A Home Care Package can assist you or your loved one to remain independent and receive the home care services and support you need to live safely and comfortably at home for as long as you can. Let’s look at what a Home Care Package can pay for and how to find Home Care Package Providers near me:
What a Home Care Package can pay for
Many older Australians could use a little help with everyday chores and tasks.
A major benefit of Home Care Package allocation is being able to live independently at home without constantly relying on the support of family. Home Care services are tailored to cover the costs related to your or your loved one’s specific needs.
Depending on the Home Care Support Package level you are assigned, the package can pay for:
| Medical care | Visits from a registered nurse who can provide medical attention for chronic conditions. Service providers can also help with medication management and wound care. The service provider may be a registered nurse or a qualified carer, depending on the duties they perform. |
| Personal care and grooming | Regular visits to assist with personal care and grooming, including showering, shaving, brushing hair and keeping finger/toenails under control. |
| Home administration | Help to keep track of household paperwork, pay bills, and minimise the impact of deteriorating eyesight when completing administrative tasks. |
| Chores and housekeeping | Household cleaning, washing dishes, doing laundry, changing bed linen and general tidying. |
| Garden maintenance | Light gardening tasks that the individual could previously carry out themselves but can no longer do safely. E.g., lawn mowing, weeding of established garden beds and yard clearance where there are issues of safety and access. More extensive gardening is the responsibility of the homeowner. |
| Home maintenance | Minor home maintenance services including minor electrical work and plumbing. |
| Shopping and meal preparation | Assistance with shopping trips and organising transport, which is particularly helpful if driving or catching public transport are no longer safe options. Home carers can also help with meal preparation. In some cases, a Package may cover the cost of special dietary foods or supplements. |
| Home delivered meals | Many pre-made food service and meal delivery companies partner with Home Care Package providers. Your provider may cover 70% of the cost of home-delivered meals. |
| Travel support | Transport and personal assistance to help a care recipient to shop, visit health practitioners or attend social activities. |
| Goods, equipment, and assistive technology | Practical tools to help cope with functional limitations, such as shower chairs, specialised eating utensils, personal alarms, sensor mats, bed rails, mechanical devices for lifting and modified appliances. Specialised equipment to support mobility and dexterity, such as a pressure-relieving mattress or electrical adjustable or hospital bed. |
| Mobility aids | Walking frames, wheelchairs, lift chairs and mobility scooters can be included if specified in an individual’s care plan. |
| Home modifications | Home modifications can be funded under the HCP Program in clinically justified circumstance that improve safety and accessibility and promote independence. For example: widening doorways for wheelchair access, removing shower hobs and installing an ambulant toilet. |
| Allied health services | Allied health services such as podiatry, physiotherapy, chiropractic, hydrotherapy, and remedial massage can be included when they are required due to age-related functional decline and these services are not concurrently being funded by another government program. |
| Dementia care | Clients with dementia can receive dementia-specific therapy under a Home Care Package |
| Social support and companionship | Not everyone has the luxury of visiting their elderly parents at home every week, so living independently can become lonely for seniors. Home carers can simply drop in for a cup of tea, to provide companionship and to help a care recipient stay connected in the community. A carer can also research local activities for seniors and organise the appropriate transport to and from these events. |
What’s not included in a Home Care Package?
Can I buy a fridge with my Home Care Package? In short, no.
The following items are not covered by Home Care Package funds:
| Groceries | Groceries are excluded, apart from medically prescribed supplementary food products, and formulas required for enteral feeding. |
| Day-to-day bills | Electricity, water bills, car registration, petrol and other day-to-day expenses are generally excluded. |
| Medications | Medicines are excluded under the HCP Program as the Australian Government already funds a multi–billion–dollar medicine program through the PBS and public hospitals to support patients who cannot afford their medications, including over the counter products. Non-PBS medicines cannot be purchased using Aged Care Package funds. Cannabis oil is also excluded. |
| Fees and charges applicable to other government funded care | Home care fees, or payment for services and items covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or other government schemes. |
| Home modifications or capital items that are not related to the person’s ageing–related care needs | Modifications for aesthetic reasons, such as more expensive tile choices, heated towel rails or replacement of flooring are excluded. Heating and cooling systems are not covered, nor are significant floor plan changes, or the replacement of water tanks and hot water systems. |
| Household appliances | White goods such as fridges and household appliances are generally excluded. Exceptions may include a washing machine and dryer in the case of severe and permanent incontinence, or a tipping kettle designed specifically for frailty. |
| Electronics | Laptops, phones, and similar electronics are excluded, as are telephone and internet costs. Exceptions may include the purchase of IT equipment in cases that involve homelessness, medication management, and social isolation. |
| Entertainment expenses | Including club memberships, tickets to events and gambling |
IMPORTANT: Be sure to clarify what is and is not covered by your package directly with your Home Care Provider.
Extra subsidies and supplements
If you or your loved one could use further help, you may be eligible for subsidies and supplements that provide additional support for people with specific conditions.
