FAQs
All aged care services in Australia are coordinated through My Aged Care, an Australian Government Program. If you or your older loved one are requiring assistance around the home such as Gardening, Mowing, House Cleaning, meal delivery or equipment to assist you to live in your own home, you should call us to help you navigate the Aged Care System. We will support you to call My Aged Care and either register yourself or refer your older loved one for community home support. A referral to My Aged Care should be an accurate account of the needs of the older person’s physical and mental health, physical support, any behaviour support, and abilities. However, aged care in Australia is in high demand. Support is not instantaneous. There is a minimum of 12 week waiting period for an assessment. The Aged Care Assessor will advise what level of support you require. Home Care Packages are not instantaneous, there is a waiting period and the older person may become more frail before they receive support. So if you are thinking you or your older loved one need a little bit of assistance right now, hop on the phone and call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Or if you would like us to provide support in this instance, please call Somerset Assist Inc 0484 822 485.
The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT will access your health, lifestyle and living situation; from this information they grant packages to consumers on four different levels of care: • Level 1 Basic Care needs – $9000* a year • Level 2 Low care needs – $15880* a year • Level 3 Intermediate care needs – $34,570* a year • Level 4 High care needs – $52,400* a year * These amounts are an approximate of the annual home care subsidy.
Home Care Packages (HCP) is a government funded program offering senior Australians access to affordable care services to receive assistance with in-home care. It is designed to support people with complex needs, while also remain healthy, independent, and connected to the community. This differs from the Commonwealth Home Support Program which is an entry level service, provided by block funding.
There are various services you are able to receive on a Home Care Package (HCP). HCP funds can be used for home care services that assist you in remaining healthy, safe, independent, and connected to the community. There are some services that are specifically excluded by the Australian Government from being covered with HCP funds. These are excluded as they do not meet the immediate care needs of consumers.
To satisfy the requirements of a HCP, stated in My Aged Care, you must be ‘an older person who needs coordinated services to help them stay at home’ to be eligible for a HCP, you must be over: 65 years of age, 50 years of age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Somerset Assist is based in Esk. We were formed in September 2022 and will initially cover the towns of Esk and Toogoolawah, with the intention of servicing a wider region particularly to the north of Somerset where there is a lack of available services.
Unlike traditional providers, we will work with you to provide the best fit for your needs. Through Mable we can match you with workers in your area. You may already have someone who is helping you informally. If they wanted to become involved, they could become a Mable worker and get paid for helping you, so you no longer have to feel guilty about asking them for help.