What is Home Care?

First published: April 2024

Home care, or care at home, is the support and assistance provided by healthcare professionals to allow those who need a helping hand to live independently at home for longer. The number of people wanting to remain at home is increasing, with 80% of older people opting to continue to live at home, with 62% wanting to receive care services within their homes.

What home care services are available?

Home care services include clinical and non-clinical activities that address the individual needs of the recipient. Examples of home care services include:

Hygiene care – washing, showering, toileting and grooming
Medication administration
Monitoring of the recipient’s health and overall wellbeing
Assisting with household tasks such as cleaning, shopping and meal preparation
Social and personal companionship
Liaising with families and other medical professionals
Making adaptations in the home to help with mobility and care

How does an individual secure home care services?

To access home care services, an application will need to be submitted for an assessment. This will determine what home care program is best suited to the needs of the recipient.

The Australian government offers the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) which provides entry level home care support for those needing assistance to remain in their homes and to live independently. The program focuses on working with the individual, as opposed to giving/doing things for them, to ensure they remain in control. Those eligible for the CHSP often only need one or two home care services to meet this. Examples of home care services that are available include:

Personal care
At home modifications
Meals and meal preparation
Transportation

Support offered by this home care program is often on the lower level of the spectrum. Those who have more complex needs and require tailored support may be eligible for a Home Care Package. A Home Care Package is allocated depending on the category you fall into and is flexible based on the recipients’ requirements. How much income you contribute and how long you need to wait for a Home Care Package will be determined by your assessment.

Who is responsible for delivering home care services?

When receiving home care, the individual may be visited by several health and nursing professionals depending on their needs. Home care positions include:

Home care worker– their responsibilities include administering medications (if they are medication competent), household maintenance, supervising eating and drinking, helping with bathing, and assisting with mobility
Registered nurse – they provide a more complex level of medical care, and will visit when needed to administer medications and review the recipient’s overall health, tailoring a care plan to the individual
Therapy professionals – depending on the recipient, they may be visited by speech therapists, podiatrists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists as an example to help with areas of their lives they may need extra support in

Often, clinical team members will have worked in aged care or have experience assisting the elderly in other environments such as hospitals and residential aged care homes. The duties and responsibilities of an aged care worker are very similar to those working in home care.

What is the difference between home care and residential aged care?

Home care offers its recipients the option to remain in their own home, providing the support to live independently as long as it is safe to do so. Home care services are there to work with those who need adjustments to their home environment and routine so tasks can be carried out efficiently and with more ease.

Residential aged care is there for those who need a higher level of care on a holistic level. An older person may move into aged care home as they need to receive round the clock care. This person will live on the premises, receiving care and support from personal care workers, enrolled and registered nurses and lifestyle and leisure officers to fulfill their goals and meet their needs.

For those looking for a slightly higher level of freedom, assisted living complexes are designed for those receiving daily care whilst living an independent life. These communities allow for the individual to live independently, with access to services that meet their personal, social and health needs, and life goals.

What is best for the individual is determined in an aged care assessment.

Working in home care

Home care, and aged care, is a rewarding career path that allows you to explore a side of nursing that is personal. Often, home care workers and registered nurses will get to know their residents and individuals that they care for on a deeper level compared to those working in other healthcare environments, making a meaningful difference to someone’s life. Those who you are caring for can enjoy a higher quality of life because of your day-to-day actions.

The aged care sector provides variety as your responsibilities shift from individual to individual, so no two days are the same. Developing a connection with those around you means you are likely to hear personal stories and anecdotes from those you care for, adding a special touch to your work.

The aged care reform roadmap has made changes and will continue to make changes to the aged care sector, including increasing workforce retention. There is a focus and will continue to be on the delivery of high-quality aged care services, with its workers being rewarded greater than before.