Can CHSP help after I leave hospital?
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.
Key points
CHSP may provide entry-level help after hospital if you are assessed and approved.
CHSP is not a medical rehabilitation or hospital discharge program.
Transition Care is specifically designed for short-term recovery after hospital.
Transition Care should generally be discussed and assessed before discharge.
CHSP and Transition Care can sometimes operate together if services do not overlap.
Contact My Aged Care promptly if you return home without enough support.
CHSP may provide practical support after a hospital stay, particularly where you need entry-level help to remain safe and independent at home.
Depending on your assessment and approval, CHSP services may include:
domestic assistance
meals
personal care
transport
nursing
allied health
home maintenance
social support.
CHSP is designed for ongoing or short-term entry-level support. It can help with everyday tasks after hospital, but it does not replace medical treatment, rehabilitation or formal hospital discharge planning.
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01Guide sectionWhat should happen before I leave hospital?
Tell the hospital discharge team if you are concerned about managing safely at home.
Explain whether you will need help with:
showering, dressing or toileting
meals and shopping
medication or wound care
walking or transfers
transport to appointments
household tasks
support for an unpaid family carer.
Hospital staff may be able to arrange an aged care assessment or connect you with suitable services before discharge.
02Guide sectionIs Transition Care different from CHSP?
Yes.
The Transition Care Program is specifically designed to help eligible older people recover after a hospital stay. It provides short-term, goal-focused care intended to improve independence and confidence and reduce the need for longer-term support. Care may be delivered at home, in the community, in an aged care home or across a combination of settings.
Transition care may include:
nursing
physiotherapy or other allied health
personal care
domestic assistance
meals
social work
support with ongoing care arrangements.
You must generally be assessed while you are still a hospital patient and considered ready for discharge. Transition care can usually be provided for up to 12 weeks, with a possible extension of up to six weeks following another assessment.
03Guide sectionCan I receive CHSP and Transition Care at the same time?
Yes, in some circumstances.
A person already receiving CHSP may also receive Transition Care, provided the two programs address different needs and do not duplicate the same services. Each program must be assessed separately.
For example:
Transition Care may provide short-term physiotherapy and nursing after hospital.
CHSP may continue providing an existing social support or domestic assistance service.
The providers should coordinate services so that the same support is not funded twice.
04Guide sectionWhat if I am already home and no support was arranged?
Contact My Aged Care as soon as possible if you are struggling to manage safely after discharge.
You may be considered for:
a CHSP assessment or updated referral
an urgent CHSP referral where delaying support creates a significant risk of harm
Support at Home if your needs are more complex
other health or community services.
Transition Care usually needs to be organised as part of the hospital discharge process, so raise it with hospital staff before leaving whenever possible.
05Guide sectionWhat if I need medical or rehabilitation care?
CHSP is not a substitute for:
hospital treatment
post-acute medical care
rehabilitation prescribed by your treating team
emergency nursing or medical attention.
Contact your hospital, GP or treating clinician if your medical needs are not being managed. Call 000 if there is an immediate threat to life or safety.
06Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Before leaving hospital, ask the discharge team:
Is it safe for me to return home?
Do I qualify for Transition Care?
Has an aged care assessment or referral been arranged?
Who will manage wound care, medication and rehabilitation?
What help will be available with meals, personal care and household tasks?
Who should I contact if the support does not begin?
If you are already home, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and clearly explain that you have recently left hospital and are unable to manage safely without support.
07Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
08Guide sectionCheck the official guidance
The most suitable pathway depends on your assessed needs, recovery goals and whether arrangements are made before hospital discharge.
Official guidance:
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