Carer Support Subsidy
This document was uploaded by user and they confirmed that they have the permission to share it. If you are author or own the copyright of this book, please report to us by using this DMCA report form. Report DMCA
Overview
Download & View Carer Support Subsidy as PDF for free.
More details
- Words: 1,382
- Pages: 7
CARER SUPPORT SUBSIDY A carer is a person who looks after someone with a disability at home on a full time basis. Do you do this? Do you need time-out? You may be eligible for Carer support subsidy. This gives you a break by helping to pay for someone else to look after the person you usually care for. This booklet focuses on the needs of carers of older people, those 65 years+
May 2009
You can get Carer Support Subsidy if you are: •
•
Looking after someone who is terminally ill, or has an ongoing health or mental health condition, provided they need 24-hour care / supervision, or, Looking after someone with a disability at home who needs 24-hour care - and you are not being paid to do so.
Generally, you will have been doing this for at least six months. A person with a disability is "a person who has been identified as having a physical, psychiatric, intellectual, sensory and/or agerelated disability which is likely to continue for a minimum of six months and result in a reduction of independent function to the extent that ongoing support is needed." (Ministry of Health Policy Guidelines 1995) This pamphlet focuses on the needs of carers of older people, ie those over the age of 65 years. Systems for younger people work differently. There are contacts for assessment services for younger people listed in the back of the pamphlet. Carer Support Subsidy does not cover: • Long-term care • Convalescent care • ACC claimants • Purchase of items or services other than relief care, even if related to the person's disability •
Carer Support and Respite Care are different : Respite Care is a formal scheme providing a higher level of relief care than Carer Support, ie you get more days, and care is often at hospital level. It is funded at a higher level also.
Clients are very dependent older people living at home with family / whanau, and can receive help from both schemes. Referral to the Respite service is usually by GP or health professional. 3
How do you get Carer Support Subsidy? You access Carer Support Subsidy in different ways depending on the needs pf the person you care for. If you are caring for a person who requires 24-hour care • because of an ongoing health condition or terminal illness, contact your doctor. •
If the person you are caring for has a disability, contact your local Needs Assessment Service. See contact details at end of this leaflet, or ask your GP to refer you.
•
If the person you are caring for has an ongoing mental health condition, your Community Mental Health Key Worker will assess.
How it works: 1.
You telephone the appropriate assessor — see above.
2.
You and your family/whanau have a Needs Assessment.
3.
You are given a number of days per year, starting from the day of assessment, when you can have a break.
4.
You can now plan your 'time out'.
5.
The assessor sends your information to Ministry of Health.
6.
Ministry of Health sends you a letter explaining how payment is made. Terms they use are 'full time carer.' that's you, and the person who provides short-term care is the 'support carer'.
7.
If you lose your Carer Support form, phone Ministry of Health 0800 281 222 for a replacement. They can also tell you how many days you have left.
8.
If you feel you need more Carer Support days during the year, ask for another assessment.
9.
Any days not used within a year of assessment are cancelled. You will need another assessment to get a new allocation of days. 4
How many Carer Support days do you get. •
If you are looking after someone who is terminally ill, has an ongoing chronic health condition or has an ongoing mental health problem, the GP or mental health worker can allocate up to 28 days per year.
•
If the person you care for has a disability, the number of days depends on the assessment - you are not automatically entitled to any specific number of days.
How can you use Carer Support? You can choose how to spend your subsidy, as long as it goes to someone who cares for the person you usually look after. You can choose when you want to use your Carer Support days and how much you want to use at a time. You can use it in half days (up to 8 hours), whole days or any length of time up to your total allocation. There are several choices. You might decide to pay for: •
Day Care
•
Someone to take over from you at home
•
Care in someone else's home
•
Short-term residential care, eg rest home
Cost is something you may need to think about; you will have to meet any shortfall between Carer Support subsidy and the full cost of care.
7
Payment — Who is paid and how much? There are two subsidy rates paid by Ministry of Health for a 24-hour day - formal and informal. Formal Rate = $75.56 (GST incl) per 24 hour day. This applies to relief services provided on a formal or commercial basis, eg if the person you care for goes to a rest home or if a homecare agency provides care at home. Informal Rate = $64.50 (GST incl) per 24 hour day. This applies to relief services provided by friends, neighbours and family members. Family member includes daughter, son, sister, brother or cousin who does not live with the client.
Usually Ministry of Health pay direct to the person or service that provided care, after care has been given. Some agencies providing formal care prefer payment in advance. If you choose one of these agencies, you will need to pay them yourself and then claim the money back from Ministry of Health. Residential Care in Rest Homes
If you decide on short-term care in a rest home, you will find it difficult to book in advance. If you wait till closer to the time, there are usually a number of rest homes with vacancies that you can choose from. There is now a large gap between Carer Support rate and the District Health Board contract rate. The shortfall can be over $300 per week and there is no additional funding to meet this cost. In short-term care you usually provide your own medicines, incontinence products and pay for your own GP. If you have to consider moving into care permanently, ask for a reassessment from your Needs Assessor. Your Carer Support funding cannot be used to pay for long-term care, even if you have some days left unused. 6
Who to contact: If the older person you are caring for has a disability, you can arrange a Needs Assessment by phoning the assessment Service, or your GP can refer you. Northland Needs Assessment Whangarei .............................. (09) Kaitaia .................................... (09) Dargaville ............................... (09) Bay of Islands ....................... (09) Hokianga .................................
430 430 430 430
4131 or 0800 888 890 4131 or 0800 888 890 4131 or 0800 888 890 4131 or 0800 888 890 (09) 405 7709
North Shore and Rodney Waitemata NASC ...................
(09) 442 7171
Waitakere Waitemata NASC ...................
09) 442 7171
Auckland Auckland NASC .....................
(09) 631 1234
Counties Manukau Counties Manukau NASC .....
(09) 276 0040
For carers of younger people with disabilities, ie those under 65 years, contacts for Needs assessment are as follows: Northland NorthAble Northland Disabilities Resource Centre .............. (09) 430 0988 Greater Auckland Taikura Trust ............................................................ (09) 278 6314 7
ContAct for furiher infOrmation: Ministry of Health Help Desk Private Bag 1942 Dunedin Phone: 0800 281 222 Fax:
03 474 8584
Glossary NASC ........................ Needs Assessment and Service Coordination Residential Care ....... Includes rest homes, specialist dementia rest homes and hospitals
Seniorline We are an information service for older people and their family / whanau. We can answer questions about rest homes and hospitals, the services that should be provided and supports to help you stay at home. The service is for people living in greater Auckland and Northland. Phone .................... 375 4395 or 0800 725 463 Fax ...................................................... 638 0358 E-mail ....................... seniorlineOadhb.govt.nz Website .................... www.adhb.govt.nz/rcline
May 2009
You can get Carer Support Subsidy if you are: •
•
Looking after someone who is terminally ill, or has an ongoing health or mental health condition, provided they need 24-hour care / supervision, or, Looking after someone with a disability at home who needs 24-hour care - and you are not being paid to do so.
Generally, you will have been doing this for at least six months. A person with a disability is "a person who has been identified as having a physical, psychiatric, intellectual, sensory and/or agerelated disability which is likely to continue for a minimum of six months and result in a reduction of independent function to the extent that ongoing support is needed." (Ministry of Health Policy Guidelines 1995) This pamphlet focuses on the needs of carers of older people, ie those over the age of 65 years. Systems for younger people work differently. There are contacts for assessment services for younger people listed in the back of the pamphlet. Carer Support Subsidy does not cover: • Long-term care • Convalescent care • ACC claimants • Purchase of items or services other than relief care, even if related to the person's disability •
Carer Support and Respite Care are different : Respite Care is a formal scheme providing a higher level of relief care than Carer Support, ie you get more days, and care is often at hospital level. It is funded at a higher level also.
Clients are very dependent older people living at home with family / whanau, and can receive help from both schemes. Referral to the Respite service is usually by GP or health professional. 3
How do you get Carer Support Subsidy? You access Carer Support Subsidy in different ways depending on the needs pf the person you care for. If you are caring for a person who requires 24-hour care • because of an ongoing health condition or terminal illness, contact your doctor. •
If the person you are caring for has a disability, contact your local Needs Assessment Service. See contact details at end of this leaflet, or ask your GP to refer you.
•
If the person you are caring for has an ongoing mental health condition, your Community Mental Health Key Worker will assess.
How it works: 1.
You telephone the appropriate assessor — see above.
2.
You and your family/whanau have a Needs Assessment.
3.
You are given a number of days per year, starting from the day of assessment, when you can have a break.
4.
You can now plan your 'time out'.
5.
The assessor sends your information to Ministry of Health.
6.
Ministry of Health sends you a letter explaining how payment is made. Terms they use are 'full time carer.' that's you, and the person who provides short-term care is the 'support carer'.
7.
If you lose your Carer Support form, phone Ministry of Health 0800 281 222 for a replacement. They can also tell you how many days you have left.
8.
If you feel you need more Carer Support days during the year, ask for another assessment.
9.
Any days not used within a year of assessment are cancelled. You will need another assessment to get a new allocation of days. 4
How many Carer Support days do you get. •
If you are looking after someone who is terminally ill, has an ongoing chronic health condition or has an ongoing mental health problem, the GP or mental health worker can allocate up to 28 days per year.
•
If the person you care for has a disability, the number of days depends on the assessment - you are not automatically entitled to any specific number of days.
How can you use Carer Support? You can choose how to spend your subsidy, as long as it goes to someone who cares for the person you usually look after. You can choose when you want to use your Carer Support days and how much you want to use at a time. You can use it in half days (up to 8 hours), whole days or any length of time up to your total allocation. There are several choices. You might decide to pay for: •
Day Care
•
Someone to take over from you at home
•
Care in someone else's home
•
Short-term residential care, eg rest home
Cost is something you may need to think about; you will have to meet any shortfall between Carer Support subsidy and the full cost of care.
7
Payment — Who is paid and how much? There are two subsidy rates paid by Ministry of Health for a 24-hour day - formal and informal. Formal Rate = $75.56 (GST incl) per 24 hour day. This applies to relief services provided on a formal or commercial basis, eg if the person you care for goes to a rest home or if a homecare agency provides care at home. Informal Rate = $64.50 (GST incl) per 24 hour day. This applies to relief services provided by friends, neighbours and family members. Family member includes daughter, son, sister, brother or cousin who does not live with the client.
Usually Ministry of Health pay direct to the person or service that provided care, after care has been given. Some agencies providing formal care prefer payment in advance. If you choose one of these agencies, you will need to pay them yourself and then claim the money back from Ministry of Health. Residential Care in Rest Homes
If you decide on short-term care in a rest home, you will find it difficult to book in advance. If you wait till closer to the time, there are usually a number of rest homes with vacancies that you can choose from. There is now a large gap between Carer Support rate and the District Health Board contract rate. The shortfall can be over $300 per week and there is no additional funding to meet this cost. In short-term care you usually provide your own medicines, incontinence products and pay for your own GP. If you have to consider moving into care permanently, ask for a reassessment from your Needs Assessor. Your Carer Support funding cannot be used to pay for long-term care, even if you have some days left unused. 6
Who to contact: If the older person you are caring for has a disability, you can arrange a Needs Assessment by phoning the assessment Service, or your GP can refer you. Northland Needs Assessment Whangarei .............................. (09) Kaitaia .................................... (09) Dargaville ............................... (09) Bay of Islands ....................... (09) Hokianga .................................
430 430 430 430
4131 or 0800 888 890 4131 or 0800 888 890 4131 or 0800 888 890 4131 or 0800 888 890 (09) 405 7709
North Shore and Rodney Waitemata NASC ...................
(09) 442 7171
Waitakere Waitemata NASC ...................
09) 442 7171
Auckland Auckland NASC .....................
(09) 631 1234
Counties Manukau Counties Manukau NASC .....
(09) 276 0040
For carers of younger people with disabilities, ie those under 65 years, contacts for Needs assessment are as follows: Northland NorthAble Northland Disabilities Resource Centre .............. (09) 430 0988 Greater Auckland Taikura Trust ............................................................ (09) 278 6314 7
ContAct for furiher infOrmation: Ministry of Health Help Desk Private Bag 1942 Dunedin Phone: 0800 281 222 Fax:
03 474 8584
Glossary NASC ........................ Needs Assessment and Service Coordination Residential Care ....... Includes rest homes, specialist dementia rest homes and hospitals
Seniorline We are an information service for older people and their family / whanau. We can answer questions about rest homes and hospitals, the services that should be provided and supports to help you stay at home. The service is for people living in greater Auckland and Northland. Phone .................... 375 4395 or 0800 725 463 Fax ...................................................... 638 0358 E-mail ....................... seniorlineOadhb.govt.nz Website .................... www.adhb.govt.nz/rcline
Related Documents
Carer Support Subsidy
June 2020 0
Basement Flooding Subsidy Program
May 2020 1
Parent Carer Guide 09 10
June 2020 3
Borang Motorcar Subsidy - Amendment
June 2020 0