Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
The CHSP and Home Care Packages Program deliver similar care and services, such as cleaning, gardening, transport and allied health, but at different levels.
In certain circumstances care recipients may access short-term CHSP services, if assessed as needed by an aged care assessor.
Read about when care recipients can access CHSP services.
Residential respite
Residential respite is when an older person stays in an aged care home for a short period to give carers a break from their caring responsibilities.
Care recipients can access residential respite if an aged care assessor has assessed them as needing it and services provided do not overlap with Home Care Packages.
However, if there is an overlap in services, the care recipient must take residential respite leave from the Home Care Packages Program.
For example, the care recipient cannot receive personal care, nursing, allied health or meal services from both their Home Care Package and the residential aged care home.
Transition Care Programme
The Transition Care Programme provides temporary rehabilitation services to older people after a hospital stay.
If assessed as needed by an aged care assessor, care recipients can access transition care, but they must take transition care leave from their Home Care Package.
Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
The ACVVS provides friendship to older people who are socially isolated or at risk of social isolation or loneliness. This might include care recipients who may not have regular contact with friends and relatives or are feeling isolated from their culture or heritage.
Care recipients can access the ACVVS, with no impact on their services. This includes people approved for a Home Care Package, or on the National Priority System.
If your care recipient will benefit, you can request a volunteer visitor on their behalf.
Home Care Package providers and the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
Primary care
Primary care provides medical care and services for acute and chronic conditions to all Australians, regardless of age.
Care recipients can access services provided by hospitals, general practitioners, and allied health practitioners with no assessment, as long as services do not overlap.
Where services overlap, you must not submit a claim through the Home Care Packages Program for services funded or jointly funded by the Australian Government.
Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) programs
DVA fund a range of programs to support older veterans and war widows and widowers, such as the Veterans' Home Care program.
Eligible care recipients can access both Home Care Packages and DVA home care programs, as long as there is no overlap in services.
Where services are available under both programs, you should help your care recipient to decide which services to access from the programs.
Disability Support for Older Australians (DSOA) Program
The DSOA Program supports older people with disability who received specialist disability funded supports through the former Continuity of Support (CoS) Programme.
Care recipients are not eligible to apply for DSOA as it is a closed program. DSOA clients are exited from the program when they start receiving Home Care Package services.
DSOA clients who were already receiving a Home Care Package before 1 July 2021 can access services from both programs, but their DSOA funding is capped.
Read more about the interaction of aged care services with the DSOA Program.
Programs that do not interact with Home Care Packages
Care recipients cannot also access:
- permanent residential aged care
- Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme
- Multi-Purpose Services (MPS) Program
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) Program
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).