Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)

Moyne Shire Council in an approved CHSP Service provider

The CHSP is an entry-level home support program which provides funding for a broad –range of specific entry-level support services delivered in a timely –manner to assist frail older people to live independently in their homes and communities. It also provides respite services to give carers a break.

The program is target at people aged 65 years and over (50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and who have functional limitations (including cognitive), to remain living independently at home and in their community.

As an ‘entry-level’ program, the CHSP is designed to provide relatively low intensity (small amounts) of a single service or a few services to a large number of frail older people who need only a small amount of assistance or support in performing activities of daily living.

The CHSP is not designed for older people with more intensive, multiple or complex needs, nor is it intended to replace or fund support services provided for under other systems such as the health care system.

This service is funded by the Commonwealth Government.

Application for eligibility assessment can be made through My Aged Care Assessment Online or by directly contacting My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Alternatively, you can also contact our Community Care team for assistance via email: agedcare@moyne.vic.gov.au or phone 03 5568 0555.

For more information please follow read about the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)

Services target older people whose capacity for independent living is at risk and their unpaid carers. Not everyone who is eligible can receive an immediate service and the priority of access principles will be applicable to all eligible clients and their carers.

The main type of services provided by the Moyne Shire Council Community Care team are listed below

Domestic Assistance

This involves working with your Community Care Worker as a team and participate in household tasks that you are able to complete. The Community Care worker will assist with heavier tasks that you are unable to complete such as

maintaining the hygiene of floor surfaces,
laundry and linen changes,
maintain hygiene of shower baths and toilets,
unaccompanied shopping or bill paying
assisting with meal preparation

Assistance with Self—care/Personal Care

This service involves working with your Community Care Worker to provide assistance to promote your welfare, activities of daily living and health & well-being. This service supports people to be engaged in activities that are meaningful to them and encourages them to be connected with their community. The task provided by the Community Care worker will involve the following:

Assistance with showering , bathing, undressing, dressing and toileting
Grooming, electric shaving
Medication prompting only
Prescribed exercises or therapy programs with the direction of a health professional
Mobility task within the Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines.
Accompanied shopping or going out for coffee.

In-home Respite

This service supports the primary carers of people living with disability. It gives them an opportunity to enjoy social activities, companionship or participate leisure activities. Our dedicated team of Community Care workers will provide the following respite support to the care recipient:

Planned regular respite allocated for few hours per week or fortnight
Occasional respite allocated on an infrequent or irregular time
Emergency respite allocated for urgent or unplanned respite

This service can include taking the care recipient to visit family, friends locally and access the local cafés or shops. Respite is not available for care of children from other households.

Social Support Individual

This service supports eligible client within the home environment or while accessing community services, with one-on-one support. This service is primarily directed towards meeting the person’s need for social contact and/or company in order to participate in community life and feel socially included. The task provided by the Community Care worker will include the following:

Accompanied shopping and bill-paying
Taking clients to medical appointments

Meals on Wheels

This service provides eligible client with access to meals while in their homes. The benefits of this service may include informal health monitoring of client and supporting social participation. Moyne Shire Community Care offers diversity with the delivery and pick up of hot and chilled meals. Access to meals can be arranged from;

local food providers, for example, general stores, community cooking groups, pubs and restaurants.
In-home cooking and nutritional support provided by Community Care Workers.
Home delivered meals through Volunteers or Community Care workers.

Transport

The provision of community transport services, assists frail older people to remain actively connected with their local community. The aim of this services is to assist client to continue with their usual activities, such as attending community groups or medical appointments, enabling them to keep active and socially engaged.

Our community care team can organise some transport service for medical appointments within your local community area.

Social Support Group

Our Community Care team run Adult Social group activities in Mortlake. The service offers recreation, socialisation and respite for people living with a disability.

Our day trips offer subsidised outings for clients and their carers to different destinations each year. The trips give clients an affordable outing while maintaining daily care, with support from qualified and experienced staff.

We can also organise support and access to programs and therapies for specific behaviours or conditions across the Shire through other approved Health Services.

Home Maintenance

This service allows clients to live in a safe environment. This includes preparing your home for the bushfire season and advice on potential home-safety risks, adequate level of security, home and yard maintenance and repairs that mitigate or remove identified risks to maintain a home environment that support the client’s safety , rather than maintaining a garden’s visual or aesthetic value.

The main services Council provides are:

lawn mowing, keeping pathways clear of shrubs and minor handyman tasks
wiper snipping & some spraying
changing smoke-detector batteries and light bulbs. An annual external window clean and gutter clean are available (height restrictions apply)

Home Modification

This service is provided to assist eligible client with the cost of simple home modifications that might increase or maintain levels of independence, safety, accessibility and wellbeing. Modification services can also assist in creating a home environment that supports wellness and reablement and restorative practices. These modifications may include structural changes, where clinically justified, only for clients living in their own home, to increase or maintain the client’s functional independence: