3. Staying at home
Topic 2 of 4
Common concerns
There are a million questions that could be asked about services to support your elder to remain in their home, but here are some common questions and answers to start with.
The Australian Government changed aged care in 2024. If you would like some more information on those changes, click on Useful resources – new Act – OPAN
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has produced fact sheets on all of the changes to home care and beyond. This is also a good place to start. New Aged Care Act | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Select each question to find out more
The Australian Government subsidises help at home for;
- people who are aged 65 and over
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people over 50
- a person who is at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness and over the age of 50
The support provided is tailored to your elder’s needs, and a range of services are available to meet these needs. There are two broad categories: Commonwealth Home Support program (CHSP) and Support at Home Packages (SAH), formerly called a Home Care Package. See the next page, ‘Support Services’ for a detailed breakdown.
The ‘out of pocket’ cost of services for Support at Home (SAH) is based on an assessment of income and assets by Services Australia.
For an estimate of costs go to the ‘Fee Estimator’ available on My Aged Care by clicking on this link Fee Estimator
For an accurate assessment of costs see your local Aged Care Specialist Officer. Call 1800 227 475 to make an appointment.
Go to the Resources menu to see ‘Support at Home Participant Contributions’ for a full explanation of the costs.
Some services have an out-of-pocket cost called a ‘co-payment’ or ‘participant contribution’. If participant contributions will cause financial hardship go to the Resources section to see the fact sheet ‘Hardship assistance for aged care’.
Services are based on what your elder needs and the services they choose. The choices are linked to:
- Clinical supports related to health and wellbeing including community-based nursing, allied health (for example an occupational therapist, physiotherapist or podiatrist), or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner and more
- Independence supporting your elder with activities that maintain independence such as personal care, social or community activities, respite, and more
- Everyday Living includes domestic assistance, shopping and more
- There is funding available for home modifications and assistive technology, end-of-life care and restorative care.
There is more detailed information on the next page under ‘Support Services’
See the Resources section for the ‘Support At Home service list’.
Call My Aged Care at 1800 200 422. If you’re the carer making the call, they will need to speak with the person you support to complete the registration. Inform them that you’re requesting services for support at home. You can call My Aged care or referrals to My Aged Care can be done by the GP, health professional or care coordinator.
My Aged Care are open from 8am to 8pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm. Do not hesitate -services can take time to put in place. Call 1800 200 422.
If you are a friend or family and care for your elder at home, you can call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 (press 1 at the menu). As a carer you may be eligible for short-term support or a referral to find the support you need.
You will be supported through the process with information, advice and referrals. It’s free.
If you find you need help with any aspect of this process whether it is before you start, during the process or when services and supports are in place there are a few options. To view these go to the resources section of the menu and select the document ‘Finding Help’ or see Topic 3 ‘Finding help and getting the right support’ for more detailed information.
Support services
The good news is that there are support services you can access to make life for your elder easier, safer, more comfortable, and more independent.
Knowing the list of possible services helps your elder choose what is best for them. The Australian Government subsidises help at home and offers targeted programs for home modifications, assistive technologies, end-of-life care, and restorative care for;
- people over 65
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people over 50
- people who are over 50 at risk of or who are homeless
Let’s take a look at the services and programs funded by the Australian Government to support your elder.
Select each heading to learn more about these services,
This is your entry level home support and is for people who only need a little extra help to stay independent and keep socially connected.
This program can provide domestic assistance, personal care, allied health services, social support, access to day centres, transport and more.
Finding these services can be challenging, especially in regional and rural areas but help is available (see ‘Finding Help’ in the Resources section of the menu). Go to My Aged Care and check out the ‘Find a Provider’ function to see who might offer supports in your area.
The services under CHSP are subsidised by the government but there are still out-of-pocket hourly fees. If the service costs are adding up talk to your provider. There is a financial hardship process. Have a look at the Resources section for ‘Hardship assistance for aged care’.
Changes to home care mean that CHSP will change but not until 2027.
If your elder needs tailored assistance to live independently, this is the program for them. It is designed to give you more choice and control over what services you receive and when.
Under Support at Home (SAH) there are two extra funding pathways – and you don’t have to have Support at Home in place first to apply for these. This is funding you can apply for by asking your provider or your GP – or calling My Aged Care.
Restorative Care Pathway: up to 12 weeks of Allied Health support to maintain and improve independence. You can access the Restorative Care funding without affecting the ongoing services you receive through SAH. See ‘Support at Home Restorative Care Pathway’ in the Resources section for more detailed information.
End of Life Pathway: provides support for older people to remain at home for the last 3 months of life. See ‘Support at Home program – End of Life Pathway’ in the Resources section.
This scheme gives people access to products, equipment and/or home modifications without affecting the budget for ongoing services under SAH and may be accessed at the same time as other short term supports such as Restorative Care.
Eligibility and levels are decisions made by the assessor with your elder and may require a ‘co-contribution’.
Go to the Resources section for a fact sheet and more information on the ‘Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme’. Have a look at what is ‘included’ and ‘excluded’ on the ‘Assistive Technology and Home Modifications List’.
Aged Care homes can provide short-term stays for your elder enabling you to take a break from caring. Your elder will need approval for Residential Respite from an Aged Care Assessor to access subsidised care. For more information, go to Module 4 ‘Residential Respite and Permanent Care’
This 12 week program helps people at the end of a hospital stay. It gives them time outside a hospital environment to improve their functioning and independence while providing the care they need. To be eligible, your elder would need to be a patient in a public or private hospital with this program part of their discharge plan. Arrange an assessment for this support through social work at the hospital or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. The service can be delivered at home or in a nursing home.
Nursing Homes support people who can no longer live at home and need ongoing help. See Module 4 ‘Residential Respite and Permanent Care’ for more information.
You may not have heard of a Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) but there may be one near you delivering services.
In Tasmania, these services cater to rural and remote communities, offering health and aged care where the community may not be able to support a standalone aged care facility. This includes residential aged care and respite as well as some home care.
The best way to find out what your local MPS does is to talk to them In Tasmania the services are:
- Midlands Multi-Purpose Service, Oatlands
- Esperance Multi-Purpose Service, Dover
- Tasman Health and Community Service, Nubeena
- Campbell Town Multi-Purpose Service, Campbell Town
- Beaconsfield District Health Service, Beaconsfield
- King Island District Hospital and Health Centre, King Island
Applying for Support at Home – a map
Navigating the aged care system may seem like a daunting task but with the right guidance it can be a lot easier.
We have a (simple) step-by-step map to get you through the maze.
The Aged Care Service Map in the Resources section of the menu has more detail on how to navigate the road to some help at home.
Click on the numbers below to take you through the map
Here are a few situations that may prompt you and the person you care for to think about some help at home:
- there have been incident/s at home, such as a fall
- you are a carer struggling to fit in work and a caring role
- your elder needs to ‘recover’ or is in pain after some household tasks
- your elder is being discharged from the hospital
- your elder says they are lonely or shows other signs such as loss of appetite or disorientation
Call My Aged Care 1800 200 422
My Aged Care will check on eligibility.
They will refer your elder for an assessment.
Assessments are done in person, and the assessor may approve one or more services. Once approved your elder will receive a letter which will inform you of the decision to allocate funding, what level and any other approvals – and a Support Plan.
Be there for the assessment if possible.
You can get an idea in advance of what the costs or fees might be by:
- Making an appointment with your local Aged Care Specialist Officer on 1800 227 475
- Go to the My Aged Care website and search for the ‘Fee Estimator’
- You will get a statement of fees from Services Australia once you have found a provider
Approved for CHSP and/or Support at Home?
You can use the My Aged Care website ‘Find a Provider’ tool showing all/many of the service providers in your area. See the topics ahead for more detail.
Your elder’s needs may change if there has been a health event, or simply a change in circumstances. Need to go up to the next level package?
Call the Care Manager and ask them to do a referral through My Aged Care for a re-assessment.
Your elder will also need a re-assessment to access funding for:
- home modifications or equipment
- short -term support to get back on their feet
- end-of-life support (your elder’s GP or Nurse Practitioner will need to complete this form)
If your elder has had an assessment and agreed to approval for residential respite or residential permanent care, it does not mean that these services have to be used.
Having approval is a good idea so that if you ever do need respite services you don’t have to wait for a re-assessment.
At some point you – the carer – may need a break.
This could mean having a chat with your elder about increasing some home care for a short while so you can take some time out. If you want to go down this path, call the Care Manager and discuss budgets.
This conversation with your elder may also be about accessing some residential respite. Let the Care Manager know the dates. Check Module 4 for the steps to booking Residential Respite in Tasmania.
Let the service provider know when to resume services. If your elder has been in Residential Respite or away, the funding for their home services should have accumulated. The Care Manager will visit to ensure that services are right for your elder and make any changes needed.
Your elder may also decide to become a permanent resident in the nursing home.
Become a Registered Supporter
A ‘Registered Supporter’, previously an ‘Authorised Representative’, can be a trusted carer, family member or friend. They can communicate with My Aged Care on behalf of the person receiving services and can:
- be included in planning updates with service providers
- communicate with assessors,
- receive information and
- speak to My Aged Care on behalf of the person receiving support
Once you have agreed on who will be the Registered Supporter, sit down with the person you care for and follow these steps:
- The person you support calls My Aged Care (MAC) on 1800 200 422 to let MAC know they would like to appoint a Registered Supporter.
- You speak to MAC and follow their process. They’ll speak to you about what you can do on behalf of the person you are supporting.
- You can link the MAC information to your MyGov account to see assessments, interactions, and referrals.
- You also have the option of filling out a ‘Supporter Registration Form’ found on My Aged Care.
For more information on Registered Supporters, go to Resources and have a look at ‘A New Registered Supporter Role‘.
Module 3
Resources
MODULE 3
