What is a Level 1 Home Care Package?
Home Care Packages are a form of government funding designed to support Australians as they age.
As our population gets older, quality care to support independent living becomes more important than ever. Staying at home with familiar, comfortable surroundings is preferable for many people.
If you or your loved one aren't ready to make the transition to a residential aged care home, in-home care is the best solution to ensure you are able to keep doing what you love, for longer.
Level 1 Home Care Packages (HCP) offer a low level of support, perfect for when you just need a little help with things around the household to remain independent in your own home. Examples of this might be cleaning or gardening.
Typically, a Level 1 Home Care Package offers two hours of in-home support per week under the subsidy from the Australian Government. This is widely considered an entry-level support package.
Click the following link to see all Amana Living's home care packages.
Want to know more?
Contact our Customer Care Team or find answers to your questions in our Home Care Help Centre
Who qualifies for Level 1 Home Care?
Australians over 65 (or over 50 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander persons) are eligible for Home Care Package funding to subsidise their aged care services. The Level 1 HCP is suitable for basic care needs.
To determine which level of care is suitable to help you continue your independent life at home, you will be required to go through the assessment process with the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). We can help guide you through this.
How much is a Level 1 Home Care Package worth?
As of July 2024, HCP Level 1 funding is worth approximately $10,589 per year. This works out to be $406 fortnightly. This funding is regularly reviewed by the Australian Government and is subject to change.
Your Home Care Package is customised to suit your needs. This tailored approach means you have the choice, control and flexibility you need to live your best life at home.
The services you choose and the level of care you would like to access may require you to make additional contributions to your home care budget. If you would like to engage services beyond the scope of your subsidy (as a top-up or while you are waiting on approval), all of Amana’s services are also available as self-funded care.
Find out more about Private Home Care Services with Amana Living.
What care services does a Level 1 Home Care Package cover?
Home Care Package Level 1 helps you receive assistance for basic care needs, like everyday tasks around the home. Options can include:
- Personal care - daily tasks such as help showering, getting you ready in the morning
- Domestic assistance and household tasks - keeping your home clean, tidy and safe
- Help with shopping and appointments
- Meal preparation - ensuring you have nutritious meals at hand
- Social or community activities and companionship
- Gardening assistance to keep your home accessible
What isn't covered by Level 1 home care package funds?
Level 1 provides basic assistance. More complex or clinical care is not typically covered by a Level 1 package, as this subsidy level is designed for people with lower care needs. For information on the latest rates for Amana Living’s services, see our fee schedule.
Some services typically falling outside of the scope of this package level include medication management, nursing care or wound care, and occupational therapy. You can top up with more (or more complex) Amana Living services by privately self-funding them at any time.
What will a Level 1 Home Care Package cost?
While the home care package fees are subsidised by the Australian Government, your contributions to a care plan may include additional service fees such as:
1. Your contribution: Basic daily fee
Anyone may be asked to pay a basic daily fee. This amount is added to the government subsidy, to increase the funds available in your Home Care Package budget.
The basic daily fee is not mandatory. However, if you do not contribute a basic daily fee, you will have fewer funds available in your overall care budget. This might impact the services your budget can cover.
2. Income-tested care fee
This is a contribution only some people will pay, dependent on an income assessment. Your income-tested care fee will be based on your individual income and financial circumstances.
Your income in this instance includes your pension. Full pensioners or people with an income of up to $33,027.80 do not pay an income-tested care fee for Home Care Packages.
3. Care management fee
This is paid to your chosen provider (Amana Living) and covers necessary costs such as a dedicated service manager, incident management and investigation, services scheduling, financial oversight of your funding, ordering and sourcing of equipment and products, ongoing assessment and care planning, clinical governance, and additional correspondence and visits as necessary.
4. Package management fee
This is what will help us cover other necessities related to running your care package. This fee goes towards managing your package funding, preparing monthly statements, compliance and quality assurance, and other mandatory administrative activities.
What you pay altogether will depend on your personal circumstances and income. For more information on fees and funding, see Home Care Packages Level 1-4 Explained.
Please click the following link to download our full fee schedule for more details about Level 2 Home Care Packages costs.
How does Home Care Package funding work?
The funds for your home care will go directly from Services Australia to cover the services you engage from your chosen home care package provider. They do not go directly into your bank account.
This means you can focus more on your care needs and working with your provider, rather than having to directly manage your funds. Your Level 1 care package funding is not considered part of your income, so there will be no impact on your pension.
Accessing quality aged care with Amana Living
Figuring out where to start can be the most confusing part of the process. Amana Living provides expert advice to help you through the process of accessing your Home Care Package.
1. Contact us
Get in touch with our Customer Care Team to discuss your aged care needs. From there, our team will help you to figure out the next steps for your aged care assessment.
2. Approval
This is usually the longest part of the process, where you will be assessed in your home by the Aged Care Assessment Team. Getting approval from this needs assessment can take up to three months, and our team will help however we can along the way.
You or your loved one can be referred for ACAT assessment by a GP, or you can self-refer by contacting My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
3. Book your appointment with Amana Living
Once you have your approval letter, you can call and book a home appointment with one of our Client Services Managers to discuss your personalised home care package.
4. Finalise your contract
Once we have your contract signed and confirmed, Amana Living can start to deliver the services in your care plan within 7-10 days.
Why choose Amana Living?
Amana Living provides aged care services to older persons in the metro Perth area and Kalgoorlie-Boulder. We value compassion, collaboration, curiosity, inclusion, and trust.
Far from just sentiment, our care services follow established frameworks to provide safe, high quality and professional clinical care and services to our clients. Our Allied Health team is in-house rather than through a third party, so we can hold our health professionals to our high standards.
Our team is highly trained and compassionate. Whether you engage in clinical care like nursing or need help with domestic tasks like housework and gardening, your experience will be personal and genuine.
Amana Living is here to help and answer any questions you have regarding HCP and our affordable care services. Call our team on 1300 26 26 26 or send us an email to get started on your Amana Living journey today, or for a no-obligation, friendly chat about your options.