What Services can be provided under a Home Care Package?
In our third article we aim to provide some more clarity as to the services home care package recipients can expect to receive.
Generally speaking, the purpose of the Home Care Packages Program is to help you live independently in your own home for as long as you can. To achieve this, your home care package funds can be used to purchase a wide range of services including:
- clinical care, such as nursing, allied health and physiotherapy for mobility and strength;
- support services, such as help around the home, visiting the doctor and attending social activities;
- personal care, such as help with showering, dressing and moving around the home; and
- nutrition such as assistance with preparing meals, including special diets for health, assistance with using eating utensils and assistance with feeding.
The Australian Government pays the subsidy monthly to your approved provider of home care to coordinate a package of care, services and case management to meet your individual needs. However, under the Consumer Directed Care (CDC) principle, you have flexibility and choice in the delivery of your care and services under your home care package. In other words, you have a large degree of control in determining the types of care and services you receive, how they are delivered, by whom and when.
You should not be limited to a basic list of services. Home care providers have the ability to subcontract out services to meet your needs if they are not able to provide a specific service.
This provides both an opportunity as well as a potential for conflict as what you believe you need and what your service provider thinks is best for you and what the Government allows and what can be done within your budget may not always perfectly align.
Some items are more clear cut than others. For example you are not allowed to use the subsidy to pay for your holidays or gambling activities however, when it comes to home modifications, maintenance or gardening it can be more difficult to determine whether the subsidy can be used.
It is important that you choose a care package provider who is prepared to work in partnership with you to design and deliver services that meet your goals and care needs and who will give you the information you need to make informed decisions about your home care.
We hope that you find the above information useful. In our next article we will try and unravel the different fees and charges care package providers charge to help you make more informed decisions.
In the meantime, for more information about Home Care Packages or other care services, to suggest a topic for an upcoming article or if you have any other questions, please contact us:
- Call CPE Group on 1300 665 082 and speak to Annie; or
- Email us at info@cpegroup.biz
CPE Group is a privately owned, proudly WA-based company providing healthcare services throughout the community since 1998.
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