Yes, absolutely!

Private Home Care Services are a good alternative for when you don’t have, are waiting for, or can’t access a Government funded Home Care Package.

Private home care services are user-pays services. These services are not subsidised by the Government and do not require an Aged Care Assessment (ACAT) to be accessed.

Because there’s no assessment or funding from the Government, there’s also no waiting period for privately-paid home care services. You can access support whenever you need it.

Private services are used for a wide range of reasons, the most common ones are to provide interim care while you’re waiting for a Home Care Package or to provide short-term relief when you’re recovering from illness or injury.

Private services can be used to help when:

• You’re returning home after a hospital visit and need urgent support
• You’ve suffered an injury or been unwell and need help recovering and getting back on your feet
• You need short-term care, perhaps while your usual carer is away, and don’t want to go into residential care yet
• You’re waiting for your Home Care Package but need help urgently
• You have a Home Care Package but need to top-up your services a little
• You’re not eligible, or choose not to access funded home care services.

Home Care Packages provide subsidised care to support older people to continue living at home. There are four levels of Home Care Packages in Australia to meet different care needs and the level that you’re approved at is based on the outcome of your Aged Care Assessment (ACAT).

Each Home Care Package level receives a set amount of funding from the government that can be used to pay for care and support services.

To access Community Care through a Home Care Package you need to have been assessed and assigned a package through MyAgedCare.

Some consumers may use some of their funds for equipment or for modifications to their home to enable them to stay at home (like adding a ramp to access the home), others might use all of their funds on care services.

Equipment and modification requests are always reviewed by both your provider and other health professionals, like your GP, physiotherapist or similar, to ensure that the outcome will support your goals.

For some consumers, the biggest impact on well-being has been achieved through enabling them to continue doing what they love, or staying connected to their local area and community. It’s important that whatever the identified solution is, it is developed in partnership between the consumer and care provider and it meets the identified needs that are documented in the care plan.

It’s important to understand the different fees that are part of Home Care Packages and to ask your provider questions about what they will charge your package.

Home Care Package funding is made up of 3 parts:

Home Care Package subsidy – this is paid by the Government and the amount changes depending on what level Home Care Package you have been given.

Basic Daily Care Fee – this is your contribution to your care and it supplements the Government subsidy. Your contribution is capped at 17.5% of the pension.

Income Tested Care Fee – this contribution only applies to people who have an income above a certain amount and is different for everyone. Your Centrelink assessment will tell you what you are expected to contribute.

• The first step is to understand your options. Talk to your family, support person, GP or a provider like Whiddon to see what types of support services are available and for assistance with goal planning.
• Step 2 is for people who are looking at subsidised care through a Home Care Package – if this is you, phone us and we’ll assist you to organise your assessment through MyAgedCare.If you’re not looking at subsidised care, you can skip this step and go direct to Step 3! If you’re waiting for a Home Care Package, ask us about options while you wait!
• The next step is research your options and shop around – what are you looking for? What do the providers offer? Do they feel like the right fit for you?Ask about fees and costs, the number of hours of service you’ll receive, office locations, care worker qualifications and care and package management fees.
• Step 4 is to choose a provider and get started! Meet the team who will support you, create your care plan and talk about what’s important to you and your lifestyle. At this point you should be signing your Agreement and getting started!