commonwealth Home Support program (CHSP), a government-funded aged care services that provides home care services. You assessor can talk to you about potentially accessing temporary services through the CHSP while you wait for your Package to become available. You may also be able to access an interim Home Care Package at a lower level to tie you over, although there is also a wait time for this option. You can also choose to pay privately for care services until you are transition into your government-funded Home Care Package.

Home Caring provides government-funded and privately funded support services to help you live independently at home. To chat to someone about your options, please get in touch.

If you are eligible for a Home Care Package, you may need to pay additional fees and charges, on top of the government funding you receive. This is covered by three types of fees: a basic daily fee, income tested care fee, and additional services fee. The basic daily fee is an amount set by the government at a percentage of the single basic age pension, depending on your Home Care Package level. An income tested care fee is an extra contribution that you may have to pay, depending on your financial circumstances. It is determined through an income assessment (note that full pensioners do not have to pay an income tested care fee). Providers may also charge an additional services fee for things that aren’t covered by your Home Care Package funding.

To fully understand of the cost of Home Care Package funding in Melbourne, make sure you consult with your home care provider regarding your specific needs and circumstances.

For those who have difficulty completing everyday tasks, living independently at home can be challenging. A Home Care Package can help by providing a variety of coordinated services, delivered by professional care workers, to assist with those tasks. These services may include doing laundry, managing your medication, podiatry services at home, social groups, transport to activities and appointments, and home maintenance. It can bring the following benefits for older people at home:

• Allow you to enjoy your independence for longer
• Avoid entering an aged care home prematurely
• Help you live safely at home, lowering the risk of falls
• Provide respite for family members who have caring responsibilities
• Help you enjoy better mental health as you are able to take care of yourself
• Increase your support network in your local community
• Provide companionship and opportunities for socialisation
• Help improve your physical health with healthcare services at home
• Help you stay connected to your local area, friends and family
• Mitigate the challenge of having to move away from your home as you age
• Give you more choice over how you age and your lifestyle

We offer:

• Personal care (e.g. help with getting dressed, bathing and washing your hair)
• Housework assistance (e.g. help with tasks like sweeping and doing the laundry)
• Meal preparation, meal services and grocery shopping
• Modifications to make your home safe to live in (e.g. stair rails, non-slip mats, wheelchair accessible doorways, ramps)
• therapy (e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, hearing and vision services and speech therapy)
• Clinical care at home to manage medical conditions and care for your health
• Wound care and management
• Social support, including activities and companionship
• Specialised support for medical conditions such as dementia
• Transport to appointments and activities
• Respite care to give family members a rest
• Garden and home maintenance to make your home safe to live in
• Palliative care to support people and their families
• Assistive technology and mobility equipment (e.g. wheelchairs, motorised scooters)