What is a Home Care Package?
The Home Care Packages program is a government-subsidised program that provides long-term support for older people who want to stay living at home. There are four levels of Home Care Package for different levels of care and support needs. Each level receives a different amount of funding. This money can be used to buy hours of care or other support that suits your needs.
Home Care Package funds aren’t paid to you directly. Instead, you choose an approved Home Care Package provider to administer the funds on your behalf and give you ‘case management’ support and advice.
Once you have a Home Care Package, you can keep it for as long as you need. If your needs increase, you may be re-assessed for a higher level package.
What are the Home Care Package levels?
There are four levels of Home Care Package for different care and support needs:
- Level 1 for basic care needs
- Level 2 for low-level care needs
- Level 3 for intermediate care needs
- Level 4 for high-level care needs.
Each level receives a different amount of government funding. The higher the level, the more funding the government pays on your behalf, allowing you to buy more services. A Level 4 package allows you to buy the most services.
Once you’ve had an Aged Care Assessment, you will be told which level applies for you.
What other options are there?
Home Care Packages are not the only way you can have your needs met. You may find extra support from your family, in your community, in your social network, using your own money or resources, or by creating a network of people that may be able to help you. There are also lots of other programs, some of which are funded by government, which you might be able to use. You can contact My Aged Care for information on what Government programs you might be eligible for.
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