Hardship Assistance Funding & Supplement
If home care providers are finding that the participant is struggling to pay care costs, or experiencing financial hardships, they may be eligible for the Financial Hardship Assistance.
Who is Eligible?
If participants have started a Home Care Package after July 2014, they are then eligible to receive this funding. They may also be approved on the grounds that they have not gifted more than $10,000 in the last 12 months or $30,000 in the last 5 years.
Participants are able to apply by completing and submitting the Financial Hardship Assistance for Home Care and Residential Respite Care Form, that is located on the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website. This agreement will be for 12 months.
They are encouraged to pay immediately when experiencing financial difficulty.
Hardship Supplement - For Providers
Providers may receive a supplement on behalf of their participant who has been approved for the Hardship Assistance Funding.
Does your participant require a sign language service?
It has been announced that FREE sign language services will be available for all Aged Care and NDIS participants.
The sign language service will make the Aged Care Sector more accessible for people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing.
It will allow and ensure participants to become more involved in the assessment, planning and review of their care and services.
The MyAgedCare website currently lists 22 languages which can be interpreted, but no Auslan interpreters are offered.
On-site Infection Control Officers
Aged Care Homes (residential homes) will have to employ on-site infection control officers to be eligible to receive COVID-19 Prevention Funding. This is due to various organisations not abiding and implementing the national infection prevention standards.
