What is the Home Care Package program? And who is eligible?

The Home Care Package program is an Australian Government subsidy designed to provide support for older people with complex care needs to assist them in living independently in their own homes. The Australian Government subsidises organisations to provide home care services to eligible older people.

An approved aged care service provider will work with individual care recipients to plan, organise and deliver Home Care Packages. It is designed to ensure the support and care that is provided suits each individual’s needs and goals.

What are the services?

The individualised support is provided through a Home Care Package, which is a mix of services that can include:

• Help with household tasks
• Equipment – such as walking frames
• Personal care
• Clinical care – nursing, allied health & physiotherapy services
• Minor home modifications

In order to assist people who want to stay living independently at home for as long as possible, the program subsidises not just in-home aged care services. The program also subsidises services that help people stay connected with their community too.

How does it work?

The Home Care Packages are assigned to people – not to the providers. This means that a person can choose their care provider that is in their area that will best meet their needs. It also allows people to have the freedom of taking their package with them if they want to seek a different provider.

The total amount of funding in a Home Care Package budget is made up of:

• The Government subsidy – including supplements for specific care needs if a person is eligible
• Basic daily fees – payable by everyone who receives a package
• Income-testing care fees – payable by people who have income over a certain amount
• Amounts for additional care and services – payable if a person wants extra services that the package funding would not otherwise cover

The Government and the care recipient pay these amounts directly to the provider.

Who is eligible?

For anyone who is seeking eligibility, they must:

• Register with My Aged Care
• Be referred for an assessment to find out whether they are eligible

As there is a large demand for Home Care Packages, a person may need to wait before they have a package assigned to them. The national priority system prioritises people who have been approved for a Home Care Package based on their assessed priority for home care (medium or high) and the date of their approval.

Direct Care Australia are a registered Home Care Package aged care service provider, offering support for older people in South Australia. If you need any further assistance, contact Teresa Sandona or Kerrie Harding on 1300 122 730 or via email at to discuss the support you seek.