HOME CARE PACKAGES in NSW and QLD

My Aged Care is the government gateway for all aged care services and they should

be your first point of contact when you’re looking for aged care support.

They provide the following services:

Assessments to understand the level of care you need and which funded services you can access.

Help finding local services that fit your level of need.

You can get in contact with My Aged Care in two ways:

Give them a call on 1800 200 422

Use their website www.myagedcare.gov.au

The Aged Care Assessment (ACA) evaluates people’s eligibility for Home Care Packages. It is performed by professional health and community care clinicians who visit you at home to evaluate your needs. The result of the assessment will determine which level of Home Care Package you are eligible for.

What does the assessment include?

During the assessment visit, the clinician (usually a nurse, social worker or other health care professional) will ask questions about how well you are managing in your day-to-day life. This will include specifics such as what you can still do for yourself and what you want assistance with. It can be helpful to put some thought into your answers prior to the visit to give the most accurate answers that truly reflect your situation.

How to arrange an Assessment

If you think you might benefit from some assistance, it’s a good idea to have an assessment.

The easiest way to arrange an in house evaluation is to call My Aged Care directly. Over the phone they will be able to tell you what type of assessment you need and book in a date for you.

What happens next?

After your assessment, an Aged Care Assessment Team member will make a formal decision about your care needs,

your eligibility to receive a home care package and the level of home care package that meets your requirements. You are under no obligation to accept the resulting package.

If you are found to be eligible and want to commence a care package the process will go as follows:

Receive an approval letter from My Aged Care: This sets out the level of home care package you are approved to receive and your priority for care.

Take a place in the national queue: Your place will be determined by your priority for care and the time you have waited for a package.

When a home care package becomes available: You will receive a letter from My Aged Care to let you know you have been assigned a package.

Find an Approved Care Provider to manage your home care package.

If you have taken the ACA assessment and received a letter from My Aged Care assigning you a Home Care Package – it’s time to look for an Approved Care Provider.

An approved provider has satisfied the Department of Health’s legal and social requirements to administer packages on behalf of consumers. So not only will they give you the best service, they are the only organisations able to host a Home Care Package.

You should inform your chosen approved provider of:

What level of home care package has been assigned to you.

A unique referral code to give to your chosen approved provider.

As of 28 February 2017, existing Home Care Package holders are free to negotiate the services they receive with any Approved Provider. This means that if you are not happy with the current services of your approved provider, you can swap to one that better suits your needs.

Change your home care provider to Bannister in Home Care

How do I go about swapping providers?

The process of switching providers is managed by My Aged Care. You will have to undertake the following steps:

When you have found a new Approved provider you will need to contact My Aged Care to
re-activate your referral code.

Once activated give the referral code to your new provider.

When that referral code is accepted by your new provider, your current provider will be notified through My AgedCare that you are looking to change providers.

You will also need to give official notice to your current provider and formally agree an end date,

You then have 56 days from the agreed end date to enter into a Home Care Agreement with your new Approved Provider.

As a general guideline, individuals may be eligible for a Home Care Package if they:

Are an older person who needs coordinated services to help them stay at home.

Have been assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) or the Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS) as eligible for a Home Care Package.

Are an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have been approved for a specific visa.

Are living in NSW or intend to live in NSW.

To access a Home Care Package, individuals typically need to:

Contact My Aged Care:

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to request an assessment.

Assessment:

An ACAT or ACAS will assess the individual's care needs to determine eligibility and the appropriate level of support.

Home Care Package Allocation:

If eligible, the individual will be allocated a Home Care Package and placed on a national priority queue until a package becomes available.

Check the myagedcare website for the most up to date information as it can change often.

Your Aged Care package comes with some great benefits that support you to live at home safer and happier. There are some limitations however.
For our clients who have
aged care packages in NSW and QLD See HCP inclusions and exclusions