“Vast majority” of new home care clients on Interim Packages

Older Australians, who may have waited more than two years to be assessed and for their home care funding to come through, are receiving “Interim” packages when the funding finally lands.

Interim Packages provide Government funding at only 60% of the assessed level of need, which is determined by the Government's own Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT).

Last year's Supplementary Budget Estimates revealed 93% of the Support at Home Packages allocated in November were Interim Packages, and consumers can remain on Interim Packages for as long as 17 weeks.

Sarah Newman, Chief Operations Officer – Home Care with national Not For Profit provider BaptistCare, told The Weekly SOURCE the allocation trend has continued, with the “vast majority” of new Packages coming through being Interim.

60% funding challenge to care planning

The partial funding presents “significant challenges”, she said.

It’s difficult for BaptistCare to provide “comprehensive care” in the “critical” early stages of a client’s Package, she said.

The initial period of a client’s care typically focuses on allied health and interventions designed to establish a strong foundation for ongoing care, improving safety at home, and identifying key support needs.

Compounding problems is the fact that during the extended waiting period for funding to come through, clients’ care needs have often “progressed considerably”, Sarah said.

Not being able to fully implement the level of care clients have been assessed as needing and are eligible to receive, “may affect optimal health and safety outcomes,” she added.

Customers rejecting Interim Packages

Adrian Morgan, General Manager with Queensland home care provider Flexi Care, said they are also seeing a majority of new Packages coming through as Interim.

As a result, many clients are opting not to take the Packages up at all, Adrian told The Weekly SOURCE.

“They’re not accepting them because ... they’re not enough to cover their existing Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services,” Adrian said.

Of his clients, Adrian said “virtually nobody” has taken up Support at Home if they are not grandfathered.

“Most people end up losing out because they’re only giving the 60% and it's not enough,” he said.

The issue is compounded by the fact customers don’t know when the full funding will kick in.

“A lot of people are very confused. They’ve never heard of Interim Packages before. They ask what’s this 60% about? Why am I not given the full amount?” Adrian said.

Flexi Care’s home care partners, whose role is to communicate the Packages to clients, have expressed their “distress” about the Interim funding, Adrian added.

Though information about Interim Packages is available on My Aged Care, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has done little to communicate with older people seeking home care the possibility of receiving only partially funded Packages.