Changes to Home Care Packages

There are some important changes currently taking place with respect to in-home support and care services. The Australian Government wants to help you live independently in your own home for as long as possible, which is good news! In light of this the Government has developed some new reforms around what is called Consumer Directed Care (or CDC). CDC is designed to make life easier, by giving you more support in your choice and flexibility of in-home support and care.

A Home Care Package (HCP) delivered on a ‘CDC basis’ means having the choice to:

• Have more say in the care and services you access, how it is delivered, and by whom
• Develop your own care plan with your service provider
• Determine how much involvement you want in managing your HCP
• Have more understanding about how your HCP is funded, and how these funds will be spent
• Monitor your HCP to determine whether it still meets your care needs

From 27th February, a Home Care Package will be allocated to the consumer (as opposed to service provider as is the present case), allowing consumers to direct funding for their Home Care Package to the provider of their choice. Part of this change also means that for those of you with a current Home Care Package (or looking to acquire on at any stage in the future), RSL LifeCare at Home will be able to provide your service as of 28th February. Please contact your co-ordinator to find out more.

Home Care Packages will be assigned to people based on their individual needs and circumstances. This will make sure people receive care in a fair and consistent way around the country.

To see how RSL LifeCare can help you…

Call us on 1300 853 146 or email: homecare@rsllifecare.org.au