Clients often ask us what services and items they can and can not use or purchase from their Home Care Package.
At Trilogy Care, we partner with you to determine if the service, support, or purchase is directly linked to your identified care needs and goals (as per your ACAT assessment). Appropriate purchases may support daily living and are essential to keeping you safe at home, for longer. All purchases must be considered an acceptable use of government funds while fitting within your budget. All of things which Trilogy Care assists you with.
General Expenses
These are items that would usually be paid for with general household income, such as household bills and other basic living expenses.
Examples of items that are not covered:
- White goods
- Appliances
- Car expenses
- Waste removal
- Gift vouchers
- Medical expenses, funeral costs
- Heaters
- Air conditioner
- Social clubs memberships
- Ongoing internet or phone costs
- Haircuts and manicures
- Storage
- Supplements and vitamins.
Home Modifications and Capital items
Any home modification made, must be clinically justified and reasonable. It must only be provided to a level of functional safety (to avoid a dangerous situation) and only to a level that is adequate to provide security.
Home modification for aesthetic or embellishments are not an appropriate use of a home care package.
Examples of items that would be covered:
- Pathways into an around the home
- Grab rails in bathrooms and toilets
- Chairlifts and wheelchair platform lifts
- Internal and External handrails
- Widening doorways and passages
- Lever taps and door handles
- Installation of emergency alarms
- Bathroom/Kitchen re-design
- Ramps (permanent and temporary)
- Handheld showers
Home Maintenance
Any work that is reasonably required to maintain the home and garden in a condition of functional safety (not decorations) and provide an adequate level of security. There would be minor home maintenance activities that you or partner would have previously done for you but can no longer do due to safety concerns.
Examples of items that are covered:
- Cleaning gutters
- Changing batteries in smoke alarms
- Essential pruning, yard clearing or lawn mowing
- Repair of internal flooring and external access pathways to address trip and slip hazards
- Changing light bulbs or fixing a broken door
- Minor plumbing, electrical and carpentry repairs where safety is a concern
- Spring clean – windows/ceiling fans and other cleaning tasks at height around the home
Food and Food Preparation
The home care package cannot pay for groceries purchased at the supermarket or the raw ingredients of pre-prepared and packed meals
Your home care package can be used to pay for someone to help you prepare meals OR prepare meals for you at home.
A portion of the cost for pre-prepared meals like Meals on Wheels, Lite N Easy and Tender Loving Cuisine can be covered from your Home Care Package (please discuss with your Care Partner).
Transport Costs
If there is a state or local government funded initiative for the use of taxi vouchers, this will be used in the first instance (please discuss with your Care Partner).
Transport and personal assistance to help you get around the community to do your shopping, attend medical appointments or social activities.
Use of taxis or taxi vouchers must be well documented in your Care Plan with the intended purpose of their use linked to your assessed needs.
Glasses
Some people are eligible for glasses to be subsidised by the state government, we must first check your eligibility for those programs.
If you are ineligible or unable to obtain glasses through a state government funded program, the “like for like” cost for subsidized glasses can be covered.
Understanding the permissible uses of Home Care Package funds is crucial for maximising their benefits while ensuring compliance with regulations. By partnering with Trilogy Care, you gain access to expert guidance and support to navigate the complexities of funding allocations. Our commitment is to empower you to make informed decisions that align with your care needs and goals, ultimately enhancing your safety, comfort, and well-being at home.
Learn more about care plans here.
