The Australian Government recognises that most older Australians want to remain independent and to live at home for as long as possible, while also having the option of entering residential care, if and when, the time comes.
Home Care Packages provide home-based care that can improve older Australians’ quality of life and help them to remain active and connected to their own communities. They are coordinated by an approved home care provider, with funding provided by the Australian Government under the Aged Care Act.
From 1 August 2013, a new Home Care Packages Program replaced the former community and flexible packaged care programs – Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs), Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) packages, and Extended Aged Care and Home Dementia (EACHD) packages.
A Home Care Package is a coordinated package of services tailored to meet the consumer’s specific care needs.
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) 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 between you and your provider must be affordable within the funding available for the package.
These changes introduced four package levels to assist older people to remain living at home for as long as possible:
- Home Care Level 1 – a new package to support people with basic care needs
- Home Care Level 2 – a package to support people with low level care needs (equivalent to the former Community Aged Care Package CACP)
- Home Care Level 3 – a new package to support people with intermediate care needs
- Home Care Level 4 – a package to support people with high level care needs (equivalent to the former Extended Aged Care at Home and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia Packages EACH and EACHD)
The types of service provided under a Home Care Package will depend on your needs, and a package gives you the choice and flexibility in the way that care and support is provided to you.
The main difference between the home care packages is the amount of care and services that can be provided to the you based on your assessed need.
The goal of our Home Care Package program is to assist our clients to remain living independently in their home, giving the client the choice and flexibility on how that care and support is provided.
These amendments also introduced the Dementia and Cognition Supplement and the Veterans’ Supplement that commenced on 1 August 2013. There is no longer a separate EACHD package as a Dementia and Cognition Supplement can apply in home care across all four levels where a consumer meets the relevant eligibility criteria for the supplement.
While a veteran may be eligible for both supplements, the service provider may claim only one supplement per consumer.
Please use our Business Directory Search facility to find ‘Home Care Package’ providers in your local area.
