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The Support at Home Program - The Future of Home Care Packages

The new Support at Home Program will replace Home Care Packages in the near future. Read on to learn more about the next stage of aged care.

By
Haisey Home Care
December 18, 2023
•
x min read
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When it comes to aged care, elderly Australians have many options to choose from. Seniors who wish to stay at home usually opt for Home Care Packages. 

Home Care Packages have proved to be the ideal solution for many elderly individuals. This program allows seniors to receive all the care they need at home. 

But the future might hold some changes for Home Care Packages. 

The Australian Government is reforming in-home aged care. Along with other aged care programs, Home Care Packages will be replaced by the Support at Home Program. 

What Is the Support at Home Program?

The Support at Home Program is the next step in Australian aged care. It's the government's new aged care program that will come into effect in the near future.

The Support at Home Program will replace:

  1. Home Care Packages (HCP)
  2. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
  3. The Short-Term Restorative Care Programme (STRC)
  4. Residential respite programs

In other words, all these programs will merge into the Support at Home Program.

When Will the Support at Home Program Start?

According to the Australian Government, the Support at Home Program will be set into motion in 2025. 

To be more specific, it will replace Home Care Packages and the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme by 1 July 2025. 

But, home care providers and STRC providers will have to start getting ready for this transition much earlier than that. 

When it comes to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, this program won't be replaced yet. The CHSP won't transition into the new program until 1 July 2027. This gives CHSP providers plenty of time to adapt to these new changes.

Some details are still being finalised, which is why it will take so long for these changes to take effect. 

What Will Change?

The Support at Home Program aims to improve aged care in Australia. 

This new program will bring about some changes in the aged care sector, including:

  • The eligibility assessment process
  • The level of control seniors will have over their care plans
  • More affordable and transparent fees
  • Improved quality of care and safety
  • Greater access to equipment, home modifications, and goods

You can expect every aspect of the aged care application process to be improved.

How Will Seniors Be Tested for Eligibility?

Just like with Home Care Packages, the elderly person has to go through a formal assessment. This test will determine whether they're eligible for government-funded aged care. 

The new assessment for aged care is called the single assessment system. It will replace the:

  1. Regional Assessment Service (RAS)
  2. Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs)
  3. Independent Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) assessors

The current assessment for Home Care Packages is conducted by Aged Care Assessment Teams. So, in the near future, if you want to sign up for the Support at Home Program, you'll have to go through the new assessment system.

This new system aims to make the application process much easier. 

And who will be eligible? The single assessment system will primarily look at two factors:

  • The care recipient's care needs 
  • The types of care services for which they may be eligible 

Why Is Aged Care Changing?

These changes are being made because of the Royal Commission's report on Aged Care Quality and Safety. 

The report considers many factors, including:

  1. The quality of in-home aged care and residential care
  2. The safety of care recipients 
  3. The quality of services received by young people with disabilities 

In other words, the Royal Commission wants to make aged care as accessible as possible for those who need it. 

According to this report, there were 148 recommendations for improving the current aged care program. 

The Support at Home Program aims to deliver aged care services in the best possible way. 

What Will Happen to Haisey Home Care?

Haisey Home Care will continue to deliver top-quality care to all our clients. We will prepare for the changes when the time comes. But until then, we will make sure our elderly care recipients are getting the support they need.

If there are any changes, we will keep you updated.

If you have any questions about our services or what they will look like in the future, feel free to reach out to us.