FAQs - Page 5 of 9

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Are Home Care Packages available in NSW?

Home Care Packages are available in all Australian States and Territories, from New South Wales, the ACT, and Victoria, through to Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania. While you have to use My Aged Care to be assessed for a Home Care Package, we at CareAbout will be able to assist you in locating the ideal Home Care service provider. Call us today on 13 13 00 and get free, no-obligation access to our team of Aged Care Specialists.

Home Care Package

How many hours in a Level 2 Home Care Package?

There are a number of variables that affect the number of hours of care you could receive as part of your Home Care Package. The four different levels of Home Care Packages are each designed for a specific level of care, and each has a different maximum government contribution amount attached. The government contribution is paid directly to your chosen Home Care service provider, who may deduct administration and case management fees from it. In addition to this, you may also be asked to pay a basic daily fee and an income-tested fee. The final variable that will influence how many hours of care you can receive is the hourly rate charged by your chosen Home Care service provider.

Home Care Package Level	Type of Care Needed	Maximum Yearly Government Contribution ¹	Approximate Number of Hours of Home Care ²
Level 1	Basic Care	up to $10,698.15	2-3 hours per week
Level 2	Low-Level Care	up to $18,812.10	4-5 hours per week
Level 3	Intermediate Care	up to $40,945.70	9-10 hours per week
Level 4	High-Level Care	up to $62,075.55	14-15 hours per week

¹ Amounts indicated are the maximum contribution for 2023 for each level
² These figures are only meant to give some indication of the number of hours of care you could receive per week. They do not represent guaranteed minimum or maximum hours.

CareAbout can help you locate – and more importantly – choose the Home Care services and packages that are right for you, your budget, and your precise needs.

Home Care Package

What is a Home Care Package?

A Home Care Package is part of an Australian Government subsidised program designed to offer support to older persons who want to continue living independently in their own home, but may need assistance with some daily living activities.

To see if you qualify for a Home Care Package, you will need to be assessed by My Aged Care to establish the level of care you need. The Home Care Package program offers four package levels, ranging from basic care through to a high-level of care needs, and My Aged Care work with you and qualified assessors in determining your needs.

If you are allocated a Home Care Package, you will need to select a Home Care service provider, and they will be responsible for administering the funds on your behalf.

We’re here to help you find a Home Care provider you can trust! We’ve vetted a large network of quality providers, Australia-wide, and offer free, no-obligation access to our team of Aged Care Specialists. So you can save hours of time and stress, and quickly find a local provider who will meet your needs, at no cost or obligation to you. Simply call us on 13 13 00 and let us take care of you.

Home Care Package

Can I negotiate the Aged Care Home Refundable Accommodation Deposit?

The Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) can be negotiated, but you ultimately have little control over whether or not the Home accepts any offers you present. The same applies to many of the other fees, aside from means-tested fees that are determined by your income and assets.

For a one-time fee a CareAbout Advocate can work with you in finding a facility that matches your care needs and preferences, and your budget, along with assisting with the paperwork and negotiating all fees on your behalf.

The decision to move in an Aged Care Home isn’t always an easy one and using a CareAbout Advocate can make the entire process a little less stressful for you and your family. And can help save you money.

Aged Care Homes

Do I need an Aged Care assessment before going to an Aged Care Home?

Yes.

You first need to register for an assessment with My Aged Care. This assessment is done by a local assessor from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT), and will look at what type of services are most suited to your needs.

Aged Care Homes

How to be assessed for an Aged Care Home subsidy?

To be assessed for an Aged Care Home government subsidy, you first need to register for an assessment with My Aged Care. This assessment is done by a local assessor from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT), and will look at what type of government-funded services are most suited to your needs, and that you might be eligible for.

Options include:

a Home Care Package,
residential care in an Aged Care Home,
residential respite care,
short-term restorative care,
transition care, and/or
other services that you need.

Aged Care Homes

How do Aged Care Home Packages work?

Unlike Home Care, the Australian Government does not offer an Aged Care Home Package. However, they do offer government subsidised care in Aged Care Homes if the Home has been accredited by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency. Applying for government subsidised care has to be done through the My Aged Care service.

Aged Care Homes

Do Aged Care Homes let you bring your own furniture?

This varies, so you would need to ask any Aged Care Home you are interested in about their policy about furniture. Many will already have all the furnishings you could need but will allow you to bring some personal belongings with, such as family photos and mementos.

Aged Care Homes

What makes a good Aged Care Home?

The first thing to consider when assessing the quality of Aged Care Homes is whether they have been accredited by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency. This is a requirement for any Aged Care Homes you are considering if you have applied for Australian Government subsidised care. You can check the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency website for this, along with the latest reports for any Aged Care Homes you are considering.

Other factors to consider include:

The location, and the condition and accessibility of the property as a whole.
The services that are included as standard, and those that are available as extras. This includes special needs for any medical conditions.
The facilities themselves: are the rooms comfortable, and do they afford a suitable amount of privacy and personal space; the common areas, and even outdoor space.
The staff, and the other residents: do they all seem happy, comfortable, and appear to enjoy what they are doing. Watch how the staff treat and interact with the residents, but also how the residents interact with each other.
Lifestyle interests, such as access to the internet, fitness facilities, organised social events and outings.

CareAbout can assist by helping to identify Aged Care Homes that meet your needs, and if you make use of the CareAbout Advocacy Service, you can expect someone to work with you personally through all the steps involved, including onsite visits of Aged Care Homes that meet your requirements.

CareAbout maintains an extensive database of Aged Care Homes throughout Australia, making it easy to compare fees, room rates, services and features.

Aged Care Homes

Do I have to sell my home for Aged Care?

Selling your home is not a pre-requisite for moving into an Aged Care Home. A better question to ask would be, “should I sell my home before moving into an Aged Care Home?”. There are a number of factors that need to be considered which would influence this decision, such as:

The value of your financial and personal assets, including the assessable value of your home if you decide not to sell.
Your total annual income, which would include your pension, income return on investments, and rental income on your home if you choose to keep it.
The Aged Care Home costs, which are influenced in part by whether you choose to pay the Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) in full, or only partially with a higher Daily Accommodation Payable (DAP) fee applying.
Whether you apply – and are approved – for Australian Government subsidised care in an Aged Care Home.

These are not easy decisions to make, and it is advisable for you and your family to discuss all the details with a professional Aged Care adviser and a financial adviser.

Aged Care Homes