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Self-Managed Home Care Packages

A Home Care Package is designed to help keep you as independent as possible as you get older, providing assistance with a range of everyday tasks and care services.

Should I self-manage my Home Care Package?

Managing your own Home Care Package is a great way to maintain choice and control over the care and services you receive. Your package funds belong to you, and you are free to spend them however you wish (you can view a list of services accessible with a Home Care Package here) and it can be helpful to understand how your funds are spent.


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 What is a self-managed Home Care Package?

A Home Care Package needs at least one care manager to supervise the use of the funds. The care manager can either be your chosen home care provider (fully-managed care), you/relative/friend (self-managed care) or a mix of the two (partly self-managed care).

It’s important to note that not all home care providers offer self-management, so if this is something that’s important to you, you’ll need to make sure the provider you do choose offers this option.

You can decide which parts of your care you want to manage and which you with like your provider to handle – it’s all up to you!

What are the advantages of a self-managed Home Care Package?

The main advantage of self-managing your Home Care Package is that you have full control over how your funds are spent. You will be able to see exactly what your options are and if your care needs change, you’ll see exactly how these changes will affect your budget and care.

Self-managing your Home Care Package can also save you money. Many home care providers charge high package management fees, and can offer discounts for self-management.

What are the disadvantages of a self-managed Home Care Package?

Self-managing your Home Care Package comes with some challenges. Your chosen home care provider is still legally required to host your package funds to ensure your spending is complaint with your Home Care Package. This means you’ll still need coordinate your care and services with them.

If you choose to self-manage your package, you’ll spend a lot of time on administrative tasks, especially if your care needs change.

Key points of self-managing your Home Care Package:

  • Choice and control over support workers, schedule, spending and care
  • Ideal for low-level care needs
  • Save money on management fees
  • More money to spend on care

In order to self-manage your Home Care Package, you need to make sure you can:

  • Commit time to self-manage the package
  • Recognise when your care plan needs reviewing
  • Make well considered judgements about your own risk and safety
  • Identify, plan and improve ways to stay connected to your community
  • Directly choose and roster care workers
  • Be objective when making decisions about your care
  • Monitor and manage a simple budget including managing invoices
  • Review a bank statement and identify if anything looks incorrect
  • Keep records and receipts for the services, care and products you purchase
  • Pay invoices with a debit card, online or over the phone
  • Resolve disputes regarding payments and services

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