Support at Home Program

Contributions in the Support at Home system differ from the Home Care Package. The new program is designed to help keep people at home and out of hospital. Services are divided into three categories: clinical care, independence, and everyday living.

• Clinical care (e.g., nursing and physiotherapy): Fully funded by the government across the aged care system to help keep care recipients healthy and active
• Independence services (e.g., personal care): Moderately funded, reflecting their importance in maintaining independence
• Everyday living services (e.g., cleaning and gardening): Attract higher contribution rates, as these are not typically covered by government funding

Fees will depend on your funding level and personal circumstances (whether you are a full pensioner, part pensioner, or self-funded retiree). For participant contributions, a no worse off principle applies for grandfathered HCP recipients who, on 12 September 2024, were either receiving a Home Care Package, on the National Priority System, or assessed as eligible for a package. These participants will make the same contributions, or lower, than they would have had under HCP program arrangements, even if they are re-assessed into a higher Support at Home classification at a later date.

The Support at Home system will take effect from 1 July 2025. While the system is changing, it is expected that recipients will receive more comprehensive, high-quality care under Support at Home. These reforms aim to enhance the level of support available to you at home.

For more information, visit the Department of Health’s website or sign up for the online webinar.

The Support at Home Program is available to individuals who:

• Are aged 65 or older (50 or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, or people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness).
• Need help with daily tasks such as personal care, household chores, or accessing health services.

Special arrangements will apply for individuals who are already in the Home Care Package (HCP) program when the Support at Home program commences. If you are currently in the HCP program, we have a page to explain all changes for you here.

If you are new to the Home Care Package program or Support at Home and haven’t yet applied, you’ll need to go through an assessment. To access the Support at Home program, you’ll need to go through an assessment process to determine your care needs and eligibility. Here’s what you can expect:

1. Initial Referral: If you think you may need support, you can reach out to the My Aged Care website or call their contact centre on 1800 200 422 to make an initial referral for assessment.
2. Care Assessment: A trained assessor will visit you at home or conduct an online/phone assessment to understand your needs. They’ll look at how much assistance you require with daily activities, health care, mobility, and other aspects of your life.
3. Determine Support Level: Based on the assessment, you’ll be assigned one of the 8 ongoing support levels under the Support at Home program (or one of the short-term pathways). The level you’re assigned will determine the amount of funding available to you.
4. Service Planning: After you’ve been assigned a support level, a service coordinator (like a Care Partner) will help you design a care plan that fits your specific needs, goals, and preferences.

The Support at Home Program provides a wide variety of services to help you live independently, including:

• Nursing care - Community based nursing care to meet clinical care needs such as:
  • assessing, treating and monitoring clinical conditions
  • administration of medications
  • wound care, continence management (clinical) and management of skin integrity
  • education
  • specialist service linkage
• Allied health and other therapeutic services – including speech pathology, occupational therapy etc.
• Nutrition - Prescribed supplementary dietary products (enteral and oral) and aids required for conditions related to functional decline or impairment.
• Care management - Activities that ensure aged care services contribute to the overall wellbeing of an older person.
• Restorative care management - Providing specialist coordination services.
• Personal care including:
  • Assistance with selfcare and activities of daily living
  • Assistance with the self-administration of medication
  • Continence management (nonclinical)
• Social support and community engagement, including:
  • Group social support
  • Individual social support
  • Accompanied activities
  • Cultural support
  • Digital education and support
• Therapeutic services for independent living – such as acupuncturist, chiropractor etc.
• Respite - Supervision and assistance of an older person by a person other than their usual informal carer, delivered on an individual or group basis, in the home or community.
• Transport - Direct transport (driver and car provided) & Indirect transport (taxi or rideshare service vouchers).
• Assistive technology and home modifications.
• Domestic assistance, such as general house cleaning, laundry and shopping assistance.
• Home maintenance and repairs, for example:
  • Gardening.
  • Assistance with home maintenance and repairs.
  • Expenses for home maintenance and repairs.
  • Meals – such as meal preparation and delivery.

Unlike the Home Care Package program, the Support at Home program offers quarterly budgets based on your support level, making it easier to manage your care needs throughout the year. This funding covers a broad range of services and is divided into 4 quarterly payments.

Other key differences include:

• 8 Levels of ongoing Support and 2 short-term pathways: A more tailored approach to your care, with funding that reflects your specific needs.
• Upfront Funding for Home Modifications and Assistive Technology: You won’t need to save funds from your budget for these services.
• Capped Care Management: A portion of your funding is allocated to ensure that you have ongoing support from a service coordinator or Care Partner to manage your care.
• Participant contributions: Under Support at Home, participants will only pay contributions on the services they have received. The contributions will be calculated on a rate per hour (or unit of service) at a set percentage of the price for each service type, where applicable. For example, if a person receives two hours of personal care, they will pay a contribution per hour received.

The contribution rate will be based on two factors:

• The type of service received: e.g. clinical services will have lower contribution than services like domestic assistance and gardening.
• The participant’s age-pension status, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card status, and means.

The “no worse off principle” will also apply to relevant participants.

The Support at Home Program is designed to provide a person-centred approach to care.
Whether you’re looking for help with personal care, mobility aids, or maintaining your independence at home, the Support at Home Program can provide the right services to suit your needs.

At Australian Unity, we’ll be there to guide you through the entire process- from understanding your options to coordinating your care plan-so you can make the best decisions for your health and well-being.