If you or a loved-one are waiting in the national queue for a Home Care Package, you are now going to receive a letter 90 days before you are assigned a Home Care Package.
The purpose of this ‘readiness letter’ is to let you know your Home Care Package will be ‘assigned’ in approximately 90 days. It is intended to help you to take the first steps to make an informed choice about your care needs, as well as shortlisting an approved home care provider in your local area.
Choosing to opt out
If you don’t want care now, you are encouraged to opt out of the national queue before your Home Care Package is assigned to you. If you or your loved one do elect to ‘opt out’ from receiving a Home Care Package, you will still retain your place in the queue, should you choose to re-join at a later time.
Opting out will let another person in need take up the available Home Care Package. If you change your mind, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 at any time and you can opt back in for the higher-level Home Care Package. There will be no disadvantage to you. Your place in the queue is based on when you were first approved for care and priority for service.
“The measure aims to reduce the time taken for older people to activate their Home Care Package and increase overall take up of available care,” the Department of Health said.
Choosing to receive Home Care
If you do want to receive care, the letter suggests that you start:
- Researching home care providers and comparing costs and services.
- Arranging an income assessment through the Department of Human Services, so you know what you may be asked to pay to receive a Home Care Package.
- Using the My Aged Care Service Finder.
Research by the Department of Health has shown that 31 per cent of older people who haven’t been assigned a Home Care Package have decided not to take up the Home Care Package, but haven’t opted out of the national queue.
And, a further 30 per cent are still deciding whether to take up a Home Care Package 35 days after being assigned a Home Care Package.
So, it is a worthwhile exercise to begin the process of determining your home care as soon as you receive this letter.
(The letter will be written in English and older people requiring the information in another language will be referred to the Translating and Interpreting Service. (TIS).
How does Oxley Home Care compare to other aged care providers?
- Oxley Home Care is different. We ensure your Home Care Package is exactly what you want – you determine your care, how it is delivered and who delivers it. Our focus is on your well-being at all times.
- There are no start-up, re-assessment or exit fees during the life of a Home Care Package.
- Funds are not ‘value packaged’ for spending per month. All surplus money is rolled over and accumulated to spend as you wish. Lower administration costs mean more care hours for you.
- Our monthly statements are simple and clear to follow.
- Your Care Worker is inducted, trained and directly employed by Oxley Home Care. They’re also supervised by a Service Delivery Manager to ensure their services meet your high expectations.
- Your Care Worker is passionate about providing exceptional in-home care and will be consistently reliable, punctual and professional.
- We offer individually tailored, flexible care in your home. Services can be combined in any manner that suits you. We work in partnership with you to give you support and advice, as much or as little as you want or need.
- Our 24/7 on-call service means you can reach us at any time. We will be there when you need us most.
- You have the option to self-manage your Home Care Package.
Simply call us on 1800 221 039 to find out how Oxley Home Care compares to other Home Care Package providers. We will walk you through the process, under your direction.
