Article posted:Feb 1, 2011
Category: Home and Community Care
What is Home Care?
It is more common than not, that most elderly people would choose to stay in their homes for as long as possible, before moving into residential aged care. However certain aged care services may be required before that person is ready to make a permanent move, such as food preparation, house work or medication. That’s why Home Care is available in the aged care industry.
The idea of Home Care is to provide the elderly with these part-time services, with the aged care worker coming to the patient rather than the other way around. If this is an alternative that you or someone you know would be interested in, then an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment will need to be performed, this should be at no cost to you. You will then be placed in either a CACP (Community Aged Care Program) program or an EACH (Extended Aged Care at Home) program. If the individual is assessed into the CACP category, Home Care could provide the following services at the home of the person as needed.
CACP Packages:
- personal hygiene
- transport
- cleaning and laundry
- medication
- preparation of food
- dressing
- social activities
- gardening
However if the person is placed into the EACH category, this means they require a higher level of care than those placed into the CACP category. Therefore the following services could be provided:
EACH Packages:
- Personal care
- Registered nurse care
- Social support
- Allied health care
- Assistance with oxygen and/or enteral feeding
- Transport to appointments
Home Care in Hobart
To find Home Care services in Hobart you can search for Home Care Hobart
CACP and EACH care are available.
Home Care is a relatively new service in the aged care industry, but can be found in all Hobart regions.
F.A.Q’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and More Information.
Where can I get an ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) assessment?
ACATs can be searched for at the Australian Government’s Department for Health and Ageing.
You can search by state and suburb or post code.
Useful Links
- Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
- Search for Home Care facilities in Hobart and Tasmania
What are the costs? Government versus Private Providers
The ACAT/ACAS assessments are without charge.
Private Providers and Not-for-Profit Organisations
There are also private providers which are sometimes in conjunction with government programs, however commercial rates do apply. Not-for-profit organisations may also provide Home Care and therefore with a charitable reduction.
Government Programs
If you are placed into a CACP or EACH package then a fee of no more than 17.5% of the individual’s income will be charged, if the individual is on the maximum basic pension rate. For those who earn a higher income, they may be asked to pay additional fees but that cannot exceed more than 50% of their income.
The CACP and EACH packages are regulated and to an extent funded by the Government.
