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Changes to Eligibility for Household Management Services
In June this year, the Board of C&C DHB made a decision to re-focus the way it targets the provision of home-based support, to ensure those with the greatest need and those who will benefit most have access to services.
As part of this new focus, the Board has decided to limit household management support to those in greatest financial hardship and who need services most.
Household management includes the following kind of support:
- Assistance with essential household management – vacuuming and floor cleaning in bathroom, kitchen, main living area and main bedroom; cleaning of main bath/shower and toilet
- Assistance with heavier aspects of laundry management, such as sheets, duvet covers, including hanging heavy, wet laundry on clothes horse
- Assistance with meal management, including referral to Meals of Wheels or advise on purchase of pre-prepared vegetables, etc
- Assistance with shopping – this may include organising assistance, for example, for family members to shop online for the client.
In 2005, C&C DHB removed means testing as part of our integrated approach to home and community support services, and is now making a change to bring it into line with all other DHBs around the country that offer these services to the community.
The new approach will include new criteria that all newly referred clients as of 6 September 2010 will need to hold a current Community Services Card in order to be eligible for household management assistance.
Please note: This applies to people who require ONLY household management (i.e. no personal or complex care is required). Those needing any level of personal care or other services will not be subject to this condition.
For existing clients, when you undergo a reassessment after 1 December 2010, you will also need to hold a current Community Services Card to continue to be eligible for DHB-funded household management. If you do not hold a Community Services Card, you will continue to receive services until the date of your reassessment.
The Care Coordination Centre Care Managers will tell you if you are eligible for household management support at the time when your first assessment takes place, or when you undergo your usual reassessment.
A letter will be sent to all existing clients prior to your reassessment date to outline the new eligibility criteria.
At the time of the assessment or reassessment, the Care Managers will discuss what other options are available to you if you do not meet the new criteria, including providing details of private providers who you can employ directly, at your own cost.
If your circumstances change after initially not being eligible, you can contact the Care Coordination Centre directly at any time for a reassessment of your eligibility and what services you might need.
If you have questions or concerns about the above process and how it may affect you, you can contact the Care Coordination Centre directly. Alternatively, existing clients may wait for your Care Manager to contact you with further information prior to your reassessment date.