If your loved one is the recipient of a home care package and has a cognitive impairment, they may be eligible for the dementia and cognition supplement.
The dementia and cognition supplement was introduced on August 1st 2013 to provide additional funding to meet the additional care needs of people living with dementia.
This supplement is not allocated automatically if a person has dementia though.
The person’s eligibility is assessed with the prescribed screening tools as dictated by the Department.
These screening tools are the Psychogeriatric Assessment Scale (PAS), the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) or the Kimberly Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA-cog).
These documents are completed by a registered nurse, clinical psychologist or medical practitioner.
The amount of funding that a person would receive if they
are eligible for this supplement is a percentage of the level of home care package
they are receiving.
From March 2019, the percentage increased to 11.5% of a home care package.
A level 1 HCP recipient would receive a daily supplement of $2.77.
A level 2 HCP recipient would receive a daily supplement of $4.87.
A level 3 HCP recipient would receive a daily supplement of $10.60.
A level 4 HCP recipient would receive a daily supplement of $16.07.
The screening tests are not time consuming to administer and when approved the supplement is backdated to the date of completion of the application document.
If you’re not sure if your loved one (with a cognitive impairment or dementia) is receiving this supplement in their home care package, ask your provider now.
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