Other Support Services
Home and Community Care
Other services for people are available through the Home and Community Care (HACC) program. The HACC program provides services to support frail older people and their carers so that they can remain in the community. Some of the services that can be arranged through HACC include home help, personal care, meals-on-wheels, home nursing and respite.
For further information contact your Commonwealth Carelink Centre from anywhere in Australia by calling 1800 052 222*
Residential respite care
Residential respite care provides short-term care in Australian Government subsidised aged care homes for people who are in temporary need of care and who intend to return to their home in the community. Residential respite care may be used on a planned or emergency basis to help with carer stress, illness, holidays or if the carer is unavailable for any reason.
Phone 1800 059 059 and your Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre network can help carers obtain residential respite or Cottage Respite.
Access to residential respite care
Except for emergency situations, a person must be assessed as needing residential respite care by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) before entry to an Australian Government subsidised service.
ACAT telephone numbers may be listed in the ‘Age Page’ of your local telephone book or may be provided by your local General Practitioner/ doctor or hospital staff. A person can have up to 63 days of respite care in a financial year, with the possibility of extensions of 21 days at a time if an ACAT considers this necessary. By phoning 1800 059 059 your Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre network can help carers obtain residential respite or Cottage Respite.
Fees and charges for respite care
People who enter and receive respite in Australian Government subsidised aged care homes/ facilities can be asked to pay a fee.
Respite residents do not pay an accommodation charge or accommodation bond, nor do they have to pay any additional income tested charges.
Community-based respite services charge fees according to the type of service being used. This can vary from a sessional fee for a morning or afternoon in a day care centre to an hourly rate for ‘in-home’ respite.
Other financial assistance for carers
The Australian Government provides financial support to carers through:
- Carer Allowance; and
- Carer Payment
Carer Allowance is a fortnightly allowance paid by the Australian Government through Centrelink. It gives financial assistance to a person caring for a relative or friend at home. It gives financial assistance to a person caring for a relative or a friend at home.
This allowance is payable to people who care for someone assessed as requiring a fairly high level of care— for example, those who are very frail or have severe dementia. It is not income tested and is not treated as taxable income.
Carer Payment provides income support (similar to a pension) to people caring for someone who is in need of constant personal care or supervision at home for six months or more—including frail older people. Carer Payment is income tested. It is not paid in addition to an existing pension.
To apply for Carer Allowance or Carer Payment contact Centrelink on 13 27 17*.
Information about services can also be obtained from your Commonwealth Carelink Centre from anywhere in Australia by calling
1800 052 222* including details for:
- Carelink Centre on Home and Community Care service coordinators;
- Aged Care Assessment Teams;
- Community-based agencies;
- Community nurses;
- State and Territory Health Departments; and
- State and Territory Community Services and Disability Departments
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