Understanding the Support at Home Program | Navigating Australia’s Aged Care with Dovida Geelong

[Music] Hello and welcome to another special episode with Dvita Jalong Bellerin and Surf Coast. In today's episode, we're

Surf Coast. In today's episode, we're diving into an exciting and important topic, the supports at home program.

It's a new initiative in Australia designed to provide comprehensive support for individuals needing inhome care. And this program is set to make a

care. And this program is set to make a significant difference in how people live independently and also how they receive care within the comfort of their own homes. We hope this session is

own homes. We hope this session is valuable to you all. Jazelle, can you talk a little bit more about the new program? I sure can. Thanks, Danny. So,

program? I sure can. Thanks, Danny. So,

the support at home program is now going to be starting on the 1st of November this year, 2025. So, there has been a delay in the program from its original

date. Um, and this program will be

date. Um, and this program will be replacing the home care package program and the short-term restorative care program. Um, so if you're using a if

program. Um, so if you're using a if you're currently on the home care package program, there are some certain things that specific things for you such

as um being grandfathered as you currently are. Um, so not everything moving towards that support at home program.

>> There will be a worse no worse off principle.

>> Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's important for uh participants and clients or participants is the new terminology for clients to know um that they won't be worse off.

>> Um so some of the key points in relation to this is that the Commonwealth Support um home support program also known as CHISP or CHSP that's actually going to

continue until 2027.

Um there is going to be a single assessment process as part of that reform the reform as well. And the whole intention as well for this as well is

that the government fund funding will allow more people to take up the program and shorten the the weight lists that we are currently seeing.

>> Um so I think they're predicting or hoping for a wait list of around three months um as time goes on. So that's

what um the government is working towards. Things like um clinical care.

towards. Things like um clinical care.

So that includes physiootherapy and nursing that is going to be fully subsidized by the government which is excellent. Um there's going to be some

excellent. Um there's going to be some services such as domestic assistance, personal care that may will require a co-contribution from the client or

participant. So there's some key changes

participant. So there's some key changes um in comparison to the program that's currently running. And um you know

currently running. And um you know anyone that might have qu so if someone's on a home care package they may have questions like what does this change actually mean for me?

What does this mean in the future? Will

I need to be contributing?

>> They're welcome to speak to um us at Dovita >> in regards to that and we can help answer some of those questions that they might be having.

>> Yeah. Fantastic. And really good to know that they're not going to be worse off which means they're not going to be losing services that they have already.

>> Yeah. Yep. Exactly. So Jazelle, will participants actually have to pay more for services?

>> So to help with the transition to the support at home program, um, anyone that is currently receiving a home care package falls under a no worse off principle. So they won't need to make

principle. So they won't need to make any additional contributions than what they are. So if they are paying an

they are. So if they are paying an income tested, if they're not paying an income tested fee, they won't need to be making any contributions. if they are um if they are paying an income tested fee

there may be some contribution for specific service types. So as mentioned before, anything that falls under clinical services, nursing, physio, OT,

there will be no contribution required because that's going to be all covered by the government. But um for some of the other services like domestic assistance, um meal preparation, some

transport, there would be a um a co-contribution required with that.

>> Yeah. And the key date to remember then is the 12th of September 2024. So

basically if you were assessed and and eligible for to receive a homeare package or government funding um before that date you'll be into the no warsoft principle. Yeah.

principle. Yeah.

>> So you still be effectively co-contributing the same level of uh of uh of money that you you've been doing up until now. Uh but if you were assessed and deemed eligible after the

12th of September 2024, then yes, you will need to start um uh making those co- contributions from 1st of November 2025.

>> So that would mean for someone in that transition of like applying for that and getting applications into they'd want to be doing it before that date.

>> Well, technically it's uh yeah, it's it's it's already late. Basically, if

you're now applying and uh you're getting assessed >> done, uh you you automatically fall within the new system.

>> Okay.

>> And that will kick in on 1st of November 2025. So just to clarify, so um if on or

2025. So just to clarify, so um if on or before the 12th of September 2024, you're already receiving a home care package or you went through the

assessment process or you're also on the national priority waiting list, >> then you will fall under um the no worse off principle.

>> Great.

>> Anyone that gets assessed after that date, then they fall into the new support at home program rules.

>> Yep. Nice.

that. Yeah. So hopefully that's provides a little bit of clarity.

>> Um so at Dovita we'll be speaking to all of our clients because obviously everyone's at different point different journey different point. Um so we'll be having those individual discussions with

our clients or participants to talk to them about what it means for them.

>> Yeah. So feel free to reach out to us if um if you have any questions. Whether

you are or not a client of Dovida Gilong at this point uh we we here to support our local community um you know if you're thinking about being assessed and uh and needing some help at home again

reach out to us because we can certainly direct you to the right pathway.

>> Yeah. Now another thing to add as well is when we talk about the co- contributions there is a lifetime cap um and that is $130,000.

So um once that the contributions hit that value then there's no more contributions to be made.

>> So Gio, what about a participant with unspent funds? Are they going to lose

unspent funds? Are they going to lose them?

>> Not to worry about that because uh basically it's still within the uh no waroft principle. So if you do have

waroft principle. So if you do have unspent funds within your package that you haven't used, you are still able to access to those funding uh as you go

into the new the new system. Uh so which is a good news that's great.

>> Yeah. So they can use the funding for again any extra services or any home modifications and assisted technology you know they can always tap into that and they they will never lose it.

>> Yeah.

>> Wonderful.

>> I think an important point to add as well is that with support at home there is funding specifically for um assistive technology and home modifications. So if

but in the case where there is unspent funds the expectation is that they get spent before they tap into that specific um funding there for assistive technology and home mods.

>> Yeah. And and and if you do fall into the new into the new system into the new support a home program uh you can only save up to $1,000 per quarter or up to

10% of your quarterly budget.

>> Okay. So effectively it's a if you don't use it you lose it kind of situation.

>> So I would encourage all our participants to uh talk to the care managers and maximize their budget you know u based on their care needs funding

are there to be used in line with your care plan and and initial assessment. So

highly encourage you to yeah to fully utilize that for for for your own uh wellbe.

>> So J how many levels of packages are there? Yeah, that's a good question. So,

there? Yeah, that's a good question. So,

currently under the home care package, we have four level >> uh into the new support at home program, there will be uh eight ongoing care classifications. They call it

classifications. They call it >> doubled.

>> Yeah, doubled the level of care classifications. Uh yes, and they also

classifications. Uh yes, and they also increased uh the annual uh funding that they can be received. In fact, a level eight, which is the highest uh level of

funding, call it, has about $78,000 a year of funding that you that you can use towards your care.

>> So, up to about 58 to $60,000. So, that

that's a decent increase there.

>> Yeah.

>> And on top of those this eight level, there are other two shortterm uh classifications they call it. uh there's

one for um again two uh two short-term pathway one for uh restorative care pathway and the other one is the end of life care pathway and Jelle might want

to go deeper into the two pathways.

>> Yeah, sure. Um so restorative care pathway is all about um supporting the independence and um staying at home longer. Then the end of life life

longer. Then the end of life life pathway is um >> for those that have less than three months to live and there's um I think

$25,000 over a 12week period that can be used for um homebased end of life supports >> extra support that you might that you might require towards the end of life uh

stage.

>> So Jazelle, will people who already have a home care package need to be reassessed? No, they won't need to be

reassessed? No, they won't need to be reassessed. So, they'll be put into the

reassessed. So, they'll be put into the package level that matches their current funding um accordingly. So, no, they don't need to be reassessed at all.

However, in the instance that they and this would this is applicable if they're in the home care package program. That's

currently how it works. If you are looking to go to the next level, then that would require a um assessment, but so that doesn't really change anything.

But no, no other otherwise no reassessment needed.

>> So Jazelle, can you share a little bit more about the single assessment system?

>> Yeah, sure. So I might just start by explaining how it's done in the home care package >> currently. So at the moment for an

>> currently. So at the moment for an assessment there's um a couple of teams that do it. There's the RAZ team, there's AAS team. So it depends on

whether um looking at funding for CHSP or um home care package funding depends on what assessment team would come out to you. Whereas with support at home

to you. Whereas with support at home it's a single assessment um process. So

one team that does all of it. So that is um >> much more beneficial to make sure that there's consistency >> in terms of those assessment. It's much

easier for clients or participants to be able to understand the assessment process as well >> and access to government funding. Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> So, have there been any changes in relation to care management fees?

>> Uh yes, Danny, there is a a big change in that space. Uh now, uh the government has introduced a cap of up to 10% for uh

care management fees. It used to be 35% and there used to be also a package management fee component. Mhm.

>> Um and whereas now basically the package management uh cost if you want needs to be incorporated into an hourly rate of

uh the care service delivery.

>> So effectively it's 10% or up to 10% and that's also valid if you choose to self-manage your own uh package still up to 10%.

>> Wow. So you may as well have someone do it for you. Well, um yeah, in in essence, yeah, we we don't actually offer the self-management approach. I

mean, um we still charge up to 10% and we will do uh you know, you you will have a care management assigned to you that you will uh they will uh you know get to know get to know you really well

and and assist you really understanding how to make the most of the funding allocated to you. But more importantly, develop a comprehensive care plan that

will be used as a as a baseline for uh for your well-being. Yeah. Right. And

understanding your goals, your your your your wanting, you know, what you want to trying to achieve out of this program uh in accordance with the legislations and all the rules >> the government's uh providers like us.

>> Yeah. So, is there any other information in relation to the pricing changes that we need to know about?

>> So, yes. So pricing will now be uh a unit pricing model. So

everything needs to be incorporated into that hourly rate. So things like you know in the home care package world we had package management fees that all needs to be brought into the hourly

rate. Things like travel needs to be

rate. Things like travel needs to be brought into the hourly rate. So

providers are reworking or needing to rework the pricing um it's completely different. So you'll see a higher hourly

different. So you'll see a higher hourly rate because it's now incorporating all those other things that were separate before now into that rate there. So

there are it's significant change.

>> Yeah. With that though the um the care management fees and the package management fees again will uh will decrease to up to 10%. So basically

there won't be much difference in terms of uh overall number of hour of care.

>> So be about comparable.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I think that's an important thing to look at and to distinguish is that it's essentially you're taking from the old the package management fee and

you're just putting it into another fee.

So it sort of all works out to be the same >> musical chairs really.

>> Yep. Little bit.

>> Well, that's been such great information. Very very helpful. If

information. Very very helpful. If

people have some questions and they want to get in touch, what's the best way for them to do that?

We encourage them to get in touch with us and they can go to our website or our email or call the office. Um we're more than happy to help and we understand

that it is uh can be confusing, can be challenging um spec specifically for clients but also for their loved ones who might have more questions. We're so

happy to help and answer any questions specific to their situation.

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