Approved for a Home Care Package. Now Waiting 6 Months. What Do You Do?
You navigated My Aged Care. Your parent had the assessment. They've been approved for a Level 3 Home Care Package. And then you got the letter: “You have been placed in the national priority queue.” Estimated wait: 6–9 months.
Your parent needs help now, not next spring. This guide covers every option available to fill the gap — from free services you might not know about, to low-cost monitoring, to interim packages, to strategies that may speed up the process.
Current National Wait Times (2026)
| Package Level | Annual Budget | Average Wait | While You Wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (Basic) | $10,300 | 1–3 months | CHSP services often available immediately |
| Level 2 (Low) | $18,100 | 3–6 months | Accept interim Level 1 while waiting |
| Level 3 (Intermediate) | $39,400 | 6–9 months | Accept interim Level 2 + supplement with CHSP |
| Level 4 (High) | $59,800 | 9–12 months | Accept interim Level 3 + consider Transition Care if post-hospital |
Wait times vary by region. Metro areas often have longer waits due to higher demand. Call My Aged Care (1800 200 422) for your specific queue position.
8 Things You Can Do Right Now
Accept an interim lower-level package
You don't have to wait for your approved level. You can accept a lower-level package immediately while holding your place in the queue for the higher level. A Level 1 package ($10,300/year) accepted today is infinitely better than a Level 3 package ($39,400) starting in September.
Call My Aged Care: 1800 200 422 and ask about interim package assignment.
Apply for CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme)
CHSP provides entry-level support — cleaning, meals, transport, social groups, personal care — with little to no wait. You can receive CHSP services WHILE on the Home Care Package waiting list. They're not mutually exclusive. Many families don't know this.
Call My Aged Care: 1800 200 422 for CHSP assessment (often within 2–4 weeks).
Start daily welfare monitoring immediately
The biggest risk during the waiting period is that something happens and nobody knows. A daily phone call that checks on your parent and alerts you if they don't answer costs from $1/week and starts today. No assessment, no waiting list, no government approval needed.
Start Kindly Call free trial: no credit card, no wait.
Ask about Transition Care (if recently hospitalised)
The Transition Care Programme provides up to 12 weeks of support after hospital discharge — physiotherapy, nursing, personal care, and allied health. It bypasses the Home Care Package queue entirely because it's a separate program.
Ask the hospital social worker or discharge planner BEFORE your parent leaves hospital.
Contact your local council
Many local councils run their own seniors programs — community transport, social groups, home maintenance, delivered meals — independent of My Aged Care. These are often free or very low cost and available immediately.
Google "[your council] seniors services" or call council reception.
Request a priority reassessment if things worsen
If your parent's condition has deteriorated since the original assessment — a fall, hospitalisation, new diagnosis, increased confusion — you can request a change of circumstances review. This may move them up the queue or qualify them for a higher package level.
Call My Aged Care and request a "change of circumstances" review.
Set up Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious meals 5–7 days per week for $8–$12 per meal. It also provides a daily welfare check — the delivery person notices if your parent seems unwell or doesn't answer the door. Available in most Australian postcodes with minimal wait.
Find your local provider: mealsonwheels.org.au
Get a Home Medicines Review
A pharmacist visits the home to review all medications — checking for interactions, duplications, and unnecessary drugs. Fully covered by Medicare with a GP referral. Available immediately (no My Aged Care needed). Medication errors cause 25% of elderly hospital readmissions.
Ask your parent's GP for an HMR referral.
The Dangerous Gap: What Happens While You Wait
The waiting period isn't just inconvenient — it's medically dangerous. Research shows that elderly people on the Home Care Package waiting list have significantly worse outcomes than those already receiving services:
Elderly Australians die each year while waiting for a Home Care Package
Higher risk of hospital admission during the waiting period
Of elderly on the waiting list are admitted to residential aged care prematurely
Experience significant decline in function while waiting
This is why filling the gap with interim services, daily monitoring, and community support is not optional — it's essential.
Don't Wait for the Government to Start Caring
Daily wellness calls start today. No assessment. No queue. No approval needed. From $1/week.
Start Free 14-Day Trial →No credit card. Cancel anytime. Your parent just answers the phone.
Give Them Connection. Give Yourself Peace of Mind.
Start your free 14-day trial today. No credit card required.
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