Home Care Packages
In a previous article we briefly touched on funding Aged Care through entering an Aged Care Home. One of the potential lesser known options when it comes to Aged Care is Home Care Packages. The Australian Government’s Home Care Package is aimed at helping you live in your own home for as long as you can, and in the recent 2018 Federal Budget the Government has announced further funding to help increase the availability of the Home Care packages.
In relation to Home Care packages, there are four levels that provide a range of different needs, and ranges from Basic to High-Level care needs. Some of the services provided are:
– Personal services such as bathing, dressing and communication
– Nutrition, hydration, meal preparation and diet, effectively helping with the preparation of meals and special diets where needed
– Transport and personal assistance such as with shopping, visiting health practitioners and attending social activities
– And a whole range more of different services
The five steps to accessing a home care package are:
1. Confirming your eligibility to receive a home care package
2. Researching home care providers and work out the costs
3. Assignment of a home care package
4. Entering into a home care package with your preferred provider
5. Start receiving home care services and manage your services as your needs change
Aside from being able to remain in your own home, the other main benefit of a Home Care Package is the relatively low cost of the service when compared to going into an Aged Care Home. In relation to a Home Care Package, you may be asked to pay two types of fees for these services:
– A Basic Daily Fee, and
– An Income-Test Care Fee
The level of care you need and the amount you’re asked to pay is determined by the Department of Human Services (DHS).
The Basic Daily Fee is worked out as 17.50% of the single person rate of the Age Pension ($10.32 per day or $144.48 per fortnight). Depending on your income, you may then be asked to pay an income-tested care fee, which is in addition to the basic daily fee. The maximum you will be asked to pay for an income-tested fee is:
– $14.81 per day or $5,392.91 per year if your income is below $51,563.20 (as at 20th March 2018), or
– $29.63 per day or $10,785.85 per year for people with income above $51,563.20 (as at 20th of March 2018
Both the basic daily fee and income-tested fee index on the 20th of March and September each year.
Another thing to consider is that each provider of home care packages may charge different administration fees and may even charge exit fees if you change providers (such as due to moving home). These costs are in addition to the costs above, and are something that needs to be considered when selecting a provider.
Here at JBS we can help you estimate your costs in relation to taking on a Home Care Package and can help you compare the costs of different Home Care providers.
– Peter Folk –