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The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), which provides low-level support to 830,000 seniors to help them live at home, has been extended until 2029, with the Government also flagging its intention to make the program permanent.
The program had been due to end midway through next year, when it would be rolled into the new Support at Home program.
Aged Care Minister, Sam Rae said the Federal Government was starting consultation on plans to keep the two programs separate.
“We believe the CHSP should remain a standalone program,” he said.
Federal Health Minister, Mark Butler said that, if made permanent, the CHSP program would require reform.
Under CHSP, participants are expected to contribute varying amounts to the cost of their care, if they can afford to. Under Support at Home, pensioner contributions can range between 5 and 80% of support costs.
“There are differences in co-contribution arrangements that will have to be sorted,” said Mr Butler.
“Simple services like house cleaning and meals might cost a few dollars. More complex services like some home modifications will cost much more,” according to the department’s website.
COTA Australia Chief Executive Officer, Patricia Sparrow said the extension provided an opportunity to focus on what matters most to older Australians: accessible, affordable and high-quality care that supports them to live well at home.
“What matters most is that older Australians have a genuine continuum of care and can get the right support, at the right time, as their needs change,” Ms Sparrow said.
“The task now is making sure the Commonwealth Home Support Program, Support at Home and the broader aged care system work together so older Australians don’t fall through the cracks, get caught between program boundaries or face unnecessary barriers as their needs change.
“It’s good that this gives people, including providers like local councils, certainty about the future of the program. The primary focus needs to be on giving older Australians certainty about their care particularly certainty that the support they need will actually be available.
“That means greater transparency around wait times and costs, affordability and genuine choice and flexibility in how people receive their care.”
Ms Sparrow welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to ongoing consultation about the future of the program.
“The next period of consultation will be crucial, and the voices and experiences of older Australians need to be front and centre in decisions about what comes next,” Ms Sparrow said.
“While Australia is in the middle of significant aged care reform and while having a right based framework is important, there is still a lot of work to do to make sure the system is delivering for older Australians.
“We look forward to working closely with the Government and older Australians throughout the consultation process to make sure their needs and experiences are heard loud and clear, and reflected in whatever comes next.”
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