Maximising your Home Care Package starts with selecting the best home care provider for YOUR needs. This guide will give you the confidence to choose a provider who prioritises your well-being and ensures you receive the care and support you deserve to live comfortably at home.
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Which Home Care Package Provider is right for you?
Your Home Care Package funds are there to support YOU.
And your Home Care Package Provider should make the most of your package funds to deliver the supports and services you need to live your best life at home.
When choosing a provider, key considerations should include:
- Availability – A Home Care Package Provider should have the staffing and resource capacity to accommodate the care you require. An important question to ask is when they will be able to commence care services.
- Cost – Not all Home Care Package Providers apply the same fees and charges. You’ll need to choose a provider that can maximise the care hours you can get within your budget. You don’t want your budget eaten up by excessive fees and charges.
- Range of services – The Home Care Package Provider you choose should be able to deliver all the services you are eligible for, e.g., home maintenance, personal grooming support, transport etc.
- Specialised services – If you or your loved one have specific needs in terms of care, check to confirm if they can be met by the providers you are considering.
- Diverse needs – Many Australians don’t speak English as a first language. If this is the case for you or your loved one, you will ideally find a Home Care Package Provider that offers services in languages other than English.
- Quality – Always confirm that providers you’re considering meet the Aged Care Quality Standards for Australia.
What makes a good Home Care Package Provider?
A good Home Care Package Provider also needs to tick these boxes:
- A good track record of services delivery
- A dedicated Care Manager allocated to you
- Regular reviews of your home care plan and services
- Specific checks are completed to ensure quality of service, and
- An efficient system for handling complaints
To make this process easier, we’ve created a handy list of questions you should ask when deciding on a Home Care Package Provider.
You can download this resource here:
How to prepare for your meeting with a potential Home Care Package Provider
When you meet a potential Home Care Package Provider, have a copy of your Home Care Package approval letter and support plan with you so you can discuss your needs. My Aged Care also recommends you have a copy of your income assessment/means test outcome if you have one.
Before the meeting, write down any questions you want to ask to make sure you don’t forget anything.
My Aged Care have also compiled a list of recommended questions that could be helpful.
Who can be present at the meeting?
An initial meeting with a Home Care Package Provider will present a LOT of information, so it’s a great idea to have someone with you. Many people opt to invite a family member, friend or carer along to help capture and process all the details.
If you don’t have anyone to attend meetings with you, you can apply for advocacy support through My Aged Care.
Can you change home care service providers?
YES! You can change service providers at any time.
A provider cannot charge you an exit fee.
People change service providers for many reasons including:
- Relocating
- Looking for a better price
- More specific needs
- Wanting to work with different carers
If you have cause to change service providers, you must let your provider know as soon as possible. Some providers will have clauses in their initial contracts stating how much notice is required before leaving.
Read more:
Three steps to switching home care providers – at no cost (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
Aged Care Decisions can assist you to find a Home Care Package Provider you’ll love.
Our 100% FREE service can match your location, budget, care needs and personal preferences with Home Care Package Providers that suit your specific needs. We do the running around for you – and it costs you NOTHING.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Home Care
What is a Home Care Package and what can it pay for?
Home care is provided to help older Australians to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible. Service providers come to the home to complete tasks such as cleaning, maintenance, personal care and daily tasks that the home care recipient may find difficult to do for themselves at home.
The Australian Government provides funding for these services via Home Care Packages. This funding covers (or partly covers) the cost of a coordinated mix of services that can include:
- Bathing, hygiene, and grooming
- Wound dressing
- Meals and food preparation
- Help with impairments or continence
- Cleaning, laundry, and other chores
- Home or garden maintenance
- Changes to the home (to help with mobility)
- Aids to stay independent
- Transport to an appointment and social outings
Home care may also include visits from a podiatrist, physiotherapist or other health services provider.
This article outlines exactly what a Home Care Package can and cannot pay for: What can my Home Care Package funds be used for? (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
Who is eligible for a Home Care Package in Australia?
All Australians 65 years and older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) are eligible to apply for a Home Care Package.
An individual might be eligible and in need of home care if they have:
- noticed a change in what they can do or remember
- been diagnosed with a medical condition or have reduced mobility, to the point where they need support to complete daily tasks
- experienced a change in family care arrangements, or
- experienced a recent fall or hospital admission
To quickly check your eligibility for a Home Care Package, use My Aged Care’s online Assessment Eligibility Checker.
Read more:
Who is eligible for a government funded Home Care Package? (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
What Home Care Packages are available in Australia?
There are four levels of Home Care Packages available for older Australians, depending on the needs of the individual:
| Level 1: | At this level, funding is provided to cover basic needs which generally allows an individual to receive a few visits a week from qualified carers. |
| Level 2: | Level two funding will cover a slightly higher level of care with more frequent visits. |
| Level 3: | The third level supports seniors with higher needs. At this level, there is enough funding to allow carers to visit most days of the week, often helping with things like showering, grooming and administering medical treatments. |
| Level 4: | This highest level provides for eligible Australians with high-level needs. Home Care funded by a level 4 Package will normally involve everyday visits from a care worker or a nurse. |
Read more:
The support delivered by Home Care Package levels 1-4 (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
How do you get assessed for a Home Care Package?
During the early stages of organising home care for an older Australian, an assessment is carried out to ascertain the appropriate level of care. Once the assessment (referred to as an ACAT) is complete, the individual (usually with the help of their family or a case manager) will need to choose a Home Care Package Provider.
Read more:
ACAT Assessment Guide – everything you need to know (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
How do home care costs and fees work?
What you may need to contribute to the cost of a Home Care Package will depend on you income and assets.
Fees and costs also differ between providers.
This article outlines how Home Care Package fees work, and how to estimate what you will need to pay:
How much will a Home Care Package cost you? (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
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