Understanding Your Home Care Options

Understanding Your Home Care Options

Getting the right information and understanding your home care options can be complicated and stressful, we're here to help. If you’re only starting your home care journey or you have recently been assigned a Home Care Package, we can guide you through the process and help you access the home care services you need. Call us today on 13 22 78.

We've also included answers to some of the most commonly asked questions we hear to help you and your family to understand your options.

Baptcare provides services to help you or your loved one to stay living safely and well at home, including Government-subsidised Home Care Packages and Self-funded home care. If you, your partner, or an ageing family member are finding some aspects of daily life difficult to manage please talk to us.

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What is a Home Care Package?

The Australian Government Home Care Package Program provides a subsidy towards a package of care, services and case management to help you to stay living at home as you age. There are four levels of Home Care Packages, each providing different subsidy amount:

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  • Level 1 supports people with basic needs
  • Level 2 supports people with low-care needs
  • Level 3 supports people with intermediate needs
  • Level 4 supports people with high level care needs.

In addition you may also be eligible for a other government funding, such as the Veteran supplement.

Baptcare provides all four levels of Home Care Packages.

Getting assessed for a Home Care Package

To be eligible for a Home Care Package, you will first need to be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS). A professional assessor from ACAS will work with you to determine if a Home Care Package is right for your needs, and if so, which Level Package (from Level 1 to Level 4) is appropriate.

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The ACAS assessment is free and can be arranged by yourself, carers and families or your health professional. See Myagedcare for more information about the assessment process.

If you are assessed as eligible for a home care package you will receive an approval letter from MyAgedCare that notes the levels of Home Care Package you are approved to receive and your priority for care.

You will be place in the National Queue for Home Care Packages until you are assigned a Home Care Package. Your time spent in the Australian Government’s National Queue can depend on a number of factors and is different in different circumstances.

What can I do while I am waiting for my home care package to be assigned?

It is not uncommon for there to be a waiting period between the time you are approved for care and the time you are assigned a home care package.

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If you have been approved for a home care package, you can find out how long your wait is likely to be by logging into your client record using MyGov, or calling the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 200 422.

If you are waiting for a Home Care Package to be assigned it can be a good idea to talk to your preferred providers (such as Baptcare) to discuss any queries, so that you are ready to start your services as soon as you are assigned a Package and receive subsidised funding.

Note that some people and families decide to self-fund some home care services while they wait for their subsidised Package to be assigned. Baptcare provide self-funded Home Help services, from short-term through to longer term assistance.

When you are assigned a Home Care Package we invite you to contact us at Baptcare.

When your government funded package becomes available you will receive a letter from myagedcare stating that you have 56 days to start your home care package with a registered Home Care Package provider (such as Baptcare). You can request one extension that gives you an additional days.

What is the difference between being ‘approved’ and being ‘assigned’ a Home Care Package?

‘Approved’ means that you have been assessed (by ACAT /ACAS) and ‘approved’ as eligible for one of four levels of Australian Government-subsidised Home Care Packages. However, it’s important to understand that this does not mean that funds are immediately available to you – there may be a waiting period between being ‘approved’ and being ‘assigned’.

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Once approved, you are placed on the National Queue for Home Care Packages. When you reach the ‘top’ of the National Queue you are ‘assigned’ a Home Care Package, meaning that the Home Care Package and attached subsidised funds have been ‘assigned’ to you and are now available to use on Home Care Package services from a provider.

What is Case Management?  What level of case management is right for my Home Care Package?

Case Management is the coordination of home and community services to ensure your care and support needs are met on an ongoing basis.

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Baptcare offers the best of care, with two support options for your Home Care Package.

Essentials Plus gives you one-on-one support as you navigate the aged care system and as your needs change. It includes comprehensive case management from a qualified health or community professional with local health expertise to navigate aged care services and maximise your package. Plus, you get regular home visits and monitoring to identify changing needs and care options.

Essentials gives you an entry level, or basic, level of support to set up and maintain your package. You receive quality care planning and care coordination, and entry-level case management, home visits and monitoring. It can suit people and families who have more time, understanding of aged care and confidence in managing services.

Watch our video explaining Baptcare Case Management

Other frequently asked questions

Can you help my loved one get to appointments?

Escorted transport with a Baptcare Personal Care Worker is a great way to get to medical appointments or attend social gatherings independently.

A Baptcare Personal Care Worker can help you get ready and assist you to get in and out of their car safely. You’ll be driven to and from your destination and receive support while you are there.

Our escorted transport service is ideal for:

Shopping, e.g. for Christmas or birthday presents

Doctor’s appointments

Social outings

Family events.

Mum/dad needs someone we trust to visit, how can in-home respite help?

In-home respite care

In-home respite involves one of our Personal Care Workers coming to your loved one’s home. Depending on what you need, these visits can be for a short time, or for longer periods including overnight stays.

Alternatively, the worker may take your loved one for an outing for a few hours while the family carers have a break.

Can we get help with care coordination or management to get the right care for mum/dad?

Care management helps families who are dealing with multiple care requirements, or more complex needs. It is part of our Home Help support, consultation and planning services.

Support and coordination services

These services include coordinating care, for example confirming medical appointments or assisting with transport or other requests.

Individual consultation and planning

These services include documented assessment of your elderly family member’s current needs and aspirations. A plan that complements the support offered by family and friends is developed to help achieve those goals:

  • complete community care assessments and referral to community based programs
  • implement living at home safely strategies.

What is a care worker sleepover?

To provide care during the night a qualified care worker can stay with your family member in their own home.

An ‘active sleepover’ is from 8.00pm to 8.00am. Typically it includes four hours of company and support such as home care, meal preparation and personal care such as showering. It also includes an eight hour allocation for the care worker’s sleep.

Of course, every situation is unique, so talk to us about our longer session care options including 24-hour care and respite.

I'm worried mum/dad is feeling isolated and anxious. How can diversional therapy help?

Our diversional therapists provide one-on-one guidance to help build meaningful connections and reduce the isolation, loneliness or anxiety that can be connected with ageing at home. They take time to understand the life experiences and interests that make each person unique.

They create tailored leisure opportunities, activities, and strategies to support a better quality of life.

Diversional therapy provides support for someone who is ageing or has a chronic condition. It also can assist and provide guidance to carers, partners and family members who are in a caring role.

What services can help support our family member living with memory loss/dementia? 

We understand the daily challenges of living well at home with dementia and memory loss, whether it’s part of a diagnosed condition or not. We provide professional tailored services including clinical nursing, personal care, diversional therapy and respite options for families. We draw on over 70 years’ experience in aged care, as well as experience supporting people with early onset dementia to help support families and individuals to experience a better quality of life.

Personal care services

Our flexible support includes:

  • support with toileting and grooming routines
  • medication assistance
  • welfare checks
  • assistance with shopping and getting to appointments
  • meal preparation
  • in-home respite to support carers.

Nursing services

Our Registered Nurses monitor and support the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia in their own home.

Our in-home nursing is delivered by Registered Nurses who are aged care focussed. It provides quality health care to people experiencing the health issues related to dementia, or whose ability to communicate symptoms or discomfort has decreased.

Diversional therapy

Our diversional therapists provide one-on-one guidance to help build meaningful connections and reduce the isolation, loneliness or anxiety that can be connected with ageing at home. They take time to understand the life experiences and interests that make each person unique.

They create tailored leisure opportunities, activities, and strategies to support a better quality of life.

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