Australian Innovations in Home-based Care: a Comparison of Community Aged Care Packages,Community Options Projects and Hostel Care

Objective: To compare Australian client dependency levels in Community Aged Care Packages, Community Options projects and hostels, and to explore the interplay between client dependency, carer availability and levels of service use in community care services. Method: The data analysed were derived from the first national Community Aged Care Packages Survey conducted by the then Department of Health and Family Services in 1996. Results: Community Aged Care Package clients in Australia were found to be less dependent than both Community Options clients and hostel residents. For both sets of community care clients, service use increased with dependency levels. The presence of co-resident carers was associated with lower levels of service use for given levels of dependency. Conclusions: Community Aged Care Packages, while intended to provide an alternative to admission to a hostel at the personal care level, were found to be serving a somewhat less dependent sector of the frail and disabled aged population. Most recipients had an informal carer in addition to being in receipt of formal services. The evidence suggests that, among the clients of both Community Options and Community Aged Care Packages, available resources were targeted on those in greater need.