Choosing care: the difficulties in navigating the Home Care Package market
Our summary
Choosing care shouldn’t be confusing — yet for many older Australians, navigating the home care system is anything but simple.
Published by the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) in partnership with the University of South Australia, Choosing Care: The Difficulties in Navigating the Home Care Package Market (2020) explores how older people and their carers experience the process of finding, comparing, and managing Home Care Packages (HCPs).
Drawing on a national survey of 502 HCP recipients, the report reveals that most rely heavily on health professionals, family, or friends when choosing a provider. Few use the My Aged Care portal or other online comparison tools, reflecting widespread digital exclusion and limited accessible information. Many respondents reported struggling to understand their funding levels, fees, and care plans — key factors that affect their ability to manage services and advocate for their needs.
The research identifies systemic barriers that prevent genuine choice and competition, including inconsistent information, complex pricing, and limited switching options. It applies CPRC’s Five Preconditions of Effective Consumer Engagement framework to assess how policy and service design can better support informed decisions in the home care market.
Through practical recommendations, the report calls for simpler communication, standardised pricing, and independent navigation support to help older people exercise real choice and control over their care.
It’s an essential resource for policymakers, aged care providers, and advocates seeking to make the promise of consumer-directed care a reality for all Australians ageing at home.