What is Veterans’ Home Care?

Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) is a program funded through DVA. It provides a small amount of practical assistance to help eligible veterans continue to live independently in their homes.
 

What kind of practical help is available?

VHC offers the following services based on assessed needs with limits:

Domestic Help

Activities may include:

  • Internal house cleaning
  • Unaccompanied shopping using a shopping list
  • Unaccompanied bill paying

Personal Care — maximum of 90 minutes per week for assistance with self-care

Activities may include assistance with:

  • Showering/toileting
  • Getting in and out of bed
  • Eating

Respite Care — up to 196 hours per financial year

  • In-Home Respite — allows a carer to have a break
  • Residential Respite — short-term care away from home (usually provided in an Australian Government subsidised aged-care facility) when the carer is unable to provide care
  • Emergency Short-term Respite — provides for up to three days of care in the home if the carer suddenly becomes unable to provide care

Safety-Related Home and Garden Maintenance — maximum of 15 hours per year to minimise hazards and keep the home in a safe and habitable condition

Activities may include:

  • Replacing light bulbs
  • Cleaning gutters and windows
  • Changing batteries in smoke and/or security alarms

Please note that other activities may be available based on your assessed needs.

How do I get VHC services?

You need to be eligible (see below) and complete an assessment questionnaire over the phone. Simply call 1300 550 450 and a VHC Assessment Agency will guide you through the process.

Am I eligible for Veterans’ Home Care?

If you have a Veteran Gold Card or a Veteran White Card for an accepted service related injury and condition, you are eligible for a VHC assessment.

If you have complex or high-level needs, you will be referred to other services and programs more appropriate to your needs.

Can someone else answer the Assessment Questions for me?

Yes. A carer, close family member or someone with an appropriate power of attorney can answer the questions once you provide your consent.

Are there any costs involved?

Yes. However, the costs are capped to limit their impact on your budget.

  • Domestic Assistance is capped at $5 per week
  • Personal Care is $5 per hour, capped at $10 per week
  • Safety-Related Home and Garden Maintenance is $5 per hour, capped at $75 in a 12-month period.

There is no co-payment for Respite Care services.

If you feel that you can’t afford the co-payments, you can apply for a waiver using an Application for Waiver of Veterans Home Care Co-payments’ form. Each application is assessed taking into account individual circumstances and the decision is advised by letter.

Still have questions?

Call your VHC Assessment Agency on 1300 550 450.

Resuming VHC services

During the COVID-19 lockdown, did you suspend your Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) services but now want them to resume? If so, then simply call your local VHC Assessment Agency on 1300 550 450 to advise them that you would like to resume your services.