Home Care Package Inclusions

A Home Care Package can pay for a great range of services. As each level of Home Care Package provides a different amount of funding, your level of Home Care Package will determine the amount and type of services available to you.

At CareAbout we often get asked a lot of questions about what a Home Care Package can actually pay for. The short answer is that it will pay for anything that will contribute to keeping you living safely in your home. Here are some of the most common questions we get asked:

Can a Home Care Package pay for a funeral?

A Home Care Package cannot pay for a funeral. When a Home Care Package consumer dies, any unspent funds from the Package are returned to the government or to their estate.

If the customer contributed their own funds to the Home Care Package, any amount remaining will be transferred to their estate (this amount could be used to contribute to funeral costs, however the estate is unlikely to be liquidated in time). The Commonwealth portion of the Package will be returned to the government.

Can a Home Care Package pay for gardening?

Absolutely! A lot of people use their Home Care Package funds for help with gardening. As you get older, maintaining your garden can become really difficult. A Home Care Package can be used for lawn mowing, pruning, installation of sprinkler systems and maintenance of garden paths.

Can a Home Care Package pay for meals?

You can use your Home Care Package to pay for meal preparation and delivery services such as Meals On Wheels. Home Care Package funds cannot be used to pay for supermarket/grocery or general food items.

Your Home Care Package can also be used for cooking classes!

Can a Home Care Package pay for home modifications?

You can use your Home Care Package funds for modifications to your home to make it safe for you to remain living in it. This might include the installation of handrails around your home, anti-slip mats and shower assistants, wheelchair ramps and many other helpful modifications.

Large modifications or renovations will not be funded by your Home Care Package.

Can a Home Care Package pay for home maintenance?

Need your windows cleaned, a smoke alarm battery or a light bulb changed? You can use your Home Care Package to fund simple maintenance tasks around your home.

Can a Home Care Package pay for aids & equipment?

Absolutely! Aids and equipment that are related to your safety at home can be purchased using your Home Care Package. Depending on your situation, the amount of funding you have, and the type of aid or equipment you require, your Home Care Package can pay for the purchase of these items outright, or for rental.

Can a Home Care Package pay for residential respite?

Residential respite care is temporary care delivered within an Aged Care Home. It can be planned or on an emergency basis.

If respite care has been included in your care plan and you have enough funding available within your Home Care Package, you can certainly use your Package funds to pay for respite.

A Home Care Package is temporarily suspended if the care recipient enters residential respite care. Read more on suspending your Home Care Package temporarily.

Home Care Package excluded items – what can’t I use my Home Care Package to pay for?

You cannot use your Home Care Package to pay for the following:

• Day to day bills like groceries, rent or mortgage
• Holiday costs
• Entertainment and gambling
• Things that are already covered by Medicare or Pharmaceutical Benefits
• Programs already subsidised by the Australian Government