Funding eligibility
AccessCare provide government-funded Home Care Packages to people living in the cities of Kingston, Bayside, Glen Eira, Stonnington and Port Phillip.
How much is a Home Care Package?
The Australian Government pays most of the cost of aged care in Australia. You receive a personalised budget so you know how much is available for your care and how it is being spent.
You may also be eligible for a supplement to cover additional needs like dementia and cognition support, oxygen, or enteral feeding. AccessCare can apply for these supplements on your behalf.
Am I eligible for a Home Care Package?
There’s a standard process to determine if you are eligible for a Home Care Package. This is called an Aged Care Assessment and is carried out free of charge by your local Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS).
The assessment takes into account your age, your living situation, and your ability to perform basic daily living tasks without extra help. You are also welcome to have someone else – perhaps a friend, family member, independent aged care advocate or your carer – attend your Home Care Package assessment for extra support.
How do I access funding and supports?
Transcript of video(PDF, 448KB)
What should I consider when choosing a provider?
You can have a say in the type of Aged Care Provider you choose and also the types of care and services delivered to you as part of your home care package.
Some considerations when choosing an approved my aged care provider may be whether they specialise in services which are important to you such as dementia and also where they are located as this can reduce travel times and in some cases reduce the costs associated with travel.
You may also like to ask how long they have been providing services, as there are a number of new organisations offering services who have different levels of experience and service quality.
Other questions you might like to ask your aged care provider might include:
- What are the range of services offered
- Checks, screening and qualifications processes
- Service change or cancellation notice periods
- What complaints processes are in place
- How long they have been providing Home Care Packages
What to ask when choosing a provider
How can AccessCare support you through the process?
Transcript of video(PDF, 651KB)
Five Steps to apply for a Home Care Package through My Aged Care
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Contact My Aged Care
Call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au. You be will asked some questions to understand your needs.
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Free assessment
A member of the Aged Care Assessment Team will visit your home to understand your needs.
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Approval letter
Once you are approved for a package, you will be sent an approval letter telling you which level package you are entitled to. This means you are now on the waiting list for a package.
This does not mean you are ready to go, you need to wait for a second letter stating you have been 'assigned' a package.
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Assignment letter
Once you receive this second letter stating you have been 'assigned' a package, you are ready to go and contact your chosen provider.
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Contact your chosen provider (AccessCare)
Call AccessCare on 1300 819 200 to get started.
To learn more please call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit My Aged Care.
Home Care Package Agreement
Once you have been assigned a home care package you will receive a unique code, known as your referral code, which can then be presented to your chosen provider. You can then enter into a Home Care Agreement and start receiving services under your home care package.
Your Home Care Agreement sets out how your services will be provided, who will provide them, and how much they will cost.
Your Agreement will include:
- Care plan - this outlines the services you will receive under your package, taking into consideration your individual goals and preferences.
- Budget - this details the funds available in your package and how they will be spent.
You will receive monthly statements which show how your home care package budget is being spent. The statement will include the income and expenditure for the package and also any unspent home care amount so you can keep track of your spending.
Any unspent funds can be carried over for as long as you continue to receive care under the package.
Your aged care provider has a responsibility to help you understand the terms of your Home Care Agreement. AccessCare will always take the time to go through your Agreement with you in fine detail.
We will make sure you have carefully read and understood the Agreement and will answer any questions or concerns you have to make sure you are completely happy with everything before you sign it.
Once the Agreement has been signed, the services detailed in your care plan can start.
More information
For further information please call us on
1300 819 200. We’ll answer any questions and let you know the next steps.