Australia’s government-subsidised home care system is undergoing a significant transformation that will directly affect older people accessing services they need to continue living at home.
From July 1, 2025, the new Support at Home Program will replace existing programs such as the Home Care Package Program, which helps close to 290,000 older Australians. It is linked to the new Aged Care Act, which also commences from July 1.
Support at Home will include many of the same services and features that are currently available, with some notable differences.
For example, there will be new classifications and budget levels to better meet the needs of older people. New participants will also contribute to the cost of their care — although not everyone will have to, and the amount will vary.
On the surface, these changes are challenging to navigate on your own. Yet with the help of a trusted aged care provider you can find out everything you need to know about what’s happening to the care you receive or may receive in the future.
Trilogy Care is Support at Home ready. The organisation has delivered a range of detailed, reader-friendly guidebooks as part of their support services that’ll help home care clients seamlessly transition from Home Care Packages.
One of the major features of Support at Home is that the majority of existing Home Care Package recipients will be grandfathered participants. This is because the government introduced a No worse off clause that means existing participants will not have to contribute any more to the cost of their care than they did under the Home Care Package program.
September 12, 2024, is the date that marks the line between existing participants and new participants entering the transitional period.
Transitional participants, split into grandfathered and hybrid clients, will be required to have their income and assets assessed by Services Australia (Centrelink) and the payment of fees will apply for all transitional participants under the new system from July 1.
Out of pocket expenses are changing under Support at Home. For one, paying more for support services like personal care, transport, meals and home maintenance, means you want to know you’re receiving high-quality services from an organisation that cares about you.
With the commencement of Support at Home closing in, Trilogy Care has expanded its total workforce through more than 50 additional positions in the last month. Its commitment to care recipients is a top priority.
“We’re in a strong position when it comes to Support at Home. We’re taking every possible step to share key information with our care recipients, their families, business partners, and the broader aged care sector. We’ve even delivered a detailed guidebook, available free to all our care recipients,” shared Erin Headley, Chief Quality and Operations Officer at Trilogy Care.
“As always, our priority is the care and support of those we serve. With this focus, we’re confident in delivering a smooth transition to the Support at Home program for all care recipients and stakeholders.”
Not only is Trilogy Care delivering quality care that sets the standard, its workforce is capable and ready to help guide new and existing clients through the changes.
No one has to navigate potential grey areas alone, with Trilogy Care staff doing the hard work for you. For existing clients, it will review your care needs and care plan and prepare you for the new service categories.
For incoming clients, Trilogy Care will also cut through the confusion and ensure the information and advice you receive about Support at Home is timely and accurate.
Some of the key pieces of information available include client guidebooks for grandfathered and transitional participants, so you only have to focus on the most relevant information.
These insightful guidebooks are only available to Trilogy Care clients. However, that doesn’t mean you or your loved one has to miss out on receiving critical support and top-quality care at home!
Signing up with Trilogy Care allows you to take control of the care you receive at home under the Support at Home Program. The Trilogy Care team will help you navigate the new system, understand your Support at Home eligibility, and make informed choices about your care.
If you’d like to learn more about your eligibility or to find out how Trilogy Care can support you under the new program, contact the team via their website at trilogycare.com.au or call 1300 459 190.
The article shows “Total annual funding will shift from a daily subsidy to four equal quarterly budgets which older people will have more control over”. How will older people have MORE CONTROL over these funds compared to how they and/or providers manage funds now?