The DVA Gold Card and My Aged Care Services

The Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) Gold Card provides support for many Australians to remain in their chosen environment. As a therapist working in the DVA space however, I have identified different gaps in support provided, which may place individual’s health and safety at risk. My Aged Care is an Australian Government funded service, supporting adults over the age of 65 (or over the age of 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) to stay independent at home, or provide support to transition into care if they are no longer able to remain in their chosen environment. Pairing an individual’s supports from the DVA gold card, with My Aged Care services, can sometimes be enough for individuals to remain safe in their home environment

At present, DVA offer supports with regular (weekly or fortnightly, depending on the level of support required) household cleaning, yearly window and gutter cleaning (where they can also clean internal ceiling fans, exhaust fans and change the batteries in the smoke alarm), or showering assistance, up to three times per week. DVA will shop for individuals by a list, however shopping is often a social outing for many individuals and not being supported to complete their shopping themselves, can result in social isolation. My Aged Care offer a service, where individuals can go shopping with the support of a carer, therefore reducing that risk of social isolation. DVA will also provide a once off gardening service, only to address any access concerns to an individual’s main entrance, it is then up to individuals to maintain this. Regular garden maintenance, however, is one of the main activities that individuals often ask for support in. This often initiates a referral to My Aged Care for regular gardening support.

Whether you are a gold card holder or not, you can get a meal preparation service, such as Meals on Wheels, by asking your GP to complete a referral form. At present, DVA is unable to provide support for meal preparation or meal delivery services. My Aged Care however have capacity to support individuals with cooking, by either arranging for meal delivery, or assisting individuals with the activity of cooking, to ensure they are getting a balanced diet and regular meals. This reduces the risk of malnutrition for individuals living alone.

Getting support under My Aged Care requires a referral. Individuals or family members can complete a referral by ringing My Aged Care (Ph: 1800 200 422) or going online to the My Aged Care website and completing a referral form. Occupational Therapists, GP’s, or other supporting Health Professionals are also able to complete this referral with individuals. The benefit of completing the referral with a health professional is it often allows an individual’s need for support to be better captured and articulated to My Aged Care.

Following the outcome of a referral, individuals can get approval for a face-to-face assessment at home through:

Before the face-to-face assessment, individuals will need:

Once the assessment is completed and approval is granted, individuals have the opportunity to select an available provider for their support under CHSP or Home Care Package by following the prompts on this link. There is currently a significant wait time for individuals to receive services under My Aged Care after their assessment has been completed. Depending on the service requested, individuals can be waiting anywhere between 3 – 12 months for approval to be granted and/or an available service provider to be allocated. It is therefore recommended that individuals are proactive in seeking these assessments early, to ensure they have the supports in place when they need it most.

It would be beneficial to read through our factsheet on ‘My Aged care for DVA Gold Card Holders’ which explores the process of applying for My Aged Care services and what services My Aged Care can support with in greater detail. Please ask one of our lovely Occupational Therapists or Administrative staff to receive a copy of this factsheet either during your next OT visit or by calling or emailing the office.

Please refer to the following references or seek guidance from your treating Occupational Therapist or GP for further information on My Aged Care services:

Australian Government 2021, ‘My Aged Care’, Commonwealth of Australia, accessed 22 February 2021, <https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/.

Australian Government Department of Health 2021, ‘About the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)’, Commonwealth of Australia, accessed 05 March 2021, <https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/commonwealth-home-support-programme-chsp/about-the-commonwealth-home-support-programme-chsp#:~:text=They%20then%20provide%20subsidised%20services,can%20afford%20to%20do%20so.>.