How can Home Care help you?

Home Care is a range of services and supports older Australians can access to remain living independently in their own home.

Many people over 65 years of age are eligible for Government assistance to cover some of the cost of these services.

A Home Care Package is a combination of both Government subsidies and contributions by the older Australian. Together these funds keep older Australians living better for life at home.  

What are the four levels of Home Care Packages?

When you apply for a Home Care Package through My Aged Care you are assessed. If you are eligible for a Government funded package the assessor gives you one of four package levels.

The Home Care Package levels all offer the same services, but have different amounts of Government subsidy that align with the different levels of care and support needs: 

• Level 1 – Basic care needs – approximately $10,271 a year
• Level 2 – Low care needs – approximately $18,064 a year 
• Level 3 – Intermediate care needs – approximately $39,310 a year
• Level 4 – High care needs – approximately $59,594 a year

There is also the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). This is entry level support to maintain your independence and is only suitable for people with less complex needs.

If you can afford to, you are required to contribute to the cost of Home Care services. How much you pay towards your services is based on an income test which is developed by the Government.

What can home care package funds be used for?

The best part about a home care package is planning with your provider what services or equipment can be purchased. You get to choose what to spend your package on to optimise your health and well-being. The package is designed to fit your needs and help you work towards your goals.

Examples of services include:

• Strength and balance exercises in home or at a local gym or pool
• Support with meal preparation, meal deliveries or batch cooking
• Assistance with showering, dressing, grooming and skin care
• Home help including cleaning, vacuuming, changing sheets and hanging washing
• Help outside the home including gardening, gutter and window cleaning
• Transport services for medical appointments or social support
• Support with garbage bin or mail collection and any home organisation
• Assistance with shopping, click and collect or carrying shopping and unpacking
• Nursing services - including wound care, continence or psychological assessment and support services
• Help to manage Diabetes, blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapies
• Support with medication prompting or administration services
• Help with most other chronic disease therapies like asthma or osteoporosis support services
• Case conferencing with your Medical Officer, geriatrician or specialist and support with pain control, investigations and treatments
• Advanced Care Directives and palliative care services
• Referrals to an Occupational Therapist for an in home safety assessment and home modifications like ramps and rails
• Referrals to a Counsellor, Social Worker or Psychologist
• Referrals for massage or accredited alternate therapists
• Referrals for social outings and social services
• Social Worker referral for arranging personal affairs
• Technology, vision or hearing services supports

Examples of equipment you might benefit from include:

• Protective bedding, continence aids, commodes, urinals or shower chairs
• Hi-Lo beds to prevent falls from the bed
• Recliners to reduce leg swelling
• Personal alarms, home key boxes for emergency support
• Specialised skin care lotions to prevent skin tears
• Wound Care and items for first aid
• Non slip bath mats 
• Continence or ostomy aids
• Sharps disposal containers
• Mobility aids, limb protectors
• Medication reminder systems like reminder clocks, pill dispensers or pill splitters
• Tipping kettles, low washing lines or specialty eating utensils
   

What is Better Health?

An area that many older people do not know they can get help with is in home health care. We call this our Better Health services.

Better Health services are all about improving and maintaining your health and well-being. This will help you to stay mobile, fit, independent and on top of any chronic health conditions you may have.

It is also about looking after your social and emotional well-being, not just your physical health.

Our Home Care Assistants can support you to live Better for life through everything from regular walking, strength and balance exercises, to medication management, personal care and in home respite care.

To find out more about how Southern Cross Care’s services could help you, visit the Better Health page.