Home Care Package funds: what can they be used for?

Before you start the assessment process for a package, you might want to consider in more detail what the package funds can be used for – and also what they can’t be used for.

What can Home Care Package funds be used for?

Your Home Care Package funds should be used to purchase care and services that meet your needs as assessed by a member of the Department of Health’s Aged Care Assessment Team. Once you are allocated a package, the types of care and services you can receive, as outlined in the department’s Your guide to Home Care Package services, include:

Personal services

Assistance with personal activities such as bathing, showering, toileting, dressing and undressing, mobility and communication

Nutrition, hydration, meal preparation and diet

Assistance with preparing meals, including special diets for health, religious, cultural or other reasons, assistance with using eating utensils and assistance with feeding

Continence management

Assistance in using continence aids and appliances such as disposable pads and absorbent aids, commode chairs, bedpans and urinals, catheter and urinary drainage appliances, and enemas

Mobility and dexterity

Providing crutches, quadruped walkers, walking frames, walking sticks, mechanical devices for lifting, bed rails, slide sheets, sheepskins, tri-pillows, pressure-relieving mattresses and assistance using these aids

Nursing, allied health and therapy services

For example, this may include speech therapy, podiatry, occupational or physiotherapy services and other clinical services such as hearing and vision services

Transport and personal assistance

Assistance with shopping, visiting health practitioners and attending social activities

Management of skin integrity

Assistance with bandages, dressings and skin emollients.

A Home Care Package may also be used to fund the use of:

Telehealth

Video conferencing and digital technology (including remote monitoring) to increase access to timely and appropriate care

Assistive technology

This covers devices that assist mobility, communication and personal safety

Aids and equipment

Particularly those that assist a person to perform daily living tasks can be purchased using funds from your package budget. Your Home Care Agreement needs to specify whether it is leased or who owns the item and who is responsible for ongoing maintenance and repair costs.