Depending on your level of Home Care Package, and your needs, there are a range of care, services and goods that your funding can be used for.
Care and services
Home Care Package funding can be used to provide assistance on the following services:
- Personal care (such as bathing, maintaining personal hygiene)
- Nursing care
- Therapies to maintain movement and mobility (such as podiatry, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy)
- Meal preparation
- Chores around the house (such as cleaning, laundry, and general housework) Support with social activities to help the person stay engaged with their community
- Transport support
- Home or garden maintenance
- Support managing particular conditions to help you live independently at home.
For more information, My Aged Care provides a thorough overview of services here.
The full list of home care services is provided in the Quality of Care Principles 2014 on the Federal Register of Legislation website, Schedule 3 – Care and services for home care services.
Products and goods
Your Home Care Packages can also be used to purchase goods, equipment and assistive technology (GEAT) to assist you in your everyday life. Depending on your level of Home Care Package and your needs, these products can range from specialised eating utensils to mobility aids and safety equipment.
You can read our guide to Home Care Package consumables here.
What's not included
While Home Care Packages are flexible and are designed to be spent on supporting your needs, there are some things that are not covered by Home Care Package funding.
These include:
- Food (except as part of enteral feeding requirements)
- General household items
- Rent or accommodation
- Home modifications that are not related to your needs
- Holiday travel expenses Entertainment activities such as club memberships and tickets to sporting events
Package supplements
Dementia and Cognition Supplement
The Dementia and Cognition Supplement provides 10% additional funding for home care recipients with “moderate to severe levels of cognitive impairment associated with dementia or other conditions.“ This is available with any of the four Home Care Package levels.
Veterans’ Supplement
The Veterans’ Supplement provides 10% additional funding, also on top of the Home Care Package, for veterans with a mental health condition related to their service.
If you want to understand more about Home Care Packages and how they work, explore our comprehensive guide to Home Care Packages.
