Thousands of retired Australians benefit from home care services that enable them to stay in their own residence regardless of their health condition. 

The government arranges and supports this program to ensure that the senior citizens have the opportunity to receive adequate care. Nevertheless, several requirements must be met by those who wish to take advantage of this package. 

Read on to learn more about this home care package eligibility and what kind of procedures you need to complete for the application.

What Determines Eligibility for a Home Care Package?

Before submitting your registration for this program, it is important to make sure that you have met certain qualifying criteria established by the Australian government. 

The regulations are created to verify that the funds are directed towards individuals who actually require home help for seniors.

Basically, the fundamental specifications to sign up for this elderly care package focus on 3 aspects such as age, residency status, and the demands for care.

Gaining knowledge about these conditions allows you to determine whether you or your elderly loved ones fit the criteria. Moreover, you can also have a better preparation for the screening procedure.

1. Age

Generally, the minimum age requirement is 65 years old. However, the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people can apply if they are at least 50 years old.

If you are younger than the age standard but suffer from certain disabilities, dementia, or other complex illnesses, your application for home care services may also be accepted. 

The condition usually occurs as an alternative to those who fail to fulfil the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) requirements.

2. Residency status

You should make sure that you are an Australian citizen or possess the status of permanent resident in Australia. 

Moreover, some types of visa can be considered qualified for this program, such as:

– Protected individuals and refugees

– Special category visa (subclass 444) – New Zealand citizens

– Provisional or permanent partner visas

– Bridging visa under specified situations

– Several humanitarian visas

Basically, this home help for seniors targets those who stay in Australia for an extended period of time. Therefore, if you disappear from the country for a long period, your right to apply for this program may lose its validity.

3. Care needs

The good news is that eligibility for a home care package depends on the type of care you need, rather than your financial situation. 

An assessment will be carried out to identify the seniors’ condition and abilities and determine which tier of care is suitable for them. So, if you struggle to complete your mundane tasks alone, your request for this home service care might be granted. 

The daily tasks may include personal hygiene, meal preparation, housekeeping, getting around, medication management, and many more.

The Home Care Package Application Process

If you are confident that you are eligible to receive eldercare assistance at home, you may proceed to the next stage of this process, which is completing the admission and screening procedure. 

In this process, your care requirement will be confirmed, and they will check which category of care is suitable for your condition.

First of all, to start the application, you should take an evaluation carried out by My Aged Care. This process can be done online through their platform, and it might take 20 minutes to fill out their questionnaire and request your Medicare card. 

Since this procedure is conducted online, you can easily optimise your submission by getting help from someone you trust to complete the form on your behalf if you are not able to finish it on your own.

How the Home Care Assessment Process Works

It begins with reaching My Aged Care and responding to their inquiries regarding your health conditions, lifestyle, daily habits, the kind of support you require at home, and your current situation at home. 

The evaluation can occur at home, by call, or on-site. If you are considered qualified, they will give you a reference number that you can share with the selected care provider. Although the qualification is determined by the care requirement, your economic status might be reviewed too. 

This process will decide whether you should make a small contribution to your package. The purpose is to make sure that the government funds are allocated equally to all participants.

Home Care Services: Levels of Support Available

This government-funded home service care package is classified into four separate levels. 

● Level 1: The fundamental care 

Some individuals get older and remain self-sufficient, but still require a helping hand to complete some household tasks to remain safe at home. This stage of care is created to cater to those needs. Seniors will receive help with housekeeping, grocery shopping, cooking meals, and getting around. The government funded $10,986.50 per year for this program level.

● Level 2: Moderate care

It offers continuous help to those who constantly need aged care assistance at home. The service includes the tasks from level 1 and minor medical-related responsibilities. The budget allocated for this stage of care is $19,314.45 per year.

● Level 3: Intermediate requirement

It is designed for those who require moderate to significant amounts of care. In addition to everything covered in levels 1 and 2, it also offers service revolves nursing support, movement from one place to the other, and regular personal hygiene. 

It is appropriate for patients with chronic diseases or limited mobility who choose to stay at their residence instead of relocating to aged care facilities. They will be granted $42,055.30 annually. 

● Level 4: High treatment

It is the most advanced stage of care intended for those with intensive aged care assistance at home from skilled specialists. They will receive comprehensive treatment by professional medical staff. The amount of funds for this stage of care is around $63,758.20 every year.

Conclusion

If you are a senior who has difficulty completing daily tasks on your own, it may be the right time for you to apply for home care. 

If you are not sure whether you can meet the home care package eligibility, but still require assistance on this matter, you can still talk for more details about your circumstances. They may review your condition and recommend alternative services provided by the government or non-government organisations.