$500 million dollars is enough to make any politician look up. Let alone a community that’s fighting for government funds to get through droughts, build much needed schools or repair rickety roads. All important causes but with $500 million dollars just sitting there in unspent government funds you can bet that there’s lots of sticky fingers trying to get into the pot.

If you have unspent funds and you require more care spend them! Don’t save them up for a rainy day. The more hours of care, the better your health outcomes.

No one is seriously talking about taking away existing Home Care Package recipient’s funds but there’s a lot of talk of looking at ways to ensure people actually need the funds they’ve been allocated.

Home Care Package subsidies are designed to keep people living safely at home and should be used for this purpose. The funds are awarded in four different levels.

They are approximately:

• Level 1 – $8k
• Level 2 – $15k
• Level 3 – $32k
• Level 4 – $50k

These levels are calculated on how much care it is deemed that a person requires. In some situations this is a mixture of nursing care, personal care or just cleaning and gardening. For others it might mean equipment or planning for the future.

So what should you do? If you have unspent funds and you require more care spend them! Don’t save them up for a rainy day. The more hours of care, the better your health outcomes. If you are saving for home modifications or for aids or equipment then make sure your Home Care provider has outlined this in your care plan. They should then set this amount of money aside each month in an itemised line on your account and then use the amount when you’ve reached the amount you require.

If you’re finding it difficult to read your monthly account feel free to email it to us and we will be happy to look at it with you. There may be ways of using your funds more effectively or reducing the fees you’re being charged.

The message about unspent funds really is spend it, account for it or lose it. The government isn’t going to let the pot of $500 million lie untouched. And with more than 120,000 people waiting for a Home Care Package the government could easily redirect the unspent funds to those desperately waiting for a Home Care Package.

If you want to maximise your Home Care Package funds or see what you can access through any unspent funds speak to CareAbout on 1300 721 855 and we’ll be happy to guide you.