The City of Whittlesea Council, which is in the north of Melbourne, has announced it will expand its Ageing Well Program to include Home Care Packages.

The Council notified the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission for Council of its decision in March, and now will notify the Federal Government of its intention. Services are expected to commence by 2025.

Currently, the Council delivers services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), offering basic, entry-level services such as domestic assistance, personal care, respite, property maintenance, social support programs and meals.

“By offering this service, our older residents can have continuity of care from a trusted provider, ensuring they maintain a sense of security and support as they age,” said Council Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson (pictured right).

“We are regularly listening to and seeking feedback from current residents using the Ageing Well service. With this feedback, we continually evolve and adapt services to meet the changing needs of the community.”

Earlier this year The SOURCE reported that 80 Victorian councils had quit providing CHSP services. However, since the Federal Government extended the timeframe for the rollout of Support at Home to 1 July 2025 and the CHSP until 1 July 2027, which occurred in November 2023, several providers have decided to expand their home care offerings.