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5.1 What is Home Care

Home Care is comprised of various services that are designed to help people to stay at home. The types of services provided under a Home Care Package will depend on the specific needs of the Home Care recipient and will be coordinated for them by their home care provider. Services can include personal care, support services such as washing, ironing and gardening, and clinical care such as nursing and podiatry.

There are four levels of Home Care Packages:

  • Level 1 supports people with basic-care needs
  • Level 2 supports people with low-level care needs
  • Level 3 supports people with intermediate-level care needs
  • Level 4 support people with high-level care needs

People who start receiving a Home Care Package from 1 July 2014 can be asked to pay:

A contribution towards day-to-day living costs such as meals, cleaning, laundry, heating and cooling. Everyone entering an aged care home or taking up a Home Care Package can be asked by their service provider to pay the basic fee.

A care recipient’s contribution toward the cost of a Home Care package if the person has sufficient income.