(Transcript from World News Radio)
Major changes are on the way in home care services for older Australians.
From July 1st, the government will introduce so-called consumer directed care packages, which it says will provide people with more choice.
But there are concerns that not everyone will be better off, as Brianna Roberts explains.
For many older Australians.. a little help around the home, can make a big difference.
86 year-old Mariana Aliberti from the Sydney suburb of Blacktown, receives 'meals-on-wheels' three times a week, as well as home cleaning and personal care.
She says she is more fortunate than many people with the same needs.
"Really I don't need to buy many clothes or many dresses- I have so many in the cupboard. And I don't follow much the fashion. Until now I manage, because I am lucky that I have family. But some people, they don't have family, and they need more help than me."
Australia's aged care system currently costs around 14 billion dollars each year.
Of the 1.1 million people who currently use aged care services, around three-quarters receive services at home.
Currently, government funding for home care services goes to service providers - who make most of the decisions about how that money is spent.
From July 1st, many home-care services will be streamlined into one national program, called the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
Ian Yates from the Council on the Ageing says new so-called consumer directed care packages will offer more choice.
"And it means that instead of as in the past, the packages going to the provider and the provider being able, for example, to pool them and decide what level of services you get and what kinds of services you get, that the consumer - the person needing the services and their families have much more say, choice and control about what kinds of services they get, where they get them, and who they get them from."
The changes to home care services are part of the "Living Longer, Living Better" reforms, which were introduced by the then Labor government in 2012.
The reforms have the support of both parties, and come with some increase in funding.
However, the introduction of new means-tested fees means some people will pay more towards the cost their care.
Charmaine Crowe from the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association says the difference in cost for some people will be dramatic.
"We're going to see home care fees basically double for most people, and that's a real concern especially if you're on a full rate pension and you don't have a lot of money to spare. The other worry for people is that they won't be able to get enough home care hours."
Under the new system - each person is allocated a set budget according to their level of need, as determined by an independent assessment team.
The money will still go to service providers - but the person receiving the service will need to decide how the budget is spent, and to make sure they stay within their budget.
The government says it will make the system fairer, but there are concerns some people will be worse off.
Danielle Robertson private home care service provider "Dial an Angel" says many people will quickly reach their budget cap.
"They'll then have to tip in the money to top it up. They might need to take money out of their super funds or family members might have to chip in or if they just have government funded care it may be minimal.."
And Charmaine Crowe from the Pensioners and Superannuants Association says that could be more expensive for taxpayers in the long run.
"The risk is if we don't have enough home care, we're going to see more people in emergency departments, which comes at a great cost, and we're also going to see people moving prematurely into nursing homes, which also comes at a great cost, especially when its against the will of the person..
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