“While it is good that the Government has promised to fund more Home Care Packages, the number of packages still falls short of national need,” she said.

Treasurer Scott Morrison announced the Government would spend $1.6 billion over four years to create 14,000 individual Home Care Packages. The additions come on top of the 6,000 that were announced in December’s midyear economic and fiscal outlook. However, 20,000 is a long way from the 105,000 seniors on the national priority list waiting for support.

Moree Aged and Disability Services Inc. has been able to provide in-home and in-community care services to seniors through the Commonwealth Homes Support Program, a program that provides block funding to service providers around Australia. 

“Seniors only have to pay a client contribution, which is a small amount to afford services such as Meals on Wheels, Community Transport or individual or group social support services. Our Community Transport service is also underpinned by CHSP funding, allowing us to take seniors to social functions, shopping, medical appointments, etc.,” Michelle said.

While the CHSP is essential to the operations of facilities like Moree Aged and Disability Services, the block funding only provides specific categories of support to residents living at home. On the other hand, the Home Care Package aims to provides more consumer choice and control.

”Home Care Packages are assessed from levels one to four. Level four means the client requires the highest level of assistance. This may mean they can afford home nursing or similar high level care,” Michelle said.

While the Home Care Package comes with choice and flexibility in the way that care and support is provided, it comes with a heavier price tag.

“A senior was assessed and found to require level four assistance as part of the Home Care Package. It worked out they would have to pay $36 a day for the Home Care Package- whether they used services every day or not. While the package affords many benefits of its own, it also cuts out the subsidised benefits they had with the CHSP,” Michelle said. “And seniors are not eligible for both.”

The Government has promised $83 million to address the shortage of mental health services in residential-aged care facilities to tackle depression and loneliness. While residential-aged care provides a different service to in-home services like Moree Aged and Disability Services Inc, depression and loneliness is a universal struggle.

“Older people are more likely to become isolated, because they no longer work and they may not interact with their community as much as they once did; they may have difficulty getting out of their home as often,” Michelle said.

Michelle added many seniors have chosen to remain with the CHSP rather than take up a Home Care Package, simply because of the social benefits.

“We are fortunate to live in a small town that offers a lot of opportunity for social interaction. So when Moree Aged and Disability Services workers are delivering food, seniors are opening the door to a friendly face. Seniors are able to afford the Community Transport so they can attend community and individual social functions.”

The partial transition from CHSP to Home Care Packages has also created unease in services like Moree Aged and Disability Services that are unsure of the future of their funding after 2020.

“We only received our funding contracts in May, where we learned we would continue with the CHSP for another two years. This block funding is what assists us to deliver our services and pays for our over heads and staff wages,” Michelle said.