What happens if my needs become too complex for CHSP?
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.
Key points
CHSP is primarily intended for entry-level support.
Changing or more complex needs should trigger a review or reassessment.
Support at Home may be more appropriate when care needs become coordinated, intensive or complex.
Existing CHSP services may continue while new arrangements are considered.
Clearly explain any safety risks or rapid changes when contacting My Aged Care.
Call 000 for an immediate medical or safety emergency.
The Commonwealth Home Support Program is mainly designed for people who need entry-level help with individual tasks, such as cleaning, meals, transport, personal care or social support.
If your health, mobility, safety or ability to manage daily activities changes, CHSP may no longer provide enough support. This does not mean your services will automatically stop. Your needs should be reviewed so that the right level and combination of support can be considered.
Signs that your needs may have become too complex for CHSP include:
needing help with several daily activities rather than one or two individual tasks
needing more frequent personal care or supervision
requiring regular nursing or allied health support
experiencing repeated falls, hospital admissions or significant health changes
developing dementia-related support needs
relying heavily on an unpaid family carer who is becoming exhausted
needing services to be coordinated through one care plan
no longer being able to remain safely at home with your current support.
Your CHSP provider should regularly review whether the services you receive are still helping you meet your goals. If your needs have changed significantly, the provider should discuss a Support Plan Review or reassessment with you and refer you back to the appropriate aged care assessment organisation.
Explore only what you need
Start with the sections that feel useful now. You can come back to the others later.
01Guide sectionCould I move from CHSP to Support at Home?
Yes. Support at Home is intended for people who need a more coordinated approach because they require help with multiple everyday tasks or have more complex or intensive care needs. It can fund services such as personal care, nursing, allied health, domestic assistance, transport, respite and meal support.
An aged care reassessment will consider:
what has changed since your previous assessment
the tasks you can no longer manage safely
your health and clinical needs
your living arrangements
the support available from family or carers
whether short-term or ongoing Support at Home services are appropriate.
If approved for ongoing Support at Home, you will receive a classification and an individual budget based on your assessed needs. You may also be approved for a short-term pathway, such as restorative care, assistive technology and home modifications, or end-of-life support.
02Guide sectionWill my CHSP services continue while I wait?
They may continue while your reassessment and new arrangements are being organised, subject to your existing referral and the provider’s capacity.
Do not cancel useful CHSP services simply because you have requested a reassessment. Ask your provider and My Aged Care what support can remain in place during the transition.
In limited circumstances, a person approved for Support at Home may continue receiving particular CHSP services, but the same or similar government-subsidised service should not normally be duplicated across both programs.
03Guide sectionWhat if my needs have become urgent?
Tell your provider and My Aged Care clearly if there is an immediate risk, such as:
being unable to shower, dress or prepare food
falls or rapidly declining mobility
an unpaid carer being unable to continue
unsafe medication management
serious concerns about living alone
a recent hospital discharge without adequate support.
My Aged Care can consider the urgency of your circumstances and arrange an assessment. Applications for an aged care assessment can be made online, by telephone or through an Aged Care Specialist Officer.
For a medical emergency or immediate threat to life or safety, call 000.
04Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Speak with your current CHSP provider and ask for a review of your support needs. Explain what has changed and which daily activities have become difficult or unsafe.
You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and request a Support Plan Review or reassessment.
Before contacting them, write down:
recent falls, hospital visits or diagnoses
changes in mobility, memory or personal care needs
tasks you can no longer complete safely
the amount of help being provided by family or friends
any signs that an unpaid carer is no longer coping
services that are currently unavailable or insufficient.
Be specific about what is happening in practice. Saying “things are getting harder” is less useful than explaining that you can no longer shower safely, prepare meals or manage medication without help.
05Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
06Guide sectionCheck the official guidance
Individual outcomes depend on your assessment, circumstances and service availability. Confirm any transition arrangements with My Aged Care and your current provider.
Want to apply this answer to your situation?
Liz already knows which guidance page you are reading, so you can ask a follow-up without starting the topic again.