What Home Care Packages fund
In line with the intent of the program, Home Care Packages can only fund services, supports or items that meet assessed ageing-related care needs that are:
- identified by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT)
- recommended by a provider in ongoing care discussions
- prescribed by an appropriate health professional.
Services you can provide
As the provider, you are responsible for understanding what services the Home Care Packages Program does and doesn’t fund. These are listed in the:
- Quality of Care Principles 2014
- Home Care Packages Inclusions and Exclusions Framework
- provider manual
- care recipient manual
- additional guidance materials.
You can use Home Care Package funding to provide:
- care management – such as care planning and clinical oversight
- personal care – such as help with showering and hygiene
- clinical care – such as nursing, podiatry and physiotherapy
- skin care – such as wound care
- dietary support – such as help with nutrition and preparing meals
- continence care – such as disposable pads, commode chairs and bedpans
- communication support – such as help with using the phone or hearing aids
- mobility support – such as crutches, wheelchairs and bed rails
- support services – such as cleaning, light gardening and transport
- minor home modifications – such as installation of grab rails and easy access taps
- social support – such as help to take part in social activities and access emergency services
- respite – such as day respite to give a carer a break
- package management – administrative tasks to manage the package.
Deciding what services to include
You must work within the care recipient’s individualised budget to provide the care and services they need.
All items and services in their budget must benefit the care recipient. They must not be for the use of family members or carers.
As part of ongoing care discussions, you should determine whether a funded service will maintain a care recipient’s capabilities and keep them:
- well and independent – for example, with personal care, nursing services, allied health
- safe in their home – for example, with cleaning, assistive technology, home maintenance or modifications specific to ageing-related capabilities
- connected to their community – for example, with transport, social support services.
For more guidance, refer to the Inclusions and Exclusions Framework.
Self-managed care recipients
Self-managed care recipients should also follow the Inclusions and Exclusions Framework.
You should inform self-managed care recipients of the scope of the program and keep them updated on reforms.
Who can prescribe services
Not all services will need a prescription, but all recommendations must still align with the intent of the program.
Various health professionals can prescribe or recommend services, supports and items to be included as part of a Home Care Package.
This may include:
- an assessor at an initial assessment or re-assessment
- a treating medical practitioner, such as a general practitioner or specialist
- a registered nurse
- a registered allied health professional, such as an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, speech pathologist and podiatrist.
To be able to prescribe under the program, the health professional:
- must have experience and training in their relevant field – for example, allied health professionals must be registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) or self-regulated by another national professional association
- must prescribe services, supports and items that are within their area of practice – for example, a dietitian can advise on nutrition, hydration, meal preparation and diet.
Excluded services
Certain services are excluded under Home Care Packages. This includes items that would usually be paid for with general income that everyone needs, regardless of age, such as food and utilities.
Read about what items and services are excluded and how to advise care recipients.
Learn more
For further guidance about included and excluded services: