Level 4 Home Care Package
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Have you just qualified for a level 4 package under the Federal Government’s Home Care Packages Program?
Home Care packages are provided by the Federal Government to help Australians with complex needs live in their homes longer. The scheme is designed to help a wide spectrum of older people – from those with very basic needs to those who require a great deal assistance.
If you have been assessed for or upgraded to a level 4 package, then you’re likely to have questions about your package. What does it entitle you to? And what kinds of services might you be able to access?
The government provides four levels of Home Care packages to reflect the different needs of older people living in the community.
Level 4 is the highest level of care available and is assigned to people that the government has assessed to have higher level care needs. As a level 4 subsidy recipient, you’re likely to require a significant amount of assistance to manage your daily life. You may want to access:
- Personal care
- Domestic assistance
- Meal preparation
- Shopping
- Transport
- Social support
- Companionship
These will help you with things like maintaining a tidy house, making adjustments to your home so that it’s safer and easier for you to live in, and handling meal preparation and shopping.
Depending on your circumstances, you are likely to require a number of additional services. You may require occupational therapy or support around a specialised condition such as parkinson’s or dementia. You may require nursing care, assistance with dressing and bathing and medication support. You might also need allied health care and medication management.
On a level 4 package, you are entitled to a yearly subsidy of up to approximately $49,500 to go towards accessing these services from approved Home Care providers.
As long as you go through an approved provider, you’re entirely free to choose which services you spend your subsidy on. Be aware that this is a subsidy and you might be required to pay a small co-payment depending on your own income level. For those on a full pension, this could be as low as $10 a day; for those self-funded retirees, remember that you can always make additional payments to access services. Call our customer engagement centre to discuss your individual circumstances, on 1300 275 227.
Waiting periods
There is often a waiting period between when your home care package has been approved, and when it is allocated by the Government (assigned to you and funds transferred to your chosen provider). It’s during this time that you can select the provider that matches your needs.
Our staff are specially trained to deliver the best quality care, while respecting your home, needs and wishes. We can meet with you to create an obligation-free care plan so we are absolutely clear on how to meet your goals, or you could draft a package.
We can assist you with any questions you may have, as well as some helpful strategies while you wait for your home care package to be fully processed. Call our helpful BaptistCare Customer Engagement Centre on 1300 275 227 for a friendly chat.