Home care services help thousands of older people stay in their home and live independently for longer. By offering different levels of care that is flexible and tailored to individual needs, home care services reduce the pressure on family and friends and on residential care services by offering in-home support. To enable more people to access these services, government funded home care packages are available to those deemed eligible to help cover the financial cost. To help you understand what home care packages are, what home package funds can be used for, and how to make the most of home care services for you or a loved one, we’ve created a home care package guide.

What Are Home Care Packages?

Home Care Packages are government-funded packages that subsidise the cost of in-home care. They are divided into four levels that range from basic care to complex care needs. Depending on your eligibility and care requirements, you’ll be allocated an annual budget which can be used to fund care services provided by a dedicated home care provider.

How Do Home Care Packages Work?

People are required to apply for eligibility, which is based on income or financial circumstances and care needs. If you are deemed eligible for a home care package, you will be assigned one of the four levels of care package, which has a maximum subsidised amount. You can then partner with a dedicated home care provider who will deliver the services that are covered by your care package.

Understanding Levels of Home Care Packages

The home care package levels cover different care needs, different funding amounts and different services. Understanding the different levels of home care packages will help you understand what level of support you or your loved one might need.

Level 1: Basic Care

This care package is best suited for seniors who need a small amount of support around the home, approximately 2-3 hours per week with a support worker. This support could include help with domestic chores, personal care, transport, meal preparation or social support. The subsidy amount for Level 1 is $10,687.20 per year.

Level 2: Low Care Needs

A Level 2 care package offers a slightly higher level of support for those who need more regular visits from support workers but don’t have any complex care needs. This support could include a range of domestic and/or personal care, as well as basic nurse care or more physical assistance. The subsidy amount for Level 2 is $18,793.85 per year.

Level 3: Intermediate Care

Intermediate care would be suitable for someone who needs in-home support most days of the week, requiring help to carry out day-to-day tasks and would be unable to do so without assistance. This could include domestic, personal and social care as well as nursing care and medication management. The subsidy amount for Level 3 is $40,905.55 per year. Level 4: Complex Care Needs The highest level of care, Level 4 is for those who have complex care or medical needs and require high level support for multiple hours a day. This could include nursing care, managing complex health issues like dementia or psychological issues, or palliative care. The subsidy amount for Level 4 is $62,013.50 per year.

What Can Home Care Package Funds Be Used For?

What you can use home care package funding on will depend on your package level and the kind of care that the funding covers. However, some of the common services home care packages can be used for include:

• Domestic assistance (cleaning, meal preparation, laundry, gardening, maintenance)
• Personal care (bathing, dressing, personal hygiene)
• Medication management
• Transportation
• Social support
• Nursing care
• Allied health support
• Advanced healthcare for complex physical or psychological conditions
• Palliative care

Getting The Right Support At The Right Time

If you or a family member are happy living in your home but are struggling to manage everything alone, it could be time to explore in-home care. Start by checking your eligibility for home care packages before looking at different services and service providers. In-home care Melbourne is designed to be flexible to suit your needs and your schedule, and to change with you if your care or support needs change. You may also be able to move up or down levels of home care packages if your circumstances change. For more information on home care packages or for help to determine how you can best access and use in-home care services, contact People First Healthcare today.