What is Home Care?
A Home Care Package allows you to receive government subsidised Home Care. Home Care is when a trained individual comes into someone’s home to help support them in activities of daily such grooming, domestic assistance, or social support out into the local community.
The aim of Home Care is help support an ageing population remain independent at home, whilst still helping individuals get the support they need.
What is the Home Care Packages Program (HCPP)?
The Home Care Packages Program helps older Australians remain independent at home and pay for those services they require. It’s designed to be what is called a “consumer directed care or CDC” program – which means consumers have control over who they want to provide their services too and where they want their funding to go.
What Services can I get under the Home Care Packages Program?
There are a range of services one can book though the Home Care Packages Program including
- Personal Care
- Domestic Assistance
- Gardening and Yard Maintenance
- Social & Community Assistance
- Allied Health Services such as Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
- Respite ( when an individual cares for someone for a prolonged period of time to give a main carer a short rest )
Home Care Packages Program can also assist individuals in getting equipment and minor house modifications.
How does having a Home Care Package work?
Once you have been approved for a Home Care Package you will be allocated to one of 4 different levels of funding. Level 1 being for those that have only basic needs, and 4 being for those that are higher care. Once you have been allocated your package, you can choose how to manage it and involved or not involved you want to be.
There are 2 types organisations that matter when it comes to Managing a Home Care Package
Package Provider – this is the organization you allocate to hold and manage your funds. They receive the money from the government and pay providers on your behalf.
Service Provider – This type of organisation manages the services side of your Home Care package. They allocate a Support Worker to go to the home and provide the selected.
Some individuals have an organisation manage the funding and the booking of services, others choose to have a company manage the funds but they choose their own services – this is known as Self Management. You can find out more about Self Managing a HCP here https://www.tappon.co/blog/self-managing-home-care-package/.
Finding a Provider
Depending on how you choose to manage your Home Care Package you can now choose a Service Provider to help you allocate a Support Professional to assist you or a loved one in the home.
You can also refer to the My Aged Care site for further information https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/
If you would like help in building a Support Network you can contact the tappON team for advice and support throughout this journey.
