Everyone likes to think that they’ll continue leading independent lifestyles as they age. For most people, there’s no reason why that goal cannot be a reality. However, some people may need care and support as they get older to continue having independence and freedom.
While some relatives, especially children, may offer to become primary carers and provide in home care for their elderly parents or family members, it’s not always a realistic solution. As you can appreciate, most family members already have families of their own to support.
Plus, few family members are fully trained and qualified care professionals. That means they might not know the best ways to attend to their loved one’s home care needs, especially with disability care and dementia care.
With all that in mind, it often makes sense for a loved one to look at receiving a home care package. The following describes more about home care packages in detail and how they can pay for “at home care” by an NDIS provider or supported independent living provider.
What Is a Home Care Package?
In a nutshell, home care packages are effective ways for older Australians to get affordable domiciliary care and personal care at home. They’re ideal for people who have complex or intensive care needs and need a coordinated approach to private care at home.
Home care packages get subsidised by the Australian government and enable older adults to get financial assistance with all kinds of home care services. The types of services your loved one can get financial help with include:
There are certain costs that home care packages won’t cover, such as food, holidays, and payment for services covered by other schemes like the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Home care packages get provided by organisations like HomeCaring.
Who Is Eligible For Home Care Packages?
Your loved one will likely be eligible for a home care package if they’re an elderly person who needs coordinated care services to help them lead an independent life at home, and they don’t need to live in group homes or disability accommodation.
Suppose you currently provide primary care services for your family member. In that case, a home care package can offer financial support towards respite care, enabling you to balance your home and work life better while still providing care for your loved one.
Home care packages can also help pay towards palliative care costs and live in care if your family member needs 24 hour care or overnight care. Also, your family member is likely eligible for home care packages if they need NDIS support coordination.
Navigating the Home Care Package Process
Before helping your family member with their home care package journey, it first makes sense to discuss their care needs. As you can imagine, starting a conversation on the topic can sometimes be challenging.
That’s because your loved one might feel anxious that aged care provision will only mean them moving out of their home and into a group home. You could start the conversation by asking if they think they’d benefit from extra help around the house and in the garden.
It’s essential you stress they have several options for their care needs and that you only want to help them find an option that best suits them. You should also highlight that your goal is to help them be independent at home and living in familiar surroundings.
The following are some practical steps to help your family member navigate the home care package process:
Starting the Process
The first step in the home care package process is completing an assessment. It must get conducted by the Aged Care Assessment Team and is typically known as an ACAT assessment.
To arrange an assessment, you will need to contact My Aged Care. They are the national aged care service set up by the Australian government. Before you contact My Aged Care, it’s worth discussing your loved one’s care needs.
My Aged Care will want to learn more about your family member’s living arrangements, their health details, along with any care and support they are already receiving and any limitations your loved one currently experiences at home.
It’s worth bearing in mind that your family member may get a home support assessment conducted by a regional assessment service. As with ACAT assessments, home support assessments get conducted in your loved one’s home.
A home support assessment might occur if My Aged Care feels your family member may benefit from entry-level services offered by the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
However, if My Aged Care believes your loved one might need higher levels of care, they’ll continue with an ACAT assessment.
Completing the Home Care Package Assessment
The person that carries out your loved one’s ACAT assessment is usually a local healthcare professional, such as a nurse or social worker. The good news is your family member can have you or another relative present at the assessment.
Whoever is conducting the ACAT assessment will ask a range of questions, such as:
It’s essential that your family member knows they have certain rights during the assessment. The goal is to end up with a home care package that best suits the needs of your relative – not the government.
It can make sense to prepare a list of questions to ask the assessor, such as which services are available locally and what are the possible waiting times. The ACAT assessor will also need to see some information from your loved one, such as:
Eligibility for Home Care Packages
If an ACAT assessment gets conducted, your family member will need to wait for the assessor’s decision. That’s because there are many variables they’ll need to consider, such as whether home care packages, short-term care, or care home options are appropriate.
When the assessor reaches a decision, they will write to you or your family member and inform them of the outcome. The letter usually gets sent out around two weeks after the assessment.
It’s worth bearing in mind that if your family member is eligible for a home care package, it could take months to get allocated one. That’s because there’s, unfortunately, a long waiting list.
If your loved one isn’t eligible for a home care package, it’s possible to appeal the decision by requesting a review from ACAT.
Calculating the Costs
Assuming your family member is eligible for a home care package, you’ll need to calculate the costs for their care. There are four different home care package levels, and your loved one might get asked to contribute towards the costs depending on their income.
It’s possible to apply for financial hardship assistance; if successful, the fees they are liable to pay will get waived or reduced.
Selecting a Senior Care Provider
Lastly, your loved one will need to choose a provider for their home care package. Thankfully, there are numerous senior care providers, so you both shouldn’t have trouble selecting the right one for your family member’s needs.
There are a few ways that you can find the best care provider. For example, shortlisting NDIS service providers can help you find home care package providers that are approved for NDIS.
It’s also worth conducting online research into each suitable provider and finding out more about the services they offer and their commitment to quality care in the community.
Interim Care
As mentioned earlier, it can take some time for elderly Australians to get assigned home care packages. In the meantime, it makes sense to organise in home care for your loved one.
Your family member’s care needs don’t have to be expensive, and if they have some savings, they can use some of that to pay towards the costs until they start receiving the government’s subsidised home care package.
Conclusion
The home care package process can seem like a daunting one at the best of times. However, it’s a straightforward process if you’re willing to help your family member navigate it the right way.
Spending some time researching the process and having the correct information to hand during the ACAT assessment will make the home care package process easier to navigate and reduce stress and anxiety for your loved one.
’Twas the Friday before Christmas & all through the land,
Home Caring united, a festive day so grand.
With our staff and clients together as one,
We celebrated Christmas, full of love and fun.
From Craigieburn’s cheer to South Perth’s delight,
Rockhampton’s joy sparkled so bright.
Campbelltown gathered, Hurstville did too,
Smithfield and Altona also spread Christmas hues.
With laughter and love felt far and wide,
Our epic Christmas parties warmed hearts inside.
A shoutout to every team who made it so sweet—
This festive season you’ve made it complete! 🎄🩵
#HomeCaringChristmas #TogetherAsOne #FestiveJoy #MeaningfulConnections #CelebratingCare #haveahollyjollychristmas
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The Australian Government has announced significant changes to the aged care system introducing the Support at Home program set to commence on 1 July 2025. This initiative aims to enhance support for older Australians enabling them to remain in their homes longer and receive more personalised care.
Key Features of the Support at Home Program:
• Reduced Wait Times: The program will shorten the waiting period for in-home aged care services ensuring timely assistance for those in need.
• Tailored Support Levels: Support at Home introduces eight levels of ongoing care replacing the previous four, to better match individual needs.
• No Caps on Cleaning and Gardening: Unlike previous programs there will be no annual caps on cleaning and gardening services allowing for more comprehensive support.
• Care Management Cap: A 10% cap on care management costs will remain in place to maintain affordability.
• Assistive Technology Access: The program will expedite access to assistive devices like walkers and wheelchairs enhancing mobility and independence.
• Increased Support Funding: The maximum support level will rise from $61,000 to $78,000, providing more resources for those with complex needs.
• Restorative and Allied Health Services: There will be a temporary funding boost for restorative and allied health services, aiding recovery and well-being.
• Palliative Care Support: The program includes provisions for palliative care allowing older Australians to spend their final weeks at home surrounded by loved ones.
Staged Implementation of Price Caps:
Price caps on services will be phased in starting from 1 July 2026. For the first year providers will continue to set their own prices similar to the current Home Care Packages program. In early 2025, consultations will be held with older people, advocates, families, carers and the sector to ensure fair pricing and robust consumer protections during this transition.
No Worse Off Principle:
To protect existing Home Care Package recipients, the government has introduced the “No Worse Off” principle:
• Grandfathering: Individuals approved for a Home Care Package as of 12 September 2024 will transition to the new system without financial disadvantage.
• Fee Structure: If you were a full-rate pensioner paying no fees under your Home Care Package as of 12 September 2024, you will continue to pay no fees under Support at Home. If you were required to pay fees, you will pay the same or less under the new program.
At Home Caring we are dedicated to supporting our older community members through these changes. We are committed to ensuring the financial safety and well-being of our clients providing personalised care that aligns with the new Support at Home program. Our team is here to assist you in navigating these updates, ensuring you receive the care and support you deserve. 🩵
For more detailed information please refer to the Department of Health and Aged Care’s consumer fact sheet: www.health.gov.au/resources/ publications/support-at-home-program-fact-sheet-changes-to-support-at-home-pricing-arrangements-for-older-people-families-and-carers?language=en
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Happy Friday HC fam! Sending love from our wonderful Home Caring Craigieburn team! It’s been an incredibly productive week filled with exciting events across Australia and we couldn’t be more thrilled about what’s to come. As the new year approaches we’re counting down the days to continue growing innovating and supporting our cherished clients with the care they deserve 🩵 ... See MoreSee Less
What an incredible way to wrap up the year! Yesterday Home Caring proudly co-hosted the Merry & Mingle event alongside our NSW RM Zoë and Hannah from the Connector Co team and it was nothing short of inspiring. Together we raised an incredible $1,300 for Lou’s Place, supporting women in need this festive season. This means around 20 women will receive vital support over Christmas—what a gift to be part of something so meaningful! The energy in the room was contagious and the heartfelt insights shared by Chris Mahoney from CM Wellness and Amy Dillon from Mynd & Me left us feeling empowered and inspired. Chris’s breathwork session reminded us all of the importance of mindfulness especially during this busy holiday period.
It was also truly special to see so many familiar faces from across our Home Caring network with teams from Baulkham Hills, Sutherland Shire and Campbelltown coming together to show their support. The sense of community, compassion and connection in the room was a testament to the incredible people we work alongside every day. A huge thank you to everyone who attended, supported and donated - your generosity will leave a lasting impact 🩵
#SupportingCommunities #MindfulConnections #NDISWellness #WomenHelpingWomen #HolidayCareAndCompassion
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