Community Care programs available
Council delivers multiple services under our community care program. The first is the Victorian Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (VICHACC) aged under 65 years, and the second is the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) for people aged 65 years and over. Council also delivers brokerage services for multiple case management agency, Vetrans affairs and TAC.
Referral to services
For residents aged under 65 years, who may be eligible for the VICHACC program, please contact Northern Grampians Shire Council directly on (03) 5358 0514.
Residents who may be eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme are encouraged to make contact with the NDIS National Contact Centre directly on 1800 800 110 or by visiting the NDIS website via www.ndis.gov.au.
For residents aged over 65 years, who may be eligible for the CHSP program, all referrals must be made through My Aged Care by calling them on 1800 200 422 or visiting http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/.
Staff at My Aged Care will assist you to register with a referral then sent to the Northern Grampians Shire Regional Assessment Service for review. If you require assistance from council staff to undertake this process, please phone our Community Care team on (03) 5358 8700.
Support services available
After Northern Grampians Shire Council (NGSC) has received your referral from My Aged Care, our team will arrange to meet with you to assess your individual needs.
Council provides a number of services, including:
- Domestic assistance - assistance with household tasks including general housework, laundry, shopping and meal preparation.
- Personal care - assistance with bathing, grooming and dressing.
- Respite care - to provide the primary carer with the opportunity to have a break. This involves a direct care worker either taking the care recipient out or caring for the person in their home while the carer goes out.
- Meals on Wheels - the delivery of pre-prepared nutritional meals to your home by volunteers.
- Living at home assessments - comprehensive and holistic assessment undertaken in your own home. The assessment identifies the range and type of services that will best assist you to maintain your independence and enhance your health and wellbeing. This may include referrals to other allied health services.
- Home maintenance - to assist with ensuring the client’s home is safe and accessible, which can include minor household repairs, installation of handrails, changing of light bulbs, and improving access in the home environment. (Cost of materials is in addition to the service hourly rate).
- Senior Citizens - connecting older people with an interest group or social opportunities in the community. People aged 55 and over (or with a disability) are eligible to attend Senior Citizens centres.
For case managed private clients, please review to Community Care Fees and Charges 2024-25(PDF, 164KB) for further information on relevant fees for services available. Northern Grampians Shire Council clients pay a subsided cost which is dependent on your annual income.
For more information, please call the Community Care team on (03) 5358 0514 during the hours of 8.30am to 4.45pm from Monday to Friday.
Public holidays support: On public holidays our team can only provide essential services that includes personal care. Meals on Wheels are delivered on the business day prior; shopping support services are rescheduled for a different time that week, and domestic services are cancelled till the following fortnight. If you are unsure, you can phone (03) 5358 8700 and speak to an on-call staff member who can forward you to a member or the Community Care team.