Published on Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 8:56:14 AM
Esperance Home Care (EHC) staff are working hard to get ready for big changes in aged care legislation, showing their ongoing commitment to quality care and making sure clients continue to feel supported and well looked after.
The Federal Government’s Aged Care Act 2024, originally scheduled to take effect on 1 July, has been pushed back till 1 November. The delay reflects the complexity of the reforms, and the challenges involved in adapting to them.
For EHC staff, the new legislation means they must update processes and practices across the aged care programs they deliver. This includes:
- The introduction of New Aged Care Standards.
- The transition from the Home Care Package (HCP) program to the Support at Home (SaH) model.
- Adjustments to the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), such as new assessment requirements for clients.
One example of the impact of the new legislation on staff and clients is the need for CHSP clients to undergo formal assessments, which was not previously required. With limited information from federal agencies on who has received an assessment, EHC staff have had to manually review hundreds of records, and liaise with assessment agencies and clients to ensure everyone is accounted for; a time consuming process.
While the Federal Government oversees aged care delivery nationally, EHC is the primary provider of home and community-based aged care services in Esperance. Residential aged care in the region is managed separately by the Esperance Aged Care Facility, a local non-profit organisation.
EHC services are delivered through a range of programs including Home Care Packages, Veterans Home Care, Continuity of Services Home and Community Care, and Commonwealth Home Support Program HSP. Our community and clients may see some changes to program names and structures, however all may rest assured the level of service and care will remain consistent.
Availability of EHC support has always varied depending on client needs and staffing levels, with staff devoted to achieving the best results for all. Scheduling demand (number of service hours requested by clients) can change from one day to the next, and there are times when new clients or services are placed on a waitlist. For example when high-care clients are temporarily hospitalised this can mean a reduction in scheduled hours, which can affect casual staffing. At present, EHC has staffing capacity across all in-home care areas except gardening and Domestic Assistance, where waitlists are in place. Applications from those wishing to work in the rewarding aged care industry are welcome, with Community Support Worker roles currently available.
Looking at the wider view across Australia, the reforms are expected to affect around 60% of those who use the HCP program; they will be required to contribute financially on a per-service basis. These contributions will be means-tested by the Department of Social Services.
For our local EHC staff, the legislative changes bring a need for additional training and a heavier administrative workload. Navigating multiple government portals and meeting new data requirements adds pressure in an already complex environment. Despite this, staff continue to show remarkable resilience, adapting to new systems and remaining focused on the people they care for.
Through all these changes, Esperance Home Care remains committed to supporting the Esperance community with professionalism, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility.
Back to All News