When people think of Occupational Therapy, they often picture children or NDIS participants. What surprises many families, carers, and even case managers is that Occupational Therapy is equally relevant to older Australians accessing a Home Care Package (HCP) and in many cases, it can make a significant difference to someone’s safety and quality of life at home.
If you or someone you support holds a Home Care Package and you have never explored OT services, this article is worth your time.
What Is a Home Care Package?
A Home Care Package is a government-funded programme that provides coordinated care and support to older Australians who want to remain living at home. Packages are allocated across four levels, ranging from Level 1 (basic care needs) to Level 4 (high care needs), with the funding amount increasing at each level.
The funds are managed by an approved Home Care Provider and can be used to access a range of allied health services, including Occupational Therapy. Many people are not aware that allied health sits within scope — they assume the funding is limited to personal care, cleaning, or meal preparation. In reality, HCP funding is far more flexible than that.
How OT Fits Into a Home Care Package
An Occupational Therapist looks at how a person functions within their daily environment. For older adults, this almost always comes back to one central goal: staying safe and independent in their own home for as long as possible.
Under a Home Care Package, an OT can provide a range of valuable services.
Home Safety Assessment
This is often the starting point. An OT will visit the client’s home and carry out a thorough assessment of the living environment, identifying potential hazards that could lead to a fall or injury. They look at everything from the layout of the bathroom to the height of chairs, the condition of floor surfaces, lighting, and how the person moves through their space throughout the day.
Falls are one of the leading causes of hospitalisation among older Australians, and many of those falls happen at home. A home safety assessment is one of the most proactive steps a family or case manager can take.
Aids, Equipment, and Assistive Technology
Following an assessment, an OT may recommend specific aids or equipment to support the client’s independence and reduce risk. This might include:
- Grab rails in the bathroom or near the toilet
- A shower chair or commode to make bathing safer
- Bed rails or a bed stick to assist with getting in and out of bed
- Non-slip matting and raised toilet seats
- Long-handled tools to reduce bending and reaching
These recommendations are based on what the individual actually needs, not a one-size-fits-all list. The OT considers the client’s physical capacity, their home layout, and their daily routine.
Home Modifications Assessment
Some clients need more than portable aids. An OT can assess whether structural modifications to the home are warranted — such as installing a ramp instead of steps at the front door, widening a doorway to accommodate a walker or wheelchair, or converting a bath to a walk-in shower.
This kind of assessment is often a prerequisite for funding modifications through the HCP or through other programmes such as the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). Having an OT recommendation in writing adds weight to funding applications and gives the provider and family a clear, clinically justified scope of work.
Maintaining Independence and Function
Beyond safety, an OT can also work with clients to maintain their ability to carry out daily activities — getting dressed, preparing simple meals, managing medication, and engaging in meaningful routines. When someone starts to struggle with these tasks, it does not always mean they need more personal care. Sometimes it means they need their environment adjusted, their technique adapted, or the right equipment in place.
An OT approach focuses on what a person can do and works to preserve that capacity for as long as possible.
Who Should Be Thinking About This?
If any of the following apply, it is worth having a conversation about OT:
- An older person has had a fall at home, or there has been a near miss
- Family members have noticed the person is less confident moving around the house
- The client is managing with difficulty in the bathroom or bedroom
- A case manager wants to review the home environment as part of a care plan update
- The client has recently been discharged from hospital and is returning home
OT is not only for people with a disability or a specific diagnosis. It is for anyone whose ability to function safely at home is at risk.