Home Care Packages
Home Care Packages (HCP) are one of the ways that older Australians can access affordable care services to get some help at home. They are designed for those with more complex care needs that go beyond what the Commonwealth Home Support Programme can provide.
Home Care Packages can be an option if you need a coordinated approach to the delivery of your help at home – perhaps because you need help with many everyday tasks, or the care you need is more complex or intensive.
What services can I get?
Bathing, hygiene, and grooming
- Help with bathing, showering, toileting
- Help with dressing/undressing
- Assistance with getting in and out of bed
- Help with washing and drying hair, shaving
- Reminders to take your medication
Nursing
- Wound care and management
- Someone to help you take your medication
- General health and other assessments
- General health and treatment education to improve self-management
Podiatry, physiotherapy, and other therapies
- Speech therapy
- Podiatry
- Occupational therapy or physiotherapy services
- Other clinical services such as hearing and vision services
Meals and food preparation
Changes to my home
- Installing easy access taps
- Installing grab rails in the toilet, bath and/or shower
- Installing a ramp
- Providing advice on areas of concern regarding the safety of your home
- Accessing technical assistance for major home modifications (that are not included in My Aged Care services)
Aids to stay independent
- Walking aids like crutches, quadruped walkers, walking frames, walking sticks
- Mechanical devices for lifting you in and out of bed
- Bed rails
- Aids like slide sheets, sheepskins, tri-pillows
- Pressure-relieving mattresses.
Transport
- Arranging a driver service
- Providing transport vouchers and subsidies
- Assistance with shopping, visiting health practitioners, and attending social activities
Social outings, groups and visitors
- Arranging for a visitor to make in-home or telephone-based social calls
- Providing a companion to assist with shopping or getting you to an appointment
- Arranging social activities and providing or coordinating transport to social events
- Arranging for you to attend group-based activities in a centre
- Assistance setting up phone and internet communication services to keep in touch with loved ones
- A care worker visiting you in your home for a short period of time (for example, when your carer is away or unavailable)
What services are not included?
There are care and services that you must not use Home Care Package funds for:
- items that would normally be purchased out of general income
- buying food, except as part of enteral feeding requirements
- payment for permanent accommodation, including assistance with home purchase, mortgage payments or rent
- payment of home care fees
- payment of fees or charges for other types of care funded or jointly funded by the Australian Government
- home modifications or assets that are not related to your care needs
- travel and accommodation for holidays
- cost of entertainment activities, such as club memberships and tickets to sporting events
- gambling activities
- payment for services and items covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Am I eligible for these services?
Eligibility is based on your care needs as determined through an assessment, but you must also be:
- an older person who needs coordinated services to help them stay at home, or
- a younger person with a disability, dementia or other care needs not met through other specialist services.
Your financial situation won’t affect your eligibility. But you may also need an income assessment through Services Australia to work out exactly how much you may be asked to contribute. More information is available on the Home Care Package costs and fees page.
If you think you only need a low level of support – perhaps only one or two services – you may not need a Home Care Package. You may be more suited for help at home through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.
How does it work?
You choose a service provider that is right for you. The government then pays your provider a subsidy to arrange a package of care services to meet your needs.
As everyone’s care needs are different, there are four levels of Home Care Packages with different funding amounts. These cover basic support needs through to high care needs.
The package level assigned to you is based on your needs.
What will it cost me?
You’re expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford it. Your contribution is made up of three types of fees:
-
Basic daily fee (up to $12.75 from 20 March 2024)
Your provider may ask you to pay a basic daily fee based on your home care package level. - Income tested care fee (up to $36.60 from 20 March 2024)
Some people may also have to pay an income tested care fee. Whether you pay it, and how much of it you pay, is determined through a formal income assessment from the Services Australia. If you have to pay this fee, there are annual and lifetime limits on how much you can be asked to pay. - Additional fees
Any other amount you have agreed to pay for extra care and services that wouldn’t otherwise be covered by your Home Care Package. You can read more about the fees, caps, and how to use your package funds on our Home Care Package costs and fees page.To get an estimate of the fees you may be asked to pay, use our fee estimator.
How would I get this service?
Depending on your eligibility, it can be provided:
- on its own, through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, or
- with other services, as part of a Home Care Package.
For information and important news for Home Care Package, see My Aged Care website’s News and updates.
If you are seeking help and personalised support, contact us.
