Australian Government Directory of Services for Older People 2012-2013
Help to stay at home
Table of contents
Accessing Home Care
If you are no longer able to manage at home without assistance, Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs; known as Aged Care Assessment Service in Victoria) will undertake a thorough assessment of your care needs and help you gain access to the types of services most appropriate to your care needs. ACATs have access to a range of health professionals including nurses, doctors, social workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.If care at home is agreed as being the most appropriate type of care, ACATs will refer you to local community services. The ACAT may approve a Community Aged Care Package, an Extended Care at Home Package, an Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia Package or Residential Respite Care.
ACATs can also assess and approve people for transition care.
If permanent residential care is agreed as the best care option, ACATs can approve you as eligible to enter a low or high level Commonwealth - subsidised residential aged care service and provide you with information on suitable aged care facilities in your area.
ACAT assessments are free. ACATs cover all of Australia and are located in hospital and community settings.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres at www.commcarelink.health.gov.au
Aged Care Australia at www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged
The Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) program is designed to help older people who do not have secure housing or who are homeless.ACHA can link you to housing services by:
- helping you find appropriate accommodation, providing advice on housing application forms and coordinating the move
- helping you access accommodation - related financial or legal assistance such as rent relief, bond assistance, tenancy advice and legal services.
- referring you to Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT or ACAS in Victoria) and following up their recommendations
- referring you to community care services
- referring you to other health related services
- negotiating with services on your behalf where appropriate.
Websites: Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres at www.commcarelink.health.gov.au
Aged Care Australia at www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
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Commonwealth HACC program
The Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) Aged Care program provides funding for services that support frail older people and their carers who:- live in the community, and whose capacity for independent living is at risk; or
- are at risk of premature or inappropriate admission to long term residential care.
The Commonwealth HACC program aims to:
- provide a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated range of basic maintenance, support and care services for frail older people and their carers
- support these people to be more independent at home and in the community; thereby enhancing their quality of life and/or preventing their inappropriate admission to long term residential care
- provide flexible and timely services that respond to clients' needs.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Aged Care Australia at www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
Department of Health and Ageing at www.yourhealth.gov.au
Community Nursing - veterans
Community nursing is the provision of clinical nursing and/or personal care services through the Department of Veterans' Affairs to eligible members of the veteran community. Services are provided in the home. Community nursing services can assist with medication, wound care, hygiene, showering or dressing. These services help people at home to restore or maintain their maximum level of health and independence. This helps to avoid early admittance to hospital or residential care. A referral is required to access community nursing and/or personal care services. A referral can be obtained from a Local Medical Officer, treating doctor in hospital, hospital discharge planner and Veterans' Home Care Assessment Agency.
Phone: 13 32 54 (veterans - capital city callers)
1800 555 254 (veterans - regional callers)
Email: Department of Veterans' Affairs
Website: Department of Veterans' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
Postal: Department of Veterans' Affairs
GPO Box 9998
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Community transport - Repatriation Health Card holders
If you are a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card or White Card holder, you may be eligible for community transport to visit your health provider. Community transport is often provided by volunteers who drive frail aged and disabled members of the community who cannot do this for themselves. It is often available in locations not serviced by regular public transport.Volunteers usually work through community groups such as Lions and Rotary.
To find out if this service is available in your area, contact your local council, health and community centre or the Repatriation and Transport Unit in your local DVA office.
Phone: 13 32 54 (veterans - capital city callers)1800 555 254 (veterans - regional callers)
Website: Department of Veterans' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
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Home Care Packages
Home care packages help older Australians to remain in their own homes. There are three levels of home care packages: Community Aged Care Packages, Extended Aged Care at Home, and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia.Community Aged Care Packages
Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs) help when your care needs are more complex and you need assistance with bathing, meals, shopping and getting around. Each package is individually tailored and you can access a variety of services to can help you keep living in your home.To access a CACP, you first need to be assessed and approved by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT; known as an Aged Care Assessment Service in Victoria) as requiring at least low level care. If a CACP is appropriate for your care needs, you will be referred to a service coordinator.
You can be asked to contribute towards the cost of a CACP. If you are on the basic pension, you cannot be asked to pay more than 17.5 per cent of your pension. If you are on a higher income, you may be asked to pay an additional fee of no more than 50 per cent of any income above the maximum pension rate. No one will be denied a service they need because of an inability to pay the fees
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres at www.commcarelink.health.gov.au
Aged Care Australia at www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
Extended Aged Care at Home
The Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) program provides a home care alternative for frail aged people assessed as needing high care in a residential aged care home. EACH programs enable them to receive care in their own home as an alternative to residential aged care. To be eligible, you must be assessed and approved by an Aged Care Assessment Team. Your local Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre can advise you about the availability of EACH packages in your region.You can be asked to contribute towards the cost of an EACH package. If you are on the basic pension, you cannot be asked to pay more than 17.5 per cent of your pension. If you are on a higher income, you may be asked to pay an additional fee of no more than 50 per cent of any income above the maximum pension rate. No one will be denied a service they need because of an inability to pay the fees.
For more details, contact your local Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre.
Phone: 1800 052 222(Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres)
1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres at www.commcarelink.health.gov.au
Aged Care Australia at www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia
The Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACHD) program provides a home care alternative for frail aged people who have been assessed as needing high care in a residential aged care home, and who have behaviours of concern associated with dementia. To be eligible, you must be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team. Dementia does not need to be formally diagnosed. Your local Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre can advise you about the availability of EACHD packages in your region.You can be asked to contribute towards the cost of an EACHD package. If you are on the basic pension, you cannot be asked to pay more than 17.5 per cent of your pension. If you are on a higher income, you may be asked to pay an additional fee of no more than 50 per cent of any income above the maximum pension rate. No one will be denied a service they need because of an inability to pay the fees.
For more details, contact your local Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre.
Phone: 1800 052 222 (Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres)1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres at www.commcarelink.health.gov.au
Aged Care Australia at www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
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HomeFront - preventing falls (Repatriation Health Card holders)
(See also Chapter 1 Health Choices: "Staying on your feet and avoiding falls")HomeFront is a falls and accident prevention program administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA). If you are a Gold or White Card holder you may be eligible for a free annual home assessment and information about community support programs and services that will help you keep living in your own home. An assessor will visit you to identify potential hazards in and around your home. Examples of things the assessor will look for are:
- hazardous cracks in outside paths
- handrails needed in toilets/bathrooms and outside entrances
- the safety of steps
- presence of loose steps or planks
- slippery floors
- the need for a light switch near the bed
- inadequate lighting
- loose or dangerous floor coverings.
Phone: 1800 801 945 (Department of Veterans' Affairs Home Line)
Veterans' Home Care
The Veterans' Home Care (VHC) program, provided through the Department of Veterans' Affairs, helps eligible veterans and war widow(er)s with low care needs to remain in their own homes. The program provides the following services:
- domestic assistance - help with tasks such as household cleaning, dishwashing, washing clothes, ironing, shopping from a list and paying bills
- personal care - help with daily self - care tasks such as eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, getting in and out of bed, and moving around the house
- respite care - temporary relief for the eligible person's carer, or to the eligible person if they are the carer
- safety - related home and garden maintenance - help in keeping the home safe and habitable by minimising environmental health and safety hazards
Access to VHC services is not automatic. If you are eligible, you must be assessed as needing home care assistance before receiving these services.
Veterans and war widows/widowers are asked to pay a small co - payment for all services provided through VHC, except for respite care.
Phone: 1300 550 450 (Veterans' Home Care Assessment Agency)
Email: Department of Veterans' Affairs
Website: Department of Veterans' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
Postal: Department of Veterans' Affairs
GPO Box 9998
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Veterans' Home Maintenance Line
The Veterans' Home Maintenance Line provides property maintenance advice and referrals to reliable and efficient tradespeople. It can also arrange home inspections to identify current or possible future maintenance problems. The advice is free but you will need to pay for work done by tradespeople including call - out fees. Property maintenance and advice is available Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Emergency property advice is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Phone:1800 801 945 (Department of Veterans' Affairs Home Maintenance Line)
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