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You may not be ready to leave your home quite yet. And that’s okay! We’ll support you, your way.
With genU’s Home Care Packages (HCP), we can assist you or people you care about to maintain independence, health and community participation – while living in the comfort and familiarity of your own home.
Support will be plentiful and advice will be helpful so that you can make the right choice for the care that enhances your quality of life.
What’s a Home Care Package?
A Home Care Package (HCP) is an Australian Government subsidy given to over 65 year olds, to help you live at home as long as you want.
Our talented, friendly, beautiful (we could go on!) case managers, care coordinators and administration team are here to help you get the best value from HCP.
Help is available in Geelong, Lara, the Bellarine, the Surf Coast, South West Victoria, the Grampians, Ballarat, Mornington Peninsula and South Australia.
There are 4 levels of HCPs, from Level 1 (basic care) through to Level 4 (high care needs), and each level gets a different amount of funding per year.
- Level 1 for basic care needs – approximately $8,000
- Level 2 for low-level care needs – approximately $15,000
- Level 3 for intermediate care needs – approximately $33,000
- Level 4 for high-level care needs – approximately $50,000
The Inclusions
Every person is different, and what you choose will also be different, so we offer flexibility and the option to self-manage your care should you choose to do so.
Our team helps you coordinate services and gives you information and advocacy support.
Some examples of package inclusions are:
- Personal Care – Showering, dressing, continence management, medication assistance.
- Clinical Care – physiotherapy, exercise groups, occupational therapy, podiatry, nursing or dietitian support.
- Home Care – Home cleaning, laundry, making the beds
- Shopping Assistance and Transport – Escorted to medical or hairdressing appointments, taxi vouchers
- Meal Preparation – Basic cooking assistance, meal delivery programs, even cooking classes to help you learn how to cook healthy food independently
- Home, Garden & Lawn Maintenance – Gardening, gutter cleaning, de-cluttering, can also include hire of some equipment and modifications
- In-Home Respite – Personal support, medication, alarm monitoring
- Social Activities & Programs – helping you get connected, make new friends, do new exciting things.
- Case Management – Access your own personal case manager who can assist with answering all the questions you have, assist you to think about what you want the package to help you achieve, do the referrals, liaise with the service providers you choose, and whatever else you need!
Eligibility
If you’re a person over 65 years of age, experiencing some decline or slowing down, you’re eligible! There are no citizenship or residency restrictions on HCP. We should mention that if you’re a visitor of Australia or someone who only needs temporary or short-term care, HCP may not be for you. If you require short-term care, try the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
Ready to Apply? Let’s Do It!
Applications go through My Aged Care, who organise for an assessment to be done which determines what level of package best suits your needs. This can take some time, so it is always a good idea to get the process started as soon as possible. We can talk you through the process, help you with your application if you would like. We are here to help!
- If you are new to HCP, you’ll need to be assessed by the Australian Government to determine your package level.
- Register with My Aged Care or contact genU’s friendly team on 1300 558 368 for help to apply.
- The Aged Care Assessment Services (ACAS) will come to your home and assess your eligibility for a HCP. The ACAS clinician (usually a nurse, social worker or other health care professional) will schedule an assessment to try to find out how well you are managing in your day-to-day life. It’s solely about getting to know you a bit better.
- To prepare for the assessment, simply have a think about what your needs are, and what they may be in the future.
- Once you receive a letter from My Aged Care stating that you have been allocated a HCP, you can be allocated a genU Case Manager who will meet with you and explain what genU can offer.
Heads up: the allocation of a Home Care Package process can take anywhere from 6-12 months.
Remember, no matter where you are in the process, you can contact our friendly team to walk you through it!