Village Monitoring & Alarm Systems
Home Security & Alarm Monitoring
Extended Aged Care at Home
(EACH) and
EACH Dementia (EACHD) Packages
What are EACH and EACHD Packages?
Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) packages are individually planned and coordinated packages of care, tailored to help frail older Australians to remain living at home with daily assistance. They are funded by the Australian Government to provide for the complex care needs of older people.
EACHD packages assist people with dementia who experience difficulties in their daily life because of behavioural and psychological symptoms associated with their dementia.
What help is available?
EACH and EACHD Packages are very flexible and depend on the complexity of the care needs of the individual. Generally recipients require high level care, and services provided include help with:
n registered nursing care;
n care by an allied health professional such as a physiotherapist, podiatrist or other type of allied health care;
n personal care;
n social support;
n home help; and
n social activities.
It is important to know that the services provided can change as care needs change.
Who will provide the care?
The Australian Government provides EACH and EACHD providers with a daily subsidy per package to supply and coordinate care services for frail older people. The individual services within an EACH or EACHD package may be provided by a variety of organisations in your local area, but will be coordinated and planned by the approved aged care service provider who receives the subsidy to care for the frail older person receiving the package.
How does one access an EACH or EACHD?
To receive a package, an older person must be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) as needing high level care. If packages are available in the person’s area, they have been assessed as needing high level care, and expressed a preference to be cared for in their home, then they may be offered an EACH or EACHD package of care.
ACAT assessments are free of charge. Information on ACATs is available from doctors, hospitals and community centres or the Aged and Community Care Information Line on 1800 500 853 or Commonwealth Carelink Centres on 1800 052 222.
Are there fees involved?
Recipients may be asked to pay a fee for an EACH or EACHD. For older people on the maximum basic rate of pension, fees must not exceed 17.5% of that pension. People on higher incomes* may be asked to pay additional fees (limited to 50% of any income above the maximum pension rate). However, no one will be denied a service they need based on an inability to pay fees.
*Income means income after tax and the Medicare levy.
What quality of service can be expected?
Recipients (or their representatives) are entitled to:
n quality services that meet their assessed needs;
n where possible, their preferred level of social independence;
n having their dignity and privacy respected at all times;
n access information about the care options available and the facts they need to make informed choices;
n access to details of the care being provided; and
n take part in developing a package of services that best meets their needs.
What if the recipient has a complaint?
Recipients or their representatives have the right to complain if they are not happy with the services provided under an EACH or EACHD. If talking to the service provider cannot solve the problem, the Aged Care Complaints Resolution Scheme is available. This is a free service which is overseen by an independent Commissioner for Complaints. Call 1800 550 552.
Recipients are also entitled to access advocacy services. For information on advocacy, please contact the Aged and Community Care Information Line on 1800 500 853.
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