What is a Home Care Package (HCP)?
Home Care Packages—which are often referred to as aged care packages—are coordinated packages of care and services that empower older Australians to continue living independently and safely in their own homes. There are four levels of home care packages, each including a specific amount of government-subsidised funding and additional supplements for eligible applicants.
Home care in Australia is a consumer-directed marketplace, meaning HCP recipients can choose the service providers and home care services that best fit their care needs and goals. Our Home Care Package guidelines provide more details.
Who is eligible for Home Care Packages?
To apply for a Home Care Package, Australians need to register with My Aged Care and answer a series of questions designed to assess their care needs.
Once the application is submitted, My Aged Care sends out an assessor from the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) for a free assessment to determine the applicant’s eligibility and the best home care package level to meet their care needs. ACAT assessors—who are typically nurses, social workers or health care professionals—also provide information about local home care and aged care services while helping applicants obtain the care they need.
Ultimately, Home Care Packages are for people and older Australians who require more complex support services than those available through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme. CHSP is typically used to cover basic care needs, while home care is suited for intermediate care needs and high care needs.
How Do Home Care Packages Work?
Home Care Packages come in four different levels. Recipients are approved for a specific level of service depending on how much support they require to continue living independently. Each HCP level includes a set amount of government funding, which is paid directly to the home care provider chosen by the care recipient.
Package recipients might also be asked to contribute to the cost of their HCP with home care fees.
Some Home Care Package providers ask their clients to pay a basic daily fee, which is added to the recipient’s subsidy to increase the funds available in their package budget. Income-tested care fees, meanwhile, are required of recipients who meet a specified income threshold. The fee estimator tool on My Aged Care can help applicants and their loved ones figure out how much they might have to contribute toward a Home Care Package.
The government contribution changes on 1 July every year.
Package recipients can allocate their HCP funds however they choose, and different providers charge different rates for similar services. That’s why shopping around and comparing prices is so important—it helps care recipients maximise the impact of their Home Care Packages.
Now, let’s cover the most important question: What can home care package funds be used for?
What Services are Included in Home Care Packages?
So, what can funds be used for?
Each level of Home Care Package includes various services, and package recipients choose which services to spend their budget on based on their specific care needs.
Health and Nursing Care
Most Home Care Package levels include nursing care from skilled providers who can visit regularly. Nurses can oversee medication management, administer skin and wound care, and deliver ongoing care for chronic conditions such as vision degeneration and diabetes. Home Care Packages also cover speciality health services, such as podiatry and physiotherapy, plus healthcare services for complex conditions such as dementia and memory loss.
Personal Care
Personal care services are available for care recipients with declining motor skills. Carers can assist with personal hygiene (showering, grooming, etc.) and other fundamental daily tasks, including meal preparation and eating with utensils.
Many seniors have family members who assist with personal care before they receive their Home Care Package. But sometimes, families and loved ones need a break, too, which is why funds can also be used for respite care. With respite care, temporary carers step in for family members so they can address their own needs. Alternatively, full-time live-in care is also available for HCP recipients who require extensive, continual care.
Home Maintenance
Home Care Packages are designed to keep older Australians safe in their own homes, so funding can be used to cover many home maintenance needs. Packages include basic chores such as house cleaning and gardening, plus necessary home modifications to ensure the environment is safe, accessible and preventative of falls. Some examples of home modifications for the elderly include ramps for wheelchair users, shower chairs, and other pieces of accessibility equipment that ensure the care recipient’s home is optimised to their needs and care plan.
Social Care
Lastly, Home Care Packages can include funding for social supports and services that help recipients remain active and involved in their communities. A few examples might be:
- Transport for those who can’t drive, especially for essential activities such as doctor visits
- Community and social activities, such as classes and gym memberships
- Companion care services, through which package recipients can receive help with errands, transportation, social activities and light housework
Example: What Does a Level 3 Home Care Package Include?
A Level 3 package provides intermediate-level care. It’s for a person who needs ongoing support and help, but whose needs are less complex than someone who requires a home care package level 4.
Here’s a sample of the types of services that a Level 3 package could fund:
What Services are NOT Included in Home Care Packages?
When it comes to services and providers, home care recipients in Australia have many options to ensure they receive the most optimised care for their specific situation.
However, some services don’t qualify for Home Care Package funding.
In broad terms, anything that is normally purchased out of a general income doesn’t qualify for funding. Here are five examples of items and services that are and are not covered by a Home Care Packages budget:
- Grocery purchases are not covered, but special food purchases for enteral feeding requirements are covered
- Mortgage payments and monthly rent payments are not covered, but home modifications that are necessary for accessibility are covered
- Entertainment activities (such as club memberships or tickets to events) are not covered, but activities that help you stay connected in your community may be covered
- Holiday trips are not covered, but health-related retreats may be covered
- Fees or charges that are already funded by the Australian Government (such as services covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule) are not covered
If you’re still curious about what home care package funds can be used for, review section 9 of the Home Care Packages Operation Manual (“Inclusions and Exclusions”) or call us at 1300 85 40 80 for more information.
You can also download our free eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Home Care Packages, which has lots of information about this topic plus details about finding home care providers, managing home care services, and other home care package guidelines.
