HCP_Support@polishfederation.org.au

Home Care Package

If you want to stay in your own home as you get older, but need some help with things like cleaning and preparing meals, or with transport so you can go shopping or attend appointments, a Home Care Package may be for you.

What is a Home Care Package?

A Home Care Package provides a co-ordinated package of services tailored to meet your specific care needs. A Home Care Package provides services that can:

• help you to stay at home

• give you choice and flexibility in the way that care and support is provided to you.

Home Care Packages are subsidised by the Commonwealth Government through MyAgedCare

What types of services are provided?

The types of services provided under a Home Care Package will depend on your needs. Your home care provider co-ordinates care and services to support you at home.

A range of services may be provided under a Home Care Package, including:

• personal services – such as help with showering or bathing, dressing and mobility

• support services – such as help with washing and ironing, house cleaning, gardening, basic home maintenance, home modifications related to your care needs, and transport to help you do shopping, visit your doctor or attend social activities

• clinical care – such as nursing and other health support including physiotherapy (exercise, mobility, strength and balance), services of a dietitian (nutrition assessment, food and nutrition advice, dietary changes) and hearing and vision services.

You and your home care provider can also negotiate other services to support you to live at home where these are identified in your care plan. For example, you may benefit from some aids and equipment to assist with mobility, communication or personal safety.

Whatever is agreed must be affordable within the funding available for the package.

How do I know if a Home Care Package is right for me?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you an older person who needs some help to stay in your own home?

• Are you struggling with some aspects of living at home, but you’re still able to manage most of the time?

• Do you think if you don’t get some help at home, you might have to go into an aged care home before you’re ready?

• Are you a younger person with a disability, dementia or other special care needs that are not met through specialist services?

If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you may be eligible for a Home Care Package.

There is no minimum age for accessing a Home Care Package, but you will need to be assessed as eligible by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) or an Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS) in Victoria. This is explained below.

What types of packages are available?

There are four levels of Home Care Packages which are designed to give you the care you need:

• Level 1 supports people with basic care needs

• Level 2 supports people with low-level care needs.

• Level 3 supports people with intermediate care needs

• Level 4 supports people with high-level care needs.

What if I have additional needs?

Supplements are available to make sure you receive the care you need, which can include:

• Dementia and Cognition Supplement

• Veterans’ Supplement for veterans with service-related mental health conditions accepted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs

• Oxygen Supplement for people with an ongoing medical need for oxygen

• Enteral Feeding Supplement for people who need enteral feeding on an ongoing basis.

These supplements are available with any of the four levels of Home Care Packages. If you are eligible, your home care provider will receive some extra funding to make sure you receive the care you need. You do not need to apply for these supplements. Your home care provider will apply on your behalf, or in some cases, the supplement will be paid automatically to your provider.

What is a Home Care Agreement?

All people receiving care under a Home Care Package must be offered a Home Care Agreement. This is an agreement between you and your home care provider that sets out what care and services you will receive.

Any government funding is paid to the home care provider. Your provider can then spend the funds on the items you both agreed to in the Home Care Agreement.

What is Consumer Directed Care?

Some Home Care Packages are delivered on a Consumer Directed Care (CDC) basis. CDC gives you more choice and control over the types of care and services you receive, how care is delivered and who delivers it to you.

Under CDC, you determine the level of involvement you would like to have in managing your own package. You will be provided with a personalised budget so that you can see how much funding is available for services and how the money is being spent.

Currently only some Home Care Packages are provided on a CDC basis; however, from 1 July 2015 all Home Care Packages will offer CDC. Speak with your home care provider to see whether a CDC package is available.

How do I get a Home Care Package?

You will need to be assessed by a member of an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT), to receive help at home through a Home Care Package.

The assessment team is made up of a range of health professionals to help you work out what your care needs ar, and whether a Home Care Packages would assist you.

ACAT referrals are made through Access To Home Care (A2HC) on:

PH: 1300 130 551

You can also contact our office: PH: 8232 1464 or 1300 79 20 60

ACAT requests can be accepted from people themselves, their family, friends, doctors and community agencies.

If you are assessed as eligible for a package, you will be put in touch with home care providers in your area. There may be a waiting period for packages in some areas. Once you have been offered a package by a home care provider, they will help you plan your package based on your specific needs.

Who pays for Home Care Packages?

If you take up a Home Care Package on or after 1 July 2014, your service provider may ask you to pay:

• a basic fee of up to 17.5% of the single basic Age Pension

• an income-tested care fee if your income is over a certain amount.

The Australian Government pays for the bulk of aged care in Australia, but as with all aged care services, you may be asked to contribute towards the cost of your care if your income is over a certain amount.

Further useful information and resources

For more information about Home Care Packages please:

2. call the Office of the Federation of Polish Organisations in SA Inc. on PH: 8232 1464 or 1300 79 20 60

3. call My Aged Care on PH: 1300 200 422

4. visit  a webpage: www.myagedcare.gov.au

Comments and complaints

Every person who is not satisfied with our services has a right to make suggestions or complaints to the Coordinator of Home Care Services by telephone on: (08) 8232 1464 or 1300 79 20 60

or in writing to:

Federation of Polish Organisations in SA Inc
Program Opieki Domowej
230 Angas St.
Adelaide SA 5000

If complaint problem is still not resolved after contacting the Polish Federation, you can also contact the Aged Care Complaints Scheme on:

1800 550 552

Additional information

My Aged Care – Information
PH: 1800 200 422

National Aged Care Advocacy Line
PH: 1800 700 600

Aged Rights Advocacy Services
PH: 1800 802 030

Translating and Interpreting Service
PH: 131 450