Home Care Packages

Everything you need to know about home care packages

The government is making it easier for people to stay in their home longer. “Home care” is a how we refer to the help and support services that let you do that. The services cover two main areas, home care – which is traditional aged care, provided at home – and home help. Home help covers help around the home and companion services.

Home care: giving you the support of aged care professionals from assisting with personal hygiene and care, to dressing and undressing, mobility and transportation, rehabilitation, and more
Home help: lends an extra pair of hands with general errands and keeping your home running smoothly, including cleaning, cooking, shopping, transportation, and facilitating social outings
Companion services: if you just want someone to share some time with, have a coffee, walk down to the bowls club with, or just someone who’s interested in having a chat, we have people who would love to meet you.

There are two ways of funding home care. Either privately, where you choose exactly the services you want to help make living at home easier, or with government funding, which helps you pay for the services you need.

What government-funded services are you eligible for?

Depending on your individual circumstances, you may be eligible for partial or full government funding.

To find out what level of funding you are eligible for, you need to be assessed by a health professional through the government’s Aged Care Assessment Team, (ACAT).

Regis Home Care can arrange this free assessment for you. And our friendly experts can guide you through each step of the process.

We also offer a complete range of home care packages should you choose not to have a government-funded package.

These range from care for an hour a week to a comprehensive 24-hour care package.

The fees for each of these services will differ. To find out more, please call one of our experienced friendly team on 1300 188 740 and book a Care Consultation.

What packages are available?

Whether you choose private or government-funded home care, the range of services you are provided are referred to as a package.

Regis offers both private and government funded Home Care packages services.

If you opt for a private package, we’ll work with you to determine what you need to make life more comfortable at home.

Government-funded home care package are made up of four levels of funding. Each level determines the amount of funding the government will provide for your home care needs.

The four possible levels of home care are:

Level 1 – basic care
Level 2 – low-level care
Level 3 – intermediate care
Level 4 – high-level care

If you’d like extra services, on top of the ones you’re funded for, we can help with that too. Regis Home Care offers a complete range of home care, home help and companion services on both a government funded and private basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most people have questions about home care. Here are some simple answers to some of the more common questions:

What home care package costs can I expect to pay?

These will vary depending on what funding you are eligible for.

A Home Care Provider may ask you to contribute to your care. This is called the Maximum Basic Daily Fee. This is capped at a maximum of 17.5% of the basic single pension.

You may also have to pay an Income Tested Fee, which is based on your Annual Income and is assessed by the government but collected by the Home Care Provider.
Does Regis offer Commonwealth Home Support Programme Services?

Yes. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is an entry level government subsidised home care program that provides a basic level of care and support to those who need it.

Regis can offer you a range of services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program including: Flexible in Home Respite, Allied Health Services, Social Support, Transportation and the provision of meals.

Commonwealth home support programme
Am I eligible for a home care package or program?

If you need extra help in order to live independently, and also need help funding that help, it is likely you are eligible for a home care package.

Your eligibility will be based on an assessment by a healthcare professional.

If you discover you are not eligible for government-funded care, Regis Home Care offers the same services through our private home care programs.
What does an ACAT assessment entail?

ACAT stands for Aged Care Assessment Team. This is a team of healthcare professionals who have a huge amount of experience and compassion for the needs of older Australians who want to remain at home.

An ACAT assessment is an incredibly straightforward process and is nothing to be nervous or worried about. One of the ACAT team will visit you and ask you questions that pertain to how well you manage in your daily life. We can be there with you, if you’d like a little extra support.

During the assessment, they’ll outline how everything works, explain the types of different services that are available, and give you relevant advice.

More information can be found here

Once you’ve been assessed, you’ll know how much funding you are eligible for. The friendly team at Regis Home Care can then explore what options you have available and work with you to make sure you get the best care possible for your needs.
What services are included in a home care package?
As a rule, any service which makes it possible for you to feel confident living in your own home. There are two main types of services – home care (which gives you the support of aged care professionals from assisting with personal hygiene and care,) and home help (which is like having an extra pair of hands to help around the house or a companion to assist you to continue enjoying all the things you love).

The services available can be tailored to your specific needs. These include:

Home care:
- Personal hygiene through assistance with showering and/or bathing
- Dressing and undressing
- Mobility and transportation
- Fitting sensory devices
- Assistance with self-medication
- Toileting
- Assistance with following rehabilitation regimes
Home help:
- Cleaning the house, cooking and meal preparation
- Shopping and running errands
- Transportation
Companionship services
- A friendly face to share a coffee with
- Company when you go on social outings
- Someone to go with you to an appointment
- A friendly ear to reminisce with
Where does Regis currently offer home care services?

We currently offer Home Care services in Metro Melbourne (VIC), Cairns (QLD), Mildura (VIC), Darwin (NT), Launceston (TAS) and Hobart (TAS) but watch this space, we might be coming to a location near you.
What is the National Prioritisation Queue?

The national prioritisation system is managed by the Australian Government and allows for the fairer allocation of packages to clients, based on their individual needs and circumstances, regardless of where they live. The national prioritisation system is necessary to address significant variations in waiting periods across Australia. While the total number of packages will continue to increase each year, overall the number of packages at each level will continue to be capped. For more information visit https://agedcare.health.gov.au/programs/home-care/national-prioritisation-system
What do you do if you receive a department letter?
If you are assessed as eligible for a home care package you will:
- receive a letter of approval from My Aged Care that sets out the level of home care package you are approved to receive
- be placed in a national priority queue for home care packages and will be contacted when a suitable package becomes available for you.
If you don’t receive an approval letter explaining your assessment outcome, call My Aged Care and request a copy