How to enjoy a family Christmas with all the help you need

If your chosen provider operates within several states or territories, getting services while you holiday elsewhere could be relatively easy. The provider would have their own workers already employed in different locations, which they could then roster to assist you.

Similarly, if your provider brokers services to other providers in different parts of the country, they should be able to work with you to find help.

The types of services that might be needed include personal care, such as assistance with showering or dressing, domestic services such as cleaning, and support for shopping.

Staffing issues

The challenge for any provider will be having the capacity to take on extra clients, even for a short period, when they are already stretched to the limit.

New home care packages have been progressively released by the government in recent years. The number of people receiving them is about 270,000, up from 225,000 in September last year.

However, the actual delivery of services approved and funded by the government is being compromised by continuing staffing shortages.

Even with this year’s 15 per cent increase in the minimum wage for aged care workers, home care and residential care providers are struggling to recruit the number of workers needed to meet the demand for help.

If you self-manage a home care package, you will be responsible for finding your own support workers and may have more luck.

A self-managed package saves on fees, but it means you have to engage workers who meet certain rules such as having an ABN, police check, insurance and the right skills.

While this can be challenging in some regional towns, increasingly there are care workers available through different networks and online marketplaces such as mable.com.au or careseekers.com.au who can be engaged through an approved provider and paid for using package funds.

Another option is to take existing approved care workers with you on your holiday to provide the services you need.

You would be responsible for covering their accommodation and some living costs, but the package could cover the hours of support they provided.

With a three- to nine-month wait for a package, depending on the level of care you need, it might be too late to get government subsidised care through a home care package for this holiday season. But that doesn’t stop you from engaging help privately using your own resources.

Social leave

Charles Moore (not his real name) wanted to ensure that his mother, Mary, could have another Christmas with family in her holiday home on the coast.

With worsening dementia and mobility, Mary recently moved into residential aged care – which meant her home care package ceased.

Charles advertised locally for someone to help him care for his mother for a few weeks.

He will pay privately by the hour for a qualified carer living in the area to assist with getting his mother ready for the day, provide some respite during the day and help in the evening. The going rate ranges from $60 an hour to $150 an hour on weekends.

Mary would be taking what is known as social leave from the residential care home. Under the rules, residents are allowed up to 56 days a year social leave before the government starts to reduce its subsidies. They still pay any relevant care fees, including the basic care fee and means-tested care fee, while away.

With a home care package, 28 days’ social leave is allowed in a financial year before the government reduces the subsidies.

The leave days do not have to be taken in a row. During social leave, you continue to pay either the basic daily fee or an income-tested fee, if either is being charged.

Respite care

Respite is often another option for people who may not be able to remain in their home if too many of their usual support services workers take leave, including family and friends.

Respite care in a government-subsidised place, such as an aged care facility, won’t be covered by the home care package. The current daily rate for respite is $60.86 plus any relevant additional service fees if the care home has them.

Respite care in places which operate without government subsidies, potentially costing between $70 and $300 a day, may be covered by the home care package if there are sufficient funds available.