FAQs

A Home Care Package is a range of services that make up a ‘package’ of care, which is designed to support eligible persons to maintain independence at home. Your goals and needs are identified and confirmed with a case manager, who will then work with you and your carers and /or your family to create a care plan detailing the services you will receive. This care plan can be reviewed and changed at any time.

You will have 56 days to take up the offer. If you do not take up the offer within 56 days, you may be at risk of losing your offer of a Home Care Package.

We have a web page about Home Care where you can find out more.

You can access a Home Care Package by following these five steps:

1. Get a referral to My Aged Care for an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment.
2. Receive a home visit by an ACAT Assessor who will ask you and your carer/family about your situation and determine your eligibility, the level of Home Care Package that will meet your needs, and your priority for accessing a package.
3. If deemed eligible, your name will be added to a waiting list (National Queue) for a package.
4. When your name reaches the top of the queue, you will be allocated a package and receive a letter from My Aged Care with a referral code.
5. Present your referral code to your preferred Home Care Services provider, such as Clayton Church Homes, to arrange the package of care.

Don’t forget, we are here to help you through this process, every step of the way.

ACAT assess for eligibility for a range of Commonwealth funded aged care services, so you will need to look at your last assessment documents or support plan. If you have already been assessed and approved for a Home Care Package, then you are already eligible and should have received a letter from My Aged Care about the changes to Home Care. Clayton Church Homes will be able to provide a package should you wish.

There are four levels of packages that are scaled to suit your changing needs. The funds for each Home Care Package, according to your needs, come from the Commonwealth Government and are paid to your Provider (Clayton Church Homes). This amount is called a ‘subsidy’ and it is calculated daily, and paid monthly to the Provider. The Provider ‘hosts’ the Package on your behalf, looking after the finances. They are accountable to the Government and to you for how the Package money is spent.

Once you have a Home Care Package, you can keep it for as long as you need. If your needs increase, you may be re-assessed for a higher level Package.

The ACAT Assessment is free. If you choose to take up a Home Care Package, the majority of the cost is covered by a Government subsidy, however the Commonwealth do expect a contribution to the cost from those who have the means. It is important to understand, however, that any contribution to the package adds to the overall budget for services, meaning that if you’re able to contribute to the budget with your own funds, you will increase the level of support you can receive.

Clayton Church Homes has a fee waiver process available.

You can also view a current Home Care Price List.

Yes. Unspent funds, such as home care subsidies and supplements, will accumulate into the following year. Unspent funds are returned to the Commonwealth Government only when the package holder (consumer) no longer requires the package (for example enters permanent residential care).

Please contact us if you would Clayton Church Homes to help you navigate the sometimes confusing system!