Darwin, Northern Territory.

25 Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs) commenced in February 2004 to provide care and assistance to people living at home within the Darwin, Litchfield and Palmerston region.

The service has grown steadily. In 2011, we commenced 10 Extended Aged Care at Home Packages (EACH) and five EACH Dementia packages. Also Consumer Directed Care – a pilot program with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, commenced in 2011 delivering two High Care Dementia packages.

The Department of Veterans Affairs – Home Care Services commenced in October 2011. This service provides low care, domestic assistance, personal care, social assistance, respite care and safety-related home and garden maintenance.

This serviced is managed by a Coordinator and staffed with a Registered Nurse and Administration Assistant, a total of 26 staff altogether. The purpose of the packages is to assist older people to stay living as independently as possible in their own homes.