The Essential Guide to Dementia Supplement Home Care Packages 

Some Home Care Packages include the dementia supplement. This supplement is for HCP applicants who have dementia and cognitive impairment. 

The dementia supplement is special funding that goes into your Home Care Package. 

Dementia patients often need more intensive care, which is more expensive than regular home care. The dementia supplement is intended to reduce the costs associated with dementia treatment. 

This article explains the dementia supplement for Home Care Packages.

What Are Home Care Package Supplements?

Home Care Packages aren't only for seniors who need help completing everyday tasks.

They can also benefit people with cognitive impairment who need specialised care. This includes dementia and other cognitive impairments.

That's why eligibility requirements for the dementia supplement are different.

These supplements refer to government funding provided through Home Care Packages. 

The HCP dementia supplement wasn't only introduced to make your life easier. It's also to help reduce the costs associated with the treatment.

Aside from dementia, the Australian government allocates funding for other supplements. These are the supplements you might be eligible for:

• Dementia and cognition supplement
• Enteral feeding supplement
• Oxygen supplement
• Top-up supplement
• Viability supplement
• Hardship supplement
• Veterans' supplement

The funding for this supplement is allocated to an approved HCP provider. 

The Home Care Package dementia supplement is then included in the individual budget of eligible care recipients.

Home Care Package Funding for Dementia and Cognition Supplements

Home Care Packages don't just offer regular care and medical support. They also include dementia and cognition supplements, a form of extra funding. 

Note that you must be eligible for this aged care funding instrument. 

Patients with cognitive impairment and moderate to severe dementia are eligible. But those with mild dementia won't be able to receive this type of funding.

A dementia diagnosis alone isn't enough as proof of eligibility. 

The care recipient must also undergo a medical assessment. It must be conducted by an authorised person, such as a:

• Medical practitioner
• Registered nurse
• Clinical nurse consultant
• Clinical psychologist
• Nurse practitioner

If a care recipient qualifies for this supplement, the funding will be based on their HCP level. 

There are three screening tools for the assessment:

1. The Psychogeriatric Assessment Scale (PAS)
2. The Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS)
3. The Kimberly Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA-cog)

How Is the Dementia Supplement Used?

There are different ways to use the dementia supplement, including:

• Personal care and support. Funding may be used for extra personal care services. For instance, help with daily living activities, bathing, dressing, and grooming.
• Specialised programs. It can support participation in specialised dementia care programs. It can also involve activities designed to stimulate cognitive function and reduce symptoms.
• Training for caregivers. The supplement can also be used to provide training and education for caregivers. This helps them better manage dementia-related behaviours and provide effective care.
• Environmental modifications. In some cases, the supplement may fund modifications to the home or care environment. The goal is to make it safer and more suitable for people with dementia.

What Is the Purpose of the Dementia Supplement?

The dementia supplement has many uses, including:

1. Better care quality
2. Support for caregivers
3. Improved living environment
4. Social and emotional support
5. Health and medical support
6. Reducing hospitalisations

Better care quality is realised through tailored care plans and specialised dementia services. This way, the unique demands of dementia patients can be met more efficiently.

The dementia supplement funds access to specialised dementia care services. This can include therapies, activities, and programs designed to engage cognitive functions.

Support for caregivers means training and education for caregivers, and respite care. The latter gives primary caregivers temporary relief from their caregiving duties. 

This supplement allows for the installation of safety measures in your home. The funding can help make necessary modifications to the patient's living environment. That way, they will be more safe in their home.

Social and emotional support includes counselling and engagement activities.

The supplement can facilitate better access to healthcare services. This includes regular medical check-ups, specialist appointments, and necessary treatments.

The dementia supplement also allows for preventative care. It can reduce the need for hospitalisation or institutionalisation in a nursing home or other long-term care facility.

Select the Right Dementia Supplement Home Care Package Provider

If your loved one has a moderate to severe cognitive impairment, such as dementia, they can receive the dementia supplement.

Haisey Home Care offers the best care services for elderly patients. We enable patients to live independent and comfortable lives at home.

Book a free in-home consultation or contact us for more information on our Home Care Packages.