Government funded supports

Through its Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and Home Care Packages (HCP) program, the Government supports seniors to stay in their community for longer and to live independently for as long as possible in their own home.

The supports you will be able to access vary, depending on your needs and circumstances. Assistance is available across a range of levels, from basic supports under CHSP to more intensive support with HCP.

Choice and control

Known as the Consumer Directed Care (CDC) model you or your loved one now have more choice and control over who delivers the care you have been approved for.

CDC 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

For example, you have been approved for a Level 2 HCP and would like to receive personal care and meal preparation assistance.

However, after six months, you decided you’d also like to allocate some of your funding to gardening and home maintenance services. The CDC model gives you the ability to discuss these options with your current provider, or find another provider to deliver this as part of your HCP.

Under the model, all funding is allocated directly to you, the consumer, rather than the service provider. This makes it easier to change providers if you wish. This doesn’t mean the money will go into your bank account. The Government funding is still paid to an approved provider for them to pay carers and other bills. It simply means the packages are portable and if you decide to change providers, any unspent funds will move with you.

So if you or your loved one move to a different area that your current provider doesn’t service, or if you’re not happy with your provider, you will also be able to take your HCP with you and choose a new local provider.