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My Aged Care is the Australian Government's starting point for accessing government-funded aged care. It helps you understand your options, apply for an assessment, receive an assessment outcome and connect with providers, but you still choose which provider you want to use.
You do not need to work out the aged care system before you start. The usual first step is to apply for an aged care assessment through My Aged Care. You can apply online or call 1800 200 422, then an assessor will work out what government-funded support may suit your needs.
CHSP remains the entry-level home support program for people who generally need a smaller amount of help. Home Care Packages were replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025, so in 2026 the more useful comparison is CHSP versus Support at Home. People who previously had a Home Care Package were transitioned into the new system.
Qualifying for government-funded aged care in Australia is based on your age, care needs, and financial situation rather than just an automatic age milestone.
To qualify for government-funded aged care, you or your parent must generally be aged 65 or older (or 50+ for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander peoples) and need help with daily tasks. Eligibility is strictly determined by a free in-person Aged Care Needs Assessment, which is requested by applying through My Aged Care. Follow these concrete steps to check eligibility and get assessed:1.
RAS and ACAT were the former names for different assessment pathways. Australia now uses a Single Assessment System, although people may still hear the older terms. The assessment you receive depends on the level and type of support you may need.
There is no guaranteed national appointment time. For assessments completed from January to March 2026, the national median wait was 25 days, but your wait may be shorter or longer depending on urgency, location and assessor availability.
Before your ACAT assessment, gather your Medicare card, another form of ID (like a driver's licence or pension card), doctor referrals, and a list of current medications. Note any support you currently receive, and think about your specific needs, daily challenges, and personal goals for maintaining independence. A little preparation goes a long way to ensure the assessor gets a complete picture of your situation.
Yes, a family member or trusted representative can speak to My Aged Care on your behalf.
If your care needs change, you can request a Support Plan Review or a full reassessment at any time through My Aged Care. You do not need to wait for a scheduled 12-month check-in to adjust your funding or services if your health, living, or financial circumstances change significantly. The process for updating your support includes:Initial Contact: Talk to your current service provider first.
You can check the status of your application or assessment by logging into your My Aged Care Online Account using your my Gov credentials.
Being approved means an assessment has found you eligible for particular aged care services. Being allocated or assigned funding means the government funding for those approved Support at Home services is available for you to start arranging care.
There is no single fixed national wait time. Under Support at Home, waiting depends on your priority category, the services approved and available funding. Some urgent funding is expected within one month, while other ongoing services may take considerably longer.
Yes, you can speed up the process in some situations. Contact My Aged Care promptly, describe the specific risks and ask for urgent consideration but use emergency health, hospital or respite services when the person needs help immediately.
The former Charter of Aged Care Rights has been replaced by the enforceable Statement of Rights under the new Aged Care Act, which started on 1 November 2025. It protects your right to dignity, choice, safety, information, privacy, communication and culturally safe care.
Support at Home funding can pay for services that are approved in your support plan and included on the official service list. These may include nursing and allied health, personal care, respite, transport, domestic assistance and home maintenance.
Yes, if the equipment or home modification is assessed as necessary and approved. Support at Home now uses a separate Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme rather than expecting these costs to come only from an ordinary ongoing-care budget.
Generally, no. Support at Home is not designed to pay ordinary household costs such as rent, electricity or the normal cost of groceries. It may fund approved assistance with meal preparation, shopping or meal delivery, but you usually remain responsible for the food itself.
Support at Home is the Australian Government's current coordinated in-home aged-care program. It replaced Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care on 1 November 2025, while CHSP continues separately for entry-level support.
Under Support at Home, you may self-manage parts of your care, but you still need a registered provider and care management. Provider-managed care gives the provider more responsibility for arranging workers, schedules and administration; self-management gives you more involvement and control.
Under Support at Home, the old separate package-management fee has ended. For ongoing services, 10% of each quarterly budget is set aside nationally for care management, which is delivered by a care partner even when you self-manage parts of your care.
Yes. You can change Support at Home providers if the service is not right for you. Check your service agreement, give any required notice and make sure the new provider can accept you before ending the old arrangement.
Under Support at Home, providers cannot charge the old Home Care Package exit fee. However, you should still check your service agreement for notice requirements and any legitimate outstanding charges for services already delivered.
To verify your support workers' qualifications, check their certifications on their profile (e.g., via platforms like Mable), request a copy of their credentials from your care provider, and ensure they hold an NDIS Worker Screening Check or relevant Police Check. Qualified workers typically hold one or more of the following:Certificate III or IV in Individual Support, Aged Care, Disability, or Home and Community...
Yes, you can absolutely request the same support worker for every visit. This is highly encouraged to build trust and routine. To guarantee consistency, ensure your My Aged Care Support at Home or NDIS provider agrees to this in your initial service agreement and roster plan. Having a consistent caregiver provides familiarity and stability.
If your aged care support worker doesn't show up, immediately contact your service provider to request an urgent replacement or find out if the worker is delayed.
There is no fixed number of weekly care hours for each former HCP level or Support at Home classification. Hours depend on your budget, approved services, provider prices, contributions and the 10% care-management allocation.
Yes, you can get help with transport to medical appointments through My Aged Care. Assistance is generally provided as direct transport with a driver, or via taxi and rideshare vouchers. Depending on your region, these services are offered through programs like the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) or a Support at Home funding.
Yes, My Aged Care programs (such as the Support at Home program) include social activities and companionship.
Yes, you can get 24/7 nursing care at home. But you'll need to contribute out-of-pocket
Support at Home budgets do not operate like a personal bank account. Limited unspent quarterly funding may carry over, subject to program rules. Former HCP unspent funds may be treated differently. If you die, unused government funding is returned rather than forming part of your estate.
A family member can sometimes be paid as your support worker, but it is not the usual arrangement. Your Support at Home provider must approve and formally engage them. The family member must meet the required screening, training and qualification standards, and the arrangement is generally considered only when suitable external workers are unavailable. You cannot pay a relative directly from your Support at Home budget without provider approval.
complaints about home care workers or providers are handled in stages, prioritizing resolution between the client and provider, followed by government oversight if issues remain unresolved.1.
The former Short-Term Restorative Care Programme was replaced by the Support at Home Restorative Care Pathway on 1 November 2025. It provides time-limited allied health and other support to help you regain or maintain independence.
Aged care in Australia is heavily subsidized by the Australian Government, but it is not entirely free. The government pays significant subsidies to approved providers on your behalf, but individuals are still expected to contribute to their care and living costs depending on their income and assets. The exact costs depend heavily on whether you are remaining at home or moving into an aged care facility:1.
For Support at Home, there is no Basic Daily Fee. You may instead pay contributions only when certain approved services are delivered. In residential aged care, most residents pay a Basic Daily Fee toward everyday living costs.
The Income-Tested Care Fee was part of the former Home Care Package system. New Support at Home participants instead pay service contributions based on income and assets and the type of service received. Protected 'no worse off' arrangements apply to some people approved for HCP by 12 September 2024.
A Means-Tested Care Fee applies mainly to people who entered residential aged care under the 1 July 2014 arrangements. People entering from 1 November 2025 generally face different means-tested charges called the hotelling contribution and non-clinical care contribution.
A Services Australia Income and Assets Assessment evaluates an individual's personal financial situation to determine their eligibility and contribution rates for various Australian government pensions, income support payments (e.g., Age Pension), or aged care services. How It Works Income Test: Evaluates income from all sources. This includes salaries, pensions, superannuation, investments, and rental properties.
You are not legally required to complete a financial assessment form.
No, you do not have to sell the family home. Accommodation costs can be funded through a daily rental-style fee called a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP), or by a combination of a partial lump sum (Refundable Accommodation Deposit) and DAP, avoiding a forced sale. The home's treatment depends on your specific circumstances:Couples: If your spouse remains in the home, its value is fully exempt from aged care assets...
For Support at Home, an ordinary family home is generally exempt, although homeownership can affect the thresholds used in the assessment. If one spouse enters residential aged care and the other remains at home, the property is also generally exempt while that spouse continues living there.
Caps depend on which fee arrangements apply. Older residential arrangements have annual and lifetime caps on the Means-Tested Care Fee. Newer arrangements have separate caps and time limits for non-clinical care contributions, and Support at Home has its own indexed lifetime contribution cap.
Receiving Support at Home does not normally reduce your Age Pension. Your pension continues under the ordinary income and assets tests, while the same financial information may be used separately to calculate what you contribute towards aged care services.
You usually do not need a specialist financial adviser just to choose a Support at Home provider. Get advice when the care decision involves complex assets, pension consequences, substantial private spending or possible residential care. For a routine agreement, focus first on the provider’s prices, proposed budget, service availability and contract terms.
You should not assume you must stop receiving care because you cannot afford the fees. Complete the financial assessment, apply for hardship assistance through Services Australia and tell your provider immediately. If approved, the government may cover some or all eligible costs for a specified period.
Residential respite is a temporary stay in an aged care home. Eligible people receive up to 63 subsidised days each financial year, with possible 21-day extensions approved by an assessor.
Support at Home can fund planned overnight respite when it is approved and affordable within the budget. For a sudden breakdown in unpaid care, call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 for emergency respite options. Residential respite is a separate aged care service with its own approval and annual day limit.
A secure memory support unit is a specialised part of an aged care home for people with dementia who need additional supervision and a safer environment. The best units combine security with skilled dementia care, meaningful activity, familiar routines and the least possible restriction on the person’s freedom.
Support at Home providers may use employees or contractors, but the registered provider remains accountable for ensuring every worker is trained, competent, briefed and supervised. For advanced dementia, families should look for demonstrated dementia-specific experience, consistent workers, an individualised support plan and access to specialist clinical or behavioural advice.
Restraint must never be routine or used for convenience. In residential care, it requires strict assessment, consent, documentation and review. In Support at Home, providers must also protect the person’s rights and must not use informal restraint in place of skilled, properly staffed and clinically supported care.
The provider should understand the reason behind the behaviour, support safe movement, reduce predictable triggers and maintain a clear response plan. Wandering or sundowning should not automatically lead to confinement, sedation or restraint.
Support at Home can fund specialised dementia therapies such as music therapy, occupational therapy, art therapy and diversional therapy when they address an assessed need and are approved in the support plan. A complete sensory room is not automatically funded, but clinically recommended sensory strategies, equipment or environmental changes may sometimes be considered.
Palliative care helps an older person with a life-limiting illness live as comfortably and fully as possible. It can begin before the final stage of life, can be provided at home or in residential care, and should support both the person and their family.
Yes. The End-of-Life Pathway provides around $25,000 of additional home-based care for eligible people expected to have three months or less to live. It can fund nursing, personal care and practical support, but it normally needs to be combined with specialist palliative care and family or other support rather than functioning as a complete 24-hour care service.
The Support at Home care partner should coordinate the practical and aged care services, while the GP and specialist palliative care team lead complex medical and symptom management. A written plan should make clear who does what, how information is shared and who to contact when the person’s condition changes.
Support at Home should adapt services to the person not require the person to abandon their language, culture, faith or routines to fit the provider. Ask for communication needs and cultural preferences to be written into the care plan and followed by employees, contractors and replacement workers.
Support at Home should allow an LGBTQIA+ older person to receive care without hiding who they are. A suitable provider should respect identity, partners and chosen family, protect privacy, train all workers including contractors and respond firmly to discrimination.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders can use Support at Home, CHSP and residential care, but may also access specialised culturally safe services through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program, Aboriginal Community Controlled assessment organisations and the Elder Care Support program.
Residential aged care is generally not the intended long-term home for younger people with disability. Entry is tightly restricted, and younger people should usually be supported through disability, health and housing systems instead.
Transitional care after a hospital discharge is managed as a time-limited "bridge" to help older individuals safely return home and regain independence.
To effectively discuss in-home aged care with a reluctant parent, shift the focus from their decline to their independence. Position help as a tool to keep them living safely on their own terms.
If a loved one is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000) for emergency services. For non-emergencies, document your observations (dates, times, and specific details of the incidents) and report your suspicions immediately to the appropriate state authority so they can investigate.1.
You can complain directly to the provider or go straight to the Complaints Commissioner within the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. The service is free, and complaints can be open, confidential or anonymous.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission regulates government-funded aged care. It monitors quality and safety, receives complaints, checks provider compliance and can take enforcement action when providers do not meet their obligations.
An independent aged-care advocate can explain your rights, help you prepare for meetings or complaints, speak with a provider alongside you and support you to express your own wishes. Government-funded advocacy through OPAN is free.
Your Support at Home care plan should be reviewed with you at least once every 12 months. It should be reviewed sooner if you ask for a review or if your needs, goals, preferences, services, risks or circumstances change. You do not need to wait for the annual review to ask for changes.
The participant decides who receives information. Routine communication should be agreed and documented, while significant health or safety changes should be escalated promptly to the care partner, clinical team and authorised family contact.
An Advance Care Directive records your future healthcare wishes for a time when you cannot make or communicate decisions. Your Support at Home provider needs to know it exists so relevant workers and clinicians can follow your wishes, contact the correct decision-maker and respond appropriately during a health crisis-but having one is your choice, not a condition of receiving care.
Confirm whether the participant can decide, check exactly what authority the attorney holds, document the provider’s safety concerns and arrange a care conference. If agreement cannot be reached, involve an independent advocate and escalate the matter through the provider, regulator or relevant state tribunal.
The biggest mistake is allowing the urgency of the situation to choose the pathway. Slow the decision down enough to understand the person’s needs, compare realistic options and choose the least restrictive support that can keep them safe and independent.
Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program on 1 November 2025.
No. Support at Home serves a similar purpose but uses different classifications, budgets, contribution rules and service arrangements.
There are eight ongoing Support at Home classifications, with funding based on assessed needs.
Your classification is determined by an independent aged care assessment of your functional abilities, health needs, safety risks, goals and available support. It is not decided by your provider, diagnosis or financial circumstances.
Your classification can increase or decrease, but only after the aged care assessment process reviews your current needs. Your provider can support the request, but it cannot change the classification itself.
People already receiving Home Care Packages moved automatically into Support at Home with equivalent ongoing funding. They retained their unspent funds, did not need a fresh assessment solely because of the change, and may be protected by the no worse off contribution rules depending on when they were approved.
No-worse-off protections are intended to prevent eligible existing participants from paying more solely because the system changed.
Ongoing Support at Home funding is organised into four quarterly budgets, each covering three months.
A limited amount of unspent ongoing funding can carry into the next quarter.
Only a limited amount of ongoing funding can roll over, so Support at Home is not designed for building a large long-term balance.
Care management includes developing and reviewing your care plan and budget, coordinating services, monitoring risks and outcomes, responding to changing needs, providing information and helping you navigate the aged care system. It must include meaningful direct contact at least once each month, even if you self-manage.
The 10% funds the planning, monitoring and coordination needed to make your direct services work safely. It is pooled so participants can receive more care management when their circumstances become complex, but every participant should still receive meaningful and appropriate support from a care partner.
A full pensioner generally pays 5% toward independence services and 17.5% toward everyday living services, while clinical supports are free. Some transitioned Home Care Package recipients pay less or nothing-under the no worse off principle, and approved personal care will become free for everyone from 1 October 2026.
Nursing, approved allied health and other clinical supports have no participant contribution. Care management is also contribution free. Personal care will become contribution-free from 1 October 2026. These services may still use your available government-funded budget, so “free” means no out-of-pocket contribution not unlimited care at no cost to your funding.
Approved personal care services will have no participant contribution from 1 October 2026.
The provider’s agreed service price is multiplied by the contribution percentage set by Services Australia. You pay that amount, while the government-funded budget pays the remainder. Clinical supports remain contribution-free.
No. Support at Home contributions are linked to services actually delivered.
Providers charge different rates because their labour, travel, supervision and operating costs differ. Use the government’s national median prices as a comparison point, but also examine what the rate includes, the quality and reliability of the service, and how many hours your budget will actually purchase.
The planned introduction of broad price caps was paused in May 2026.
Compare the price with government benchmarks and other providers, confirm exactly what is included, calculate how many service hours your budget will buy and ask the provider to justify any significant difference. A reasonable price should be transparent, explainable and proportionate to the service being delivered.
A provider may factor worker travel into its agreed service price and may charge different unit prices in different service areas. It should not separately bill travel time, kilometres or a travel surcharge on top of that price. Participant transport is a separate service and may be charged on an agreed per trip basis.
A provider cannot normally add a separate administration fee to ordinary Support at Home services. A capped overhead of up to 10% may apply when a self-managing participant directly sources a third-party worker, although it must be included in the final service price. Separate capped charges are also permitted for AT-HM administration and home-modification coordination.
Your classification does not guarantee a set number of hours. After 10% is allocated to care management, divide the remaining funding by the government-funded portion of each provider’s service price. Provider rates, participant contributions and minimum visit times determine how much actual support the budget provides.
Different prices, booking minimums, travel arrangements and service models can produce different amounts of direct care from the same budget.
The cheapest provider is only the best value when it can reliably deliver suitable, safe care at the times required. Compare the total cost per visit, minimum service times, worker continuity, availability and quality not just the advertised hourly rate.
Compare providers on actual service availability, total cost per visit, minimum times, worker continuity, clinical capability, care management, communication and agreement conditions. The best provider is not necessarily the cheapest it is the one that can reliably deliver suitable care within the participant’s budget.
A local provider may offer stronger relationships, flexibility and worker continuity. A national provider may offer broader services, systems and backup capacity. Choose according to the performance of the actual local team, not the size or familiarity of the brand.
Compare around three suitable providers. Liz can help narrow the broader market to providers that better match the participant’s location, needs and preferences, but you should still confirm prices, availability and service conditions directly before choosing.
Ask about prices, worker availability, minimum visit times, cancellations, continuity, complaints and how your budget will be used.
Use My Aged Care and confirm that the organisation is registered to deliver the services you need.
Yes. You can speak with providers, ask questions and request written information before entering a service agreement.
A Support at Home service agreement should clearly state the services, complete prices, contribution and payment arrangements, rights, complaints process, cancellation rules, price-change conditions and how either party may end the agreement. Do not sign until all important promises, charges and conditions are recorded in writing.
You can ask a provider to negotiate, but most will not discount standard recurring services. Your greater leverage is comparing providers and choosing one whose published prices, minimum visits and service quality offer better overall value.
Yes. You can change providers if another organisation is a better fit.
You keep your Support at Home approval and funding when you change providers. Arrange the new provider and transfer dates carefully so your budget and essential services move without interruption.
A provider cannot charge you simply for leaving. You may still need to pay legitimate charges for services already delivered before the agreed exit date.
Changing providers may take several days to a few weeks. The main priority is not speed alone it is coordinating the exit and start dates so essential care continues without interruption.
Self-managed Support at Home gives you greater control over choosing and arranging services, but your registered provider still holds responsibility for care management, safety, compliance, government claims and oversight. You can self-manage as much or as little as suits your circumstances.
Self-management can be substantially cheaper when you find a lower-cost worker, even after the provider’s permitted overhead. However, compare the final price, reliability and administrative work not just the worker’s advertised hourly rate.
You can choose your own workers under self-management, but your provider must approve and engage them and remains responsible for ensuring the services are safe, suitable and compliant.
You can choose your own worker, but the registered provider must approve and engage them for Support at Home funding to be used. You do not normally receive the funding and become the worker’s direct employer yourself.
It often suits people who want control, can organise services and are comfortable monitoring budgets and communication.
A family member can help manage your services, paperwork and communication. Registering them as a supporter can make this easier, but they should support your choices rather than take control unless they hold valid legal authority to decide for you.
The main risks are administrative burden, unreliable workers, gaps in essential care and poor budget control. These risks can be reduced through clear written responsibilities, approved workers, regular budget monitoring and a reliable backup-care plan.
Self-management gives you more day-to-day control, while provider management places more coordination responsibility with the provider.
Ask your care partner for a self-management review. You can switch selected services without changing providers, provided the provider can safely support the arrangement.
You can self-manage one service, several services or most of your arrangement. Agree clearly with your provider which responsibilities you will handle and which the provider will retain.
Yes, domestic assistance can be included when it is an assessed need in your support plan.
Basic gardening and home maintenance may be available when linked to safety, access or independence.
Lawn mowing may be included as home maintenance when an assessed need makes it difficult or unsafe for you to do it.
Yes. Support may include help preparing meals or accessing suitable meal services when this is in your support plan.
Support can include help with shopping, but it does not normally pay for the groceries themselves.
Transport support may be available for essential appointments, shopping or community participation when included in your plan.
Yes, in some circumstances. Support at Home funding may be used for transport services, including taxis or rideshare services, where transport support has been assessed as necessary to help you remain independent and participate in everyday activities. However, transport funding is not unlimited and must align with your approved support needs and budget.
Yes. Personal care can include help with showering, dressing, grooming and toileting when approved in your support plan.
Yes, physiotherapy may be available when it is clinically appropriate and included in your support plan.
Yes. Occupational therapy may help with daily activities, safety, equipment and home modifications.
Yes. Approved nursing services are clinical supports and are fully government funded.
Yes. Support may include nursing, medication prompts or assistance, depending on the assessed need and level of clinical risk.
Yes. Social support and community engagement may be included when isolation or participation is an assessed need.
It may fund support to attend social or community activities when this aligns with your assessed goals.
Yes. Respite may be available to give an unpaid carer a break while the older person remains safely supported.
A mobility scooter may be considered through the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme when it is an assessed need and meets program rules.
A suitable chair may be available through the assistive technology scheme if it addresses an assessed functional need.
Yes. Approved home modifications may include changes that improve bathroom access and safety.
Grab rails may be funded when they are recommended to address an assessed safety or mobility need.
An assessor discusses your health, daily activities, safety, support network and the help you may need.
Useful information can include medication lists, diagnoses, hospital letters, falls history and examples of tasks that have become difficult or unsafe.
A trusted family member can attend if you want support, help remembering details or assistance explaining your needs.
Ask about interim funding, CHSP, private services, community support and whether your priority should be reviewed.
Some people may receive part of their approved funding while waiting for their full allocation.
Some people may receive entry-level CHSP services while waiting, depending on eligibility, referrals and local availability.
Do not simply remain on the waiting list. Contact My Aged Care or the assessment organisation immediately and explain exactly what has changed. They may arrange urgent support, reassess the person’s needs or review their priority.
Yes. Ask My Aged Care or the assessor about a review if needs have worsened or important information was missed.
Hospital staff can help identify immediate needs and connect you with discharge, transition or community services.
Common signs include falls, missed medication, poor nutrition, unpaid bills, a neglected home and increasing isolation.
Look at mobility, medication, meals, memory, home hazards, social contact and how they respond in an emergency.
Falls prevention may involve physiotherapy, occupational therapy, equipment, home modifications and help with daily tasks.
A suitable allied health assessment may be funded when falls risk is an assessed need.
Yes. Good home care should support the person to keep doing what they can safely do.
Restorative care is short-term support designed to improve or maintain independence after decline, illness or reduced function.
The pathway generally runs for up to 16 weeks.
Yes. Personal alarms, medication reminders, communication tools and suitable assistive technology can reduce some risks.
Start with the person's goals, such as staying at home, rather than leading with what they can no longer do.
Try to understand whether the cause is fear, unfamiliar workers, timing, cost, memory problems or a poor provider match.
Yes. A person with dementia can receive Support at Home when assessed as eligible.
Many people with dementia remain at home for a long time with the right mix of family, community and formal support.
Support may include respite, personal care, social support, education, allied health and help coordinating services.
You can help, but consent and legal decision-making arrangements still matter.
Usually not, but there are limited exceptions. A Support at Home participant may also receive certain CHSP services, such as an existing CHSP social support group, additional respite, vision advisory services, short-term emergency support, or help with hoarding and squalor. Approval and assessment requirements apply.
Yes, in limited circumstances. If waiting for an assessment would create a significant risk of harm, My Aged Care, an assessment organisation or an Aged Care Specialist Officer may refer you directly to a CHSP provider for urgent services. You must still complete an aged care assessment afterward.
A CHSP referral code is a unique code issued by My Aged Care after you have been assessed and approved for Commonwealth Home Support Program services. It allows an approved provider to view your referral details and begin arranging services.
Yes. You can use more than one Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) provider if different organisations provide different services or if one provider cannot meet all of your needs. You will usually need a separate service agreement with each provider.
Yes. CHSP providers can place people on a waiting list if they do not currently have capacity to deliver services. Being approved for CHSP services does not guarantee immediate access to a provider or immediate commencement of services.
Usually, yes. Most people receiving Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services are asked to make a contribution toward the cost of their care if they can afford to do so. However, CHSP services are heavily subsidised by the Australian Government, and you will not be asked to pay the full cost of your approved services.
If CHSP no longer provides enough support for your needs, you can request a review or reassessment through My Aged Care. You may be approved for Support at Home, which is designed for people who need more coordinated, intensive or complex care.
Wellness and reablement are approaches used under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to help people maintain or improve their independence, rather than simply doing tasks for them. The focus is on helping you continue doing as much as possible for yourself for as long as possible.
Your CHSP provider may encourage you to do some tasks yourself because the program follows a wellness and reablement approach. The aim is to help you maintain your independence, confidence and abilities for as long as possible, rather than becoming dependent on support where it may not be necessary.
Yes. If you are assessed and approved for these services, CHSP may help fund eligible equipment, assistive technology and home adjustments that support safety and independence. Equipment and products are capped at $1,000 per client per financial year, while the government contribution toward home adjustments is capped at $15,000 per client per financial year. You may need to pay a client contribution and any cost above the applicable cap.
No, not necessarily. You do not have to be an Australian citizen to access Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services. However, you generally need to be an Australian resident and meet the eligibility requirements for government-funded aged care. Permanent residents and some New Zealand citizens may also be eligible.
Yes. Two people living in the same home can both receive Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services if each person has been individually assessed and approved. Eligibility is based on each person's own care needs, not on the household as a whole.
If your needs become urgent while waiting for CHSP services, contact My Aged Care as soon as possible and explain what has changed. You may be eligible for an urgent reassessment, additional referrals or temporary support services.
Yes, CHSP may help with entry-level support after you leave hospital if you are assessed and approved for suitable services. However, CHSP is not a hospital discharge or rehabilitation program. If you need coordinated short-term recovery support, the Transition Care Program may be more appropriate.
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) provides entry-level support services to help older people remain independent and continue living safely at home. Services may include cleaning, meals, personal care, transport, allied health, nursing, social support, respite, equipment and home modifications.
There is no fixed time limit for receiving CHSP services. You can continue receiving services for as long as you remain eligible and the support continues to meet your needs. Some people receive CHSP services for a short period, while others may receive support for many years.
Yes. In most cases, you can choose which Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) provider delivers your services. You are not required to accept the first provider you are referred to and may compare providers before deciding which organisation best suits your needs.
Start by raising the issue with your CHSP provider and asking them to resolve it. Making a complaint should not affect your services. If the problem continues, you can seek free advocacy support, complain to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, or change providers.
Yes. You can change CHSP providers at any time if another provider is a better fit. Your current provider must support the change, although you may need new or reactivated referral codes before the new provider can begin services.
To apply for Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services, you need to contact My Aged Care and complete an aged care assessment. If you are found eligible, you will receive approval for specific services and can then choose a suitable provider.
You can apply for an aged care assessment online, by phone or in person through My Aged Care. An assessment is usually the first step to accessing government-funded aged care services such as CHSP, Support at Home, respite care or residential aged care. The application generally takes around 15 to 20 minutes.
