Assisted Senior Living

In a basic sense, when you retire as a senior in Australia, you may be eligible for government benefits like the Age Pension or a concession card. The kind of pension and benefits you’re entitled to generally depends on your age, assets and income.

Residential my aged care is for senior Australians who can no longer live in their own home. It includes accommodation and personal care 24 hours a day. This includes access to nursing and general health care services. 

This includes access to nursing and general health care services. We subsidize aged care homes to provide residential care to eligible people. 

Subsidies

The aged care homes are also subsidized to provide residential care to eligible people. 

When you retire, you may be eligible for government benefits such as the Age Pension or a concession card. The kind of pension and benefits you’re entitled to generally depends on your age, assets and income.

If you have income below $32,819.80 and assets below $59,500, the Australian Government will pay your accommodation costs. 

If you have income above $82,425.72 or assets above $201,231.20, you will need to pay for the full cost of your accommodation, negotiated and agreed to with the aged care home.

When you retire, you may be eligible for government benefits such as the Age Pension or a concession card. The kind of pension and benefits you’re entitled to generally depends on your age, assets and income.

Home care packages

Home Care Packages provide the government funding to help older Australians access home care services.

A set amount of money is allocated to an individual’s Home Care Package as an annual budget. Using this money, home care services are organized and administered by a Home Care Package Provider on the individual’s behalf.

As people age, living independently at home can be more challenging, albeit difficult. Getting some help at home can allow people to remain at their home for as long as possible before deciding to transition to an aged care facility.

Aid to help comfortable living

If you or your loved one could benefit from the support of home care services to keep living comfortably at home, Home Care Packages might just be for you.

Home care services allow thousands of senior Australians to remain living in their own home, with these households having medical/nursing support.  Home Care Packages are subsidized by the Australian Government, so that all older Australians can access affordable care services.

Support

More than 275,000 government funded Home Care Packages are currently available to help senior Australians live at home, rather than enter residential aged care.

These Home Care Packages can fund services that includes many things seniors need. These range from bathing, hygiene and grooming, nursing and medical care, podiatry, physiotherapy and other therapies.

These also some basics like meals and food preparation, help with impairments or continence, cleaning, laundry and other chores. 

Still others include things like home or garden maintenance, changes to the home such as stair lifts or bathroom safety rail, aids to stay independent, transport, social outings, groups and visitors.

Goods and services

There are other items that would normally be purchased out of general income. This includes buying food, except as part of enteral feeding requirements.

Also included here are payment for permanent accommodation, including assistance with home purchase, mortgage payments or rent, payment of home care fees, payment of fees or charges for other types of care funded or jointly funded by the Australian Government.

The other items include home modifications or assets that are not related to your care needs, travel and accommodation for holidays, the cost of entertainment activities, such as club memberships and tickets to sporting events,.

Also included are the payment for services and items covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Here is more information about what services Home Care Packages can fund:

Eligibility 

In order to be eligible for a Home Care Package, an individual must be an older person who is 65 or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people). 

A younger person with a disability, dementia or other care needs not met through other specialist services may be able to qualify for a Home Care Package.From there, eligibility is determined based on health, mobility and personal circumstances.

The quickest way to check your Home Care Package eligibility is to use My Aged Care’s online eligibility checker. This handy tool asks questions about mobility and independence (such as being able to get dressed, prepare and eat meals). 

This also includes questions about who else is providing support at home, e.g., a friend or family member. Recent events (such as a fall or trip to hospital) are covered in the eligibility checker, as is the emotional/mental state of the individual.

Qualifications

If you are deemed eligible to apply for a Home Care Package, you will then be asked to share details including a Medicare number, and to create a My Aged Care record.

Who is eligible? You may be eligible for government-funded aged care services if you are 65 years of age or older (50 years or older if you identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person) and need help to do the things you used to. Some people may be eligible at a younger age.

Some limits

If you have income below $32,819.80 and assets below $59,500, the Australian Government will pay your accommodation costs. If you have income above $82,425.72 or assets above $201,231.20, you will need to pay for the full cost of your accommodation, negotiated and agreed to with the aged care home.

My Aged Care

My Aged Care (MAC) is for clients over 65 years, or over 50 years for people who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. The Commonwealth Government has introduced My Aged Care to make it easier for older people, their families, and carers to access information on ageing and aged care, have their needs assessed and be supported to locate and access From July 2016, clients needing to access aged care services can now call 1800 200 422 and speak to a contact center staff member who will register them within the new My Aged Care system.

Information

The My Aged Care Contact Centre staff member will ask you a series of questions in order to understand your health needs. They will ask you questions on any supports that you are currently receiving.

This includes, among others, any health concerns that you currently have, how you are managing with activities around the home and items that relates to safety in your home.