Home Care FAQs
Find the answers to frequently asked questions, with insights into service costs, different ways we can help you enjoy living independently at home, and more.
A Home Care Package is an allocation of funds from the government to put towards your health and wellbeing. You will need to be assessed as eligible for a Home Care Package. An amount of money will be allocated to you according to your needs.
Learn more about Home Care Packages
The Australian Government offers several programs that provide subsidies for aged care services.
These programs include:
- Home Care Package (HCP) program.
- Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
- Veterans’ Home Care
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Community Nursing
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Some funded programs only operate in specific areas. Please contact the Mercy Health Home Care office nearest to you for more information.
Your funding level will be determined through an Aged Care Assessment as part of the Home Care Package application process. Aged Care Assessments can be organised through My Aged Care, the Commonwealth Government body responsible for all aged care services.
- Level 1 supports people with basic care needs. Think of it as the smallest bundle that provides a couple of hours of in-home care services each week.
- Level 2 supports people with low-level care needs. It results in around four hours of in-home care services per week.
- Level 3 supports people with intermediate level care needs. It equates to up to nine hours of in-home care services per week.
- Level 4 supports people with high-level care needs. It translates to up to 14 hours of in-home care services per week.
While each level comes with a different amount of funding, all levels have access to the same types of services — the difference is the amount of services you can choose within your budget. We tailor your services to ensure you get the best value out of your budget.
Home Care Packages (HCP) and Commonwealth Home Support Services (CHSP) are both government-funded programs designed to help older Australians live independently at home, but they cater to different levels of need.
CHSP is ideal if you need a small amount of support — like help with cleaning once a fortnight. It’s a flexible, entry-level program without income assessments, where you might contribute a small fee toward services.
HCP, on the other hand, is better suited if you need more comprehensive or regular assistance, such as multiple services each week. With a HCP, you receive a tailored package based on your care level, from basic support (Level 1) to high-level care (Level 4). This program includes a formal assessment and provides more substantial funding to cover your needs.
Support at Home
If you have unspent funds from your HCP, you will not lose them when you move to the new Support at Home program. These funds will carry over with you and are not time-limited.
You can use your unspent funds to:
- pay for extra services if your regular Support at Home budget runs out
- cover the cost of approved assistive technology or at home modifications
Services Australia will assess your income and assets to work out how much you will need to contribute towards your aged care services. You will receive a letter than explains your personal contribution rate.
If you would like an idea before the letter arrives, an online calculator is available on the My Aged Care website .
Your contribution will be a percentage of the unit price for each service you use by viewing Mercy Health’s schedule of fees.
Under the Home Care Package (HCP) Program, if you were assessed as needing to pay an Income-Tested Fee (ITCF), this amount was calculated as a daily fee. You were required to pay for provider regardless of how many services you used. With the new Support at Home program, you will pay only for the services you use, and only for services in the Independence and Everyday living categories. How much you pay depends on your income and assets. Services Australia will assess this and set your contribution rate.
Your Support at Home provider will then send you an invoice showing
- the services you received
- your contribution rate
- the total amount you need to pay
After your assessment, if you are eligible, you will receive a Notice of Decision letter. This will include your Support at Home funding classification.
Emergency & Crisis Support
Our in-home support team members are trained in first aid and basic life support to assist you until an ambulance arrives. We also have an after-hours service that can respond to any situation that may occur overnight or on weekends.
Eligibility & Assessments
After your assessment, if you are eligible, you will receive a Notice of Decision letter. This will include your Support at Home funding classification.
To find information about eligibility and assessments, you can contact My Aged Care by calling 1800 200 422; the team will guide you through the process of determining your eligibility and arranging an assessment through the single assessment service to identify your care needs.
The aged care assessment process through My Aged Care involves a few steps and can vary in duration. The entire process, from the initial eligibility check to receiving your outcome letter, can take 2-6 weeks.
The first step is to check your eligibility for subsidised services. This can be done online or over the phone. The eligibility check should take around 15-20 minutes.
If you’re eligible, a member of the single assessment team will contact you to arrange an in-person assessment at your home. This assessment is comprehensive and involves discussing your needs and support requirements. During the assessment, the assessor will work with you to develop a support plan that outlines the care and services that will best help you. After the assessment, you will receive a letter detailing the assessment team’s decision, the services you are eligible for, and the reasons for their decision.
No. We can help anyone, anytime. Just contact us.
Managing a Home Care Package
Yes. We are very skilled at helping people with Home Care Packages. We know the system well and have a lot of experience managing the rules and regulations, the budget, paying bills for services, and all the other paperwork.
Yes. You are free to decide who provides your services and we would love to help you.
No. In January 2023 the Department of Health and Aged Care terminated exit fees.
Care Services & Support
This is a service provided by our Care Advisors. They help you get started with services and make sure they are coordinated along the way. This takes all the worry away from you and your family.
Our Care Advisors help you understand the aged care system so you can make decisions on how to spend your funds and use your budget in the most effective way.
Yes. We have experience providing services to people with memory loss, dementia, and other conditions affecting behaviour and mood.
We can assist family and other caregivers. They may want to return to work or study, enjoy some leisure time, or catch up with friends. Many family members appreciate a chance to enjoy time with the person they care for, while we take over some of the daily chores.
Yes. We visit in the evenings, can arrange overnight or 24-hour care, and provide services 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Yes. Just let us know what you are planning and we will work with you to make it happen. Each situation is different so we are flexible and will consider your welfare and that of our staff members’.
Yes. our team can provide transport to medical appointments, other appointments such as the hairdresser, social functions, community events, and just about anywhere else you would like to go.
Yes. Sometimes some extra hours of dedicated care can be helpful, for short periods of time or on a more ongoing basis.
Staff & Safety
Yes. Staff working with people under 18 years also have a Working with Children Check. Our Victorian Staff hold an NDIS Workers Screening Check and our ACT staff meet the requirements of the Working with Vulnerable People Check.
All staff providing hands-on care have a certificate 3 or 4 in a relevant field as a minimum qualification. All nurses have current registration. Every member of our team completes annual compulsory education and our Learning & Development team provides education sessions on relevant topics throughout the year.
If you have complex or technical support needs, our team will complete education specifically related to your care.
Getting Started with Home Care
If you need help in a hurry we can organise services to start the next day however, to ensure we can find the right care team members for you most services start within two to five days. The staff at your local office will be able to provide more information based on your particular situation and requirements.
Yes. We try to match your preferences with the members of your care team. We recommend you choose a small team rather than one home care worker, so you have more than one person who knows you and understands your personal circumstances.
Unfortunately, Mercy Health Home Care does not have an online portal where you can track your enquiry. You are welcome to call the team at any time on 1300 478 776 to follow up.
After submitting an enquiry to Mercy Health Home Care, you can expect to receive a response within a 2-3 business days, typically through a phone call from a dedicated home care team member to discuss your requirements.
Faith & Values
No. Mercy Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit organisation that provides services to people of all faiths and no faith. We welcome everyone, regardless of race, gender or religion. This applies to our team members as well. Mercy Health’s values of compassion, hospitality, respect, innovation, stewardship and teamwork are key to who we are and what we do.
NDIS FAQs
The costs associated with your care will vary depending on your needs, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. You may be eligible for government-subsidised funding for aged care services, such as a Home Care Package, or another funding option that reduces or removes any cost to you.
Our fees reflect the quality of our service. We are not the cheapest, but we are certainly not the most expensive service provider. We are committed to being transparent about our fee structures and we stand by our value for money and quality of care.
Read about our fee policy.
Person Centred Care and Active Support is the framework for the approach to all disability services. ‘Person Centred’ means you are at the centre of decisions about the care you want to receive based on what matters to you.
‘Active Support’ is aimed at helping you live the life you want, taking up opportunities you want to pursue, and connecting with your community, family and friends.
Yes. We are skilled at helping people with Individual Support Plan (ISP) or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding. We know the system well and have a lot of experience managing the rules and regulations, the invoicing, and all the other associated tasks. We can help you understand the system so you can make decisions on how to spend your funds most effectively.
We work with you to plan services that suit you and your situation. If you have government funding it will cover the cost of specified services. If you would like to purchase additional services or you don’t have funding, we will clearly explain how much the services cost, so you can make an informed decision about what you would like us to provide.
Yes. We have experience providing services to people of all ages.
We can assist family and other caregivers. They may want to return to work or study, enjoy some leisure time, or catch up with friends. Many family members appreciate a chance to enjoy time with the person they care for, while we take over some of the daily chores.
No. We can help anyone, anytime. Just contact us.
If you need help in a hurry we can organise services to start within 24 hours however, most services start within two to five days to make sure we can find the right support team for you. The team at your local office will be able to provide more information based on your particular situation and requirements.
Yes. We encourage you to participate actively in the selection of your team. We try to match your preferences with the members of your support team. We recommend you choose a small team rather than one support worker, so you have more than one person who knows you and understands your personal circumstances.
If you have an existing support team that you would like to keep using, they can join our care team. If you are happy with them and they satisfy the usual reference and police checks, we are able to take them on board so they can continue providing your services.
Yes. Staff working with people under 18 years also have a Working with Children Check. Our Victorian Staff hold an NDIS Workers Screening Check and our ACT staff meet the requirements of the Working with Vulnerable People Check.
All staff providing hands-on care have a certificate 3 or 4 in a relevant field as a minimum qualification. All nurses have current registration. Every member of our team completes annual compulsory education and our Learning & Development team provides education sessions on relevant topics throughout the year.
If you have complex or technical support needs, our team will complete education specifically related to your care.
Our in-home support team members are trained in first aid and basic life support to assist you until an ambulance arrives. We also have an after-hours service that can respond to any situation that may occur overnight or on weekends.
Yes. We visit in the evenings, can arrange overnight or 24-hour care, and provide services 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Yes. Just let us know what you are planning and we will work with you to make it happen. Each situation is different so we are flexible and will consider your welfare and that of our staff members’.
Yes. our team can provide transport to medical appointments, other appointments such as the hairdresser, social functions, community events, and just about anywhere else you would like to go.
No. Mercy Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit organisation that provides services to people of all faiths and no faith. We welcome everyone, regardless of race, gender or religion. This applies to our team members as well. Mercy Health’s values of compassion, hospitality, respect, innovation, stewardship and teamwork are key to who we are and what we do.
Yes. Sometimes some extra hours of dedicated care can be helpful, for short periods of time or on a more ongoing basis.
Yes. We will work with you during a risk assessment process to ensure the environment and the support you receive is safe for both you and your support worker.
Mercy Health Ageing FAQs
The Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app supports Apple iPhone versions 6s and above, iPad 2 and above, and Android 7 and above.
Apple users can find the app in the Apple App Store by searching for Mercy Health.
Check that your phone’s software is up to date and that your phone is supported (iPhone 6s and above or Android 7 and above).
Please contact your local office and one of your team members will be able to assist you.
Check that you are entering your mobile phone number and verification code correctly. If you are still having trouble, please call your local office.
Yes. Your family members and friends will be able to download and use the app to stay up-to-date with the care and support you receive from Mercy Health Home Care. You will have to give Mercy Health permission to register each person before they will be able to login to the app.
You will need to provide your local office with each person’s name, mobile number, email address, and relationship to you. Once they are registered on our system, each of your approved family members and friends will be able to log in and use the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app.
Yes, there is no limit on the number of family members or friends you can have as part of your network.
Yes. You can request a family login to stay up-to-date with the care and support both you and your family members receive from Mercy Health Home Care. A family login allows you to access, not only your home care service information but also that of your family members. For a family login, you will need to register with your local office. Once you have registered, your care and services, and that of your family members, can be accessed by toggling between your profiles within the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app.
Only those you have given us your permission to access your information will have visibility. You can connect with family members and friends without them having this level of access.
Yes. You will need to make sure you have turned on your notifications for Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app. As long as you do not log out of the app, you can close the app and still receive notifications.
For Apple users, go to Settings and tap Notifications. Scroll down until you find the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app and tap on it. Tap on Allow Notifications.
For Android users, go to Settings and tap Notifications. Tap on Included apps and scroll down until you find the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app and tap on it.
We recommend that you stay logged in. This will allow you to receive notifications. Closing the app will not automatically log you out.
Try logging out and then back into the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app. If you are still having difficulty, please call your local office.
You can use My Posts to keep your approved network of family members and friends updated on interesting events in your life, your daily reflections or you can upload pictures for your network to see.
Your privacy is important to us. We are committed to maintaining the privacy of your personal information, posts, and photos. Your posts will remain within the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app and will be only be visible to you and your approved network.
You can make all service requests and changes more than 48 hours in advance through the Mercy Health Healthy Ageing app. If you want to request a new service or change your services within 48 hours, please call your local office.