The older you get, you might find that you need that little bit of extra support to continue living independently at home.
For example, perhaps you are finding everyday tasks such as housework and going to the shops are becoming difficult to do on your own.
One option that is available to you is a home care package.
But what is it? What does it do? What services are involved? We think you might have a few questions like this to ask which is why we’ve written this blog to explain everything to you.
What is a Home Care Package?
Essentially, a home care package is a government-funded program that enables older Australian’s to receive care services in their home and allows them to live independently for as long as possible.
Services that elderly Australian’s will have access to include:
- Home help
- Personal care
- Cleaning
- Nursing care
- Respite
- Gardening
- Meal preparation
- Shopping
- Transportation
- Case management and coordination
- Social support
- Medication management
- Equipment and home modification
- Allied health including massage, physiotherapy, and podiatry
There are four levels of home care packages available which have different funding amounts, ranging from basic support (level 1) through to high care needs (level 4).
Once you have been approved, you’ll be assigned the level that best suits your needs and circumstances. You’re then able to choose the home care service provider that you want, provided they are approved by the government to offer home care packages.
How Much Care Can I Get With a Home Care Package?
The amount of care that you are eligible for will depend on what level you have been approved for.
Once you’ve been approved for a particular level, you and your home care service provider will decide together how best to spend your funding, based on your needs and what will be most useful to you at home.
How Much Will a Home Care Package Cost Me?
Having a home care package will make receiving care in your home much more affordable. It’s also worth noting that part of your package will be subsidised by the government, depending on which level you are approved for.
With this in mind, and if you can afford it, you would be expected to contribute a certain amount of funds to your home care. This is called a basic daily fee.
To get an understanding of how much you might need to contribute towards your home care package, we’d recommend using the fee estimator calculator on the My Aged Care website.
How Do I Apply?
As there is a waiting period for getting approved for your home care package, we’d recommend applying as soon as possible. If you would like some help with the application process, please contact us and we can get you started.
If you would like to find out more about how our home care packages can support you, please click here to leave an enquiry or call us on (03) 8720 1338.