Community Care is a range of flexible and personalised services to support you to live safely and independently at home.
You may be looking for a little extra help with housework and gardening to keep your home looking spic and span, or for specialist health care and registered nurse visits after a hospital stay. These services are provided by our dedicated, qualified and experienced care workers who visit you in your own home.
The services that you access can be paid for in a number of ways – from using your Home Care Package to paying privately, or even supplementing your Package with additional services to ensure you’re receiving the support you need.
from housework and laundry, to making the bed
from the weekly grocery shop to helping prepare your meals
because we know that they’re part of the family
from regular visits, to rehabilitation or care at home when you’re unwell
to help you stay connected
to ensure you’re looking good and feeling well
We understand that your goal is to stay living safely and independently at home. Our goal is to help you achieve this and we’re with you every step of the way to support you.
This means really getting to know you and understanding what matters most to you to help you live the way you want to. Our care team work in partnership with you and your family to develop a plan that supports you to achieve your wellbeing goals.
Personalised and flexible options, with care plans that are developed with you.
Affordable pricing, with no hidden costs
Relationship Based Care and a consistent team of care workers, so that we can get to know you and your family
Choice over the level of control and responsibility for your care and support services.
Offices and staff in your local area, meaning that we’re nearby and are familiar with your area and community
A dedicated Care Coordinator and access to our Scheduling Team for changes, 7 days a week.
Access to Whiddon’s award-winning wellbeing programs
Support to find great, practical solutions to help you stay connected to your family, friends, community and interests.
Free consultations with our experienced Care Coordinators and no hidden costs or fees.
70 years of experience providing award-winning aged care services
Peace of mind – we’re a Government approved provider of Home Care Packages and CHSP, and have been caring for older Australians for over 70 years!
We offer a range of home care services and packages at Whiddon, from Home Care Packages and services through the Commonwealth Home Support Program, to prepaid and private services. Click on the links below to find out more about our range of options to support you at home:
Private home care services and month-to-month private packages
Home Care Packages
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:
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!