Home Home Care Package Level 1

Home Care Package Level 1

Level 1 Home Care Packages

Home Care Packages are home care services funded by the Australian Government. They help you with everyday tasks such as housework, laundry, taking care of yourself and doing the grocery shopping, so you can live independently at home.

Everyone has different care needs, so Home Care Packages are available as four levels, each with different government funding amounts. These range from basic care needs (Level 1) to low-level care needs (Level 2), intermediate care needs (Level 3) and high-level care needs (Level 4).

What is a Level 1 Home Care Package?

A Level 1 Home Care Package is for older people who have basic level care needs. As entry level support, it’s designed to give you extra help during the week, and may involve one or two visits a week from a professional care worker.

This level of support includes assistance with everyday tasks, such as:

Personal care – help with showering, getting ready in the morning, continence management
Domestic assistance – keeping your home clean and tidy
Mela preparation – to ensure you eat nutritious and nourishing food
Shopping assistance and transport to appointments
Social activities, hobbies, community activities, and companionship
Gardening assistance to keep your home safe and liveable

Home Care Packages are designed to be flexible, which means you can adapt your services as your needs change. For example, you might receive a few hours of care or domestic assistance each week, but after a couple of months, you may want to add meal preparation services to help you eat well at home.

Home Caring provides a personalised Level 1 Aged Care Package for seniors who need some extra help at home. Based in locations around Australia, our team of professional carers support you with compassion and respect, going above and beyond to provide a service you are happy with. To chat to a team member about your specific needs, please get in touch.

How can a Level 1 Home Care Package benefit me?

Aged Care Packages Level 1 are designed to help you stay safe and well at home. Getting a hand with the housework, personal care or shopping can help you stay at home for as long as possible. This helps prevent prematurely moving into a residential care facility, so you can continue living in the community and doing the things you love.

Home Care Level 1 can also help you maintain your quality of life. By getting help with the everyday things, you’ll enjoy better wellbeing, mental health and physical health. You can also keep living close to your support network, and even have opportunities to try new things.

How do I qualify for a Level 1 Home Care Package?

To be eligible for an HCP Level 1, you must be 65 years or old (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) and need support to live at home safely. You can apply for an aged care assessment on the My Aged Care government website, or appoint someone to apply on your behalf. An Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) will then visit you, chat to you about your needs, and assess which Home Care Package level is right for you.

If you are eligible for Home Care Package Level 1 funding, you will be notified by mail through an approval letter, and placed in a queue to be assigned a package. While you wait, your next step is to choose a care provider who will use your Home Care Package funding to provide you with a care plan that suits your needs. Depending on your financial situation and level of care, you may be asked to contribute towards your care through a basic daily fee and an income-tested care fee.

Want to know how to prepare for an ACAT assessment? Here’s some information that may help.

Home Care Packages with Home Caring

Home Caring provides personalised Level 1 Home Care Packages for those who need basic assistance at home. Our services are flexible, so you can arrange a care worker to assist you at a time that suits your schedule. We also carefully match each of our clients with a professional who suits their lifestyle and personality, so you’ll always feel comfortable with your care.

As a registered service provider, we are:

Individualised – we tailor our packages to suit each of our clients, and never treat two people as the same. We offer assistance with tasks in a way that is suited to your needs.
Compassionate – we provide coordinated services with heart, and treat each of our clients as one of our own.
Professional – we meet the highest standards, and pay attention to the details so you get the most out of your package funds.
Local – our team of care workers and health professionals are from the areas they provide care in, so are best-placed to connect you with community services and activities.
Collaborative – we take a coordinated approach to care, working with you, your loved ones and health care professionals to deliver the best outcomes for you.

For more information about our in-home care services and level 1-4 Home Care Packages, please get in touch. We’d be happy to chat to you about your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Home Care Package?

How do I apply for a Home Care Package?

What are the different levels of Home Care Packages?

Can I change providers once I start receiving my Home Care Package?

What is a Home Care Package?

If you are an older person living in Australia, a Home Care Package can help you access affordable care services in your own home. This can include domestic assistance, personal care, transport to appointments, recreation activities, minor home modifications, meal preparation, medication management, or equipment to help you stay safe and mobile. The aim is to help you live independently in the community for longer, with safety and confidence.

Home Care Packages are subsidised by the government, though you may be asked to contribute towards the cost of your services, depending on your financial situation. It is a consumer-directed program, which means you choose who provides you with care, and allocate the funds from your package to pay for those services.

How do I apply for a Home Care Package?

The first step is to apply for an assessment that determines your eligibility for a Home Care Package. You can do this online on the My Aged Care website, or by calling 1800 200 422 (or you can appoint someone to do this on your behalf). During the assessment, you’ll need to answer a few questions about your current situation, and whether you need help with daily tasks like cooking and cleaning. You’ll also need to provide information from your Medicare card.

Once you have completed the application, an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessor will get in touch and arrange a good time to visit you at home. They will chat to you face-to-face to get more details about your needs, any health concerns you have, any memory problems you may be experiencing, if you have difficulties doing daily tasks, and other issues that might concern you. This is also a good opportunity to ask any questions you might have about government funded aged care.

Based on the information you provide, the assessor will determine if you are eligible for a Home Care Package, and if so, what level of funding you should receive. You will be notified about their decision by letter.

You never have to be alone during an assessment. You can have someone with you at all times for support, such as a family member, friend or carer. You can also organise to have a translator at the appointment.

What are the different levels of Home Care Packages?

Everyone has different needs, depending on their living situation and health. The government caters for these differences with four levels of Home Care Packages, each with different funding amounts. They range from basic care needs through to high care needs.

The four Home Care Package levels are:

Level 1 – basic care needs, an entry-level package that provides a little extra support at home

Level 2 – low care needs, for people who require low level support to remain independent

Level 3 – intermediate care needs, for people who need more visits from a carer each week

Level 4 – high care needs, for those with complex health issues or multiple nursing care needs

When you apply for a Home Care Package, your ACAT assessor with talk to you about your current care needs. They will then determine which level of funding best suits your circumstances.

Can I change providers once I start receiving my Home Care Package?

Home Care Packages is a consumer-directed program. This means that recipients have choice and control over the services they receive. You can choose who provides you with care, and also change providers if you are unhappy with your service, prefer to partner with someone else who is a better fit, or are moving to a different location.

To change providers, make sure you check your Home Care Agreement with your current provider, so you are aware of any moving conditions such as notice periods or exit amounts that may apply. It’s also a good idea to start researching providers before you agree on an end date with your current provider, to ensure a smooth transition.

To change providers, get in touch with My Aged Care to re-activate your referral code, which you will need to give to your new provider before receiving their services. Once this referral code is accepted, a notification is sent to your current provider to let them know that you are changing providers (this is on top of having a discussion with your provider to agree on a formal end date for your current services).

Keep in mind that you have 56 days from your end date to enter into an Agreement with your new provider. If you don’t enter into an Agreement within this time frame, your package will be withdrawn (though you can call My Aged Care and request an extension). If there are any unspent funds in your package, they will be passed on to your new provider.

Home Caring provides person-centred Home Care Packages for seniors. We’ll match you with a carer who best meets your needs, and work with you to develop a care plan that makes a real difference to your life. For more information, please get in touch.