In 2007, the Victorian Home and Community Care program initiated the Living at Home Assessment Service framework. Designated HACC funded assessment service providers were identified (listed below). These designated agencies are the contact point for the Living at Home Services.

About the assessment

Living at Home assessments are holistic and broad-based.  This means that assessment focuses on:

• Social, functional and emotional needs
• Carer and family needs
• Environmental issues
• Strengths and capacities, not just deficits
• Opportunities for social participation and connectedness
• Involvement of multidisciplinary expertise

The Living at Home Assessment is not a health assessment, nor is it intended to replace a comprehensive ACAS assessment. It is a Home and Community Care based assessment.

HACC eligible clients referred for a Living at Home Assessment will have an assessment undertaken in their own home.

Living at Home assessors work within an Active Service Model where they focus on strengths and abilities and the maintenance/enhancement of skill.

Who would I refer?

All patients must be HACC eligible, and may:

• Have complex care needs
• Require a range of home based services
• Have a carer who needs increased assistance to carry out their role
• Want information about a broad range of options

There is no cost for an assessment and no obligation that the client/patient must accept a service from the designated agency.  Clients receive an assessment based on their own and/or their carer’s needs which reflect the current situation, their support and care options both now and for the future.

Sometimes the end product of the assessment will be as simple as providing information or may include referral to another provider or service delivery by the assessing agency.

Who provides the assessments?

The HACC funded, designated Living at Home Assessment services in your area are as follows:

Ballarat District Nursing and Healthcare
Phone: 5334 1500
Fax: 5334 1945

City of Ballarat Council
Phone: 5320 5629
Fax: 5320 5592

Golden Plains Shire
Phone: 5220 7151
Fax: 5220 7100

Hepburn Shire
Phone: 5345 8399
Fax: 5345 8041

Moorabool Shire
Phone: 5366 0209
Fax: 5368 1757

Pyrenees Shire
Phone: 5349 1100
Fax: 5349 2455

Medical practices are also encouraged to securely send electronic referrals through the Connecting Care system – if you are interested in linking to this system please contact the Ballarat and District Division of General Practice for advice.

How do I refer for a Living at Home Assessment?

The preferred process is to use the Victorian Statewide Referral Form (VSRF), developed specifically for General Practice.  If you do not have this form, information on how to access it is available on the General Practice Victoria website.

Other types of referral (eg letters) will be accepted but please ensure they contain sufficient information to inform the assessor of the reason for referral and any specific information you hold which may assist the assessment.

For assistance and/or advice contact your local Designated Assessment Service on the numbers above.