Home Care Packages help thousands of Australians to live independently at home for longer, rather than move into residential aged care. Home Care Packages are allocated across four levels, based on an individual’s assessed care needs. In this article we look at the support delivered by Home Care Package levels 1-4.
What is a Home Care Package?
Home Care Packages help seniors to live their best lives at home – for as long as they can.
They offer comprehensive home care services across four levels – covering everything from basic services to higher level nursing and medical support, such as a nurse visiting the home.
Subsidised by the Australian Government, each Home Care Package provides a set dollar amount each year, to help pay for the services you or your loved one needs.
The government pays Home Care Package funds directly to Home Care Package Providers, and they work with you or your loved one to choose and organise home help to suit your specific needs.
Read more:
What do I need to know about home care services? – Aged Care Decisions
What can I spend my home care package on? (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
Aged Care Decisions makes the home care journey so much easier for thousands of Australian families each month.
Here’s how Aged Care Decisions’ FREE aged care matching service works:
We use our custom-built software to consider your care needs, location, budget, and personal preferences and create a tailored Home Care Options Report for you.
Aged Care Decisions can help you find your ideal Home Care Package Provider with less stress, and running around, and at ZERO COST to you.
What support can you access at each Home Care Package level?
The tables below give you a general indication of what Home Care Package Levels 1-4 can cover. The type of support and frequency you can access with your Home Care package funds will vary depending upon your requirements, as well as the fees charged by your chosen Provider.
Home Care Package – Level 1
| Your care needs: | Level 1 Home Care Packages provide support for seniors who could benefit from help at home despite being more mobile and capable. |
| What can a Level 1 package provide? | A basic level of home help, such as cleaning or gardening, depending on the support you need. A Level 1 Home Care Package can accommodate a visit from support staff once or twice a week. |
| Approximate hours of services received: | Approx. 2 hours of support per week, depending on the services you require. |
| Government subsidy provided: | $10,687.20 per year. |
| Basic daily fee you will pay: | This depends on your provider – most providers Aged Care Decisions recommends do not charge this fee. The maximum daily fee payable is $11.72 |
| Income tested fee you may pay: | This fee is determined by Centrelink after you have completed an income and assets test. This fee can be up to $37.55 per day. |
| Service and management fees: | These are taken out of your package and vary depending on providers. |
| Additional fees you may pay: | Your home care provider may charge additional fees that they must disclose to you as part of their fee breakdown. |
Home Care Package – Level 2
| Your care needs: | Level 2 Home Care Packages are suitable for seniors who have a fair to moderate ability to live at home independently with some support. |
| What can a Level 2 package provide? | A low to moderate level of home care assistance with day-to-day tasks such as housework and meal preparation. A Level 2 Home Care Package provides more regular support staff visits and more time for personal care and social activities. |
| Approximate hours of services received: | Approx. 3.5 hours of support per week, depending on the services you require. |
| Government subsidy provided: | $18,793.85 per year. |
| Basic daily fee you will pay: | This depends on your provider – most providers Aged Care Decisions recommends do not charge this fee. The maximum daily fee payable is $12.40. |
| Income tested fee you may pay: | This fee is determined by Centrelink after you have completed an income and assets test. This fee can be up to $37.55 per day. |
| Service and management fees: | These are taken out of your package and vary depending on providers. |
| Additional fees you may pay: | Your home care provider may charge additional fees that they must disclose to you as part of their fee breakdown. |
Home Care Package – Level 3
| Your care needs: | Level 3 Home Care Packages are suitable for seniors who, based on their care needs, could be eligible for residential aged care, but who choose to keep living at home, with support. |
| What can a Level 3 package provide? | A higher level of assistance with daily tasks, self-care, and nursing support. At this level, a carer could visit most days of the week. Carers may have nursing qualifications and be able to perform more complex tasks. |
| Approximate hours of services received: | Approx. 8 hours of support per week, depending on the services you require. |
| Government subsidy provided: | $40,905.55 per year. |
| Basic daily fee you will pay: | This depends on your provider – most providers Aged Care Decisions recommends do not charge this fee. The maximum daily fee payable is $12.75. |
| Income tested fee you may pay: | This fee is determined by Centrelink after you have completed an income and assets test. This fee can be up to $37.55 per day. |
| Service and management fees: | These are taken out of your package and vary depending on providers. |
| Additional fees you may pay: | Your home care provider may charge additional fees that they must disclose to you as part of their fee breakdown. |
Home Care Package – Level 4
| Your care needs: | Level 4 Home Care Packages offer a high level of home help and nursing support for seniors with complex needs. |
| What can a Level 4 package provide? | Comprehensive assistance with daily tasks, self-care, nursing care and medical support. At this level, a carer can visit daily to provide an increased level of nursing assistance. |
| Approximate hours of services received: | Approx. 12.5 hours of support per week, depending on the services you require. |
| Government subsidy provided: | $62,013.50 per year. |
| Basic daily fee you will pay: | This depends on your provider – most providers Aged Care Decisions recommends do not charge this fee. The maximum daily fee payable is $13.08. |
| Income tested fee you may pay: | This fee is determined by Centrelink after you have completed an income and assets test. This fee can be up to $37.55 per day. |
| Service and management fees: | These are taken out of your package and vary depending on providers. |
| Additional fees you may pay: | Your home care provider may charge additional fees that they must disclose to you as part of their fee breakdown. |
Find out more about Home Care Package fees and charges here:
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is eligible for a Home Care Package?
Seniors who are 65 years or older (or 50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) may qualify for a Home Care Package.
A younger person with a disability, dementia or other care needs not met through other specialist services may also be eligible for a Home Care Package.
The quickest way to check your eligibility for a Home Care Package is by using My Aged Care’s eligibility checker.
Read more about eligibility here:
Who is eligible for a home care package? – Aged Care Decisions
How to I apply for a Home Care Package?
An ACAT assessment is the first step you need to take to receive Home Care Package levels 1-4. During the assessment, a member of the Aged Care Assessment Team, usually a nurse, social worker, or health care professional, will interview you to check your physical and mental health. The interview is usually conducted in your home and takes around 1-3 hours, depending on your care needs.
Read more about ACAT Assessments, and how to organise one, how they work, and the timings involved:
ACAT Assessment Guide – everything you need to know (agedcaredecisions.com.au)
How do I find home care providers?
This is where Aged Care Decisions can help.
We are a FREE and independent service that can help you find aged care vacancies and providers that suit your unique needs.
We use custom-built software that takes your location, budget, specific care needs and personal preferences, and creates a tailored aged care Options Report for you. This report narrows your search down to only include providers with availability, that match your needs.
Essentially, we do all the running around for you – and it costs you nothing.
Contact us here to get started.
