What Is the Support at Home Program and Who Is It For?

What Is the Support at Home Program and Who Is It For?

The Support at Home Program is an Australian Government aged care program that helps older Australians stay safe, independent and supported in their own homes. It replaces existing in‑home aged care arrangements and works through assessment, funding and provider‑led support planning. Support at Home providers (often still called home care package providers) help people understand services, coordinate care and organise the equipment and support they need.

AusMed Health works alongside Support at Home providers and NDIS providers as an equipment and consumables partner, supplying products such as mobility aids, pressure care seating, continence items and daily living supports.

What Is the Support at Home Program?

The Support at Home Program brings in-home aged care support into one system for older people who need help to continue living at home. Support at Home has replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short‑Term Restorative Care Program from 1 November 2025, while the Commonwealth Home Support Program will transition into the new system no earlier than 1 July 2027.

The program reduces confusion for older Australians and families by creating a clear path from assessment to funded support. People can work with a Support at Home provider to arrange services, equipment and care around their personal goals.

Who Is It For?

The Support at Home Program is for older Australians who need help with daily living, health care, mobility or safety at home. It is for people aged 65 and over, with lower age thresholds for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over and for people aged 50 and over who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The program helps people who are starting to struggle with showering, dressing, cleaning, shopping, meal preparation, getting in and out of chairs or recovering safely after illness or hospital discharge. It also supports carers and families who need help from Support at Home providers and access to medical equipment.

What Services Can Support at Home Packages Cover?

Support at Home funding can cover personal, clinical, domestic and independence‑focused supports. The exact mix of services depends on the person's assessment outcome, goals and funding classification.

Everyday support

• Showering, dressing, grooming and toileting assistance
• Meal preparation and help with eating
• Support moving around the home and transferring safely

Home help

• Cleaning and laundry
• Shopping assistance and transport support
• Light home and garden maintenance

Health and clinical support

• Nursing care and medication assistance
• Wound care and continence support
• Allied health services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy

Equipment and assistive technology

Support at Home includes funding pathways for assistive technology and home modifications, with different funding tiers depending on the item and level of need. Items such as mobility seat walkers, lift chair recliners, pressure relief chairs, adjustable beds and commodes may be funded when they are clinically appropriate and approved as part of a person's plan.

A Support at Home provider can help identify what equipment may be needed, while AusMed Health can supply products that support safe living at home.

From 1 October 2026, personal care services are expected to be fully funded under Support at Home for people who are approved for that service type and have available funds, meaning no out‑of‑pocket costs for those personal care services.

How Home Care Package / Support at Home Providers Help

Support at Home providers (often still referred to as home care package providers) help people navigate the system after assessment, turn funding into support and coordinate services needed at home. A good provider will:

• Explain fees and how the budget is used
• Review changing needs and update care plans
• Help families understand options for services and equipment
• Arrange appropriate support and liaise with equipment suppliers

Effective providers help people make sense of changing program rules and funding categories. Comparing providers based on transparency, responsiveness, flexibility and their ability to source quality equipment can help families find a good fit.

Choosing the Best Home Care Package Providers in Melbourne and Across Australia

When comparing the best home care package providers (Support at Home providers), use this short checklist:

• How much of the package budget goes to direct services?
• How clearly are fees explained?
• How often are care plans reviewed?
• Can they support self‑managed models or flexible arrangements?
• How quickly can equipment be arranged?
• Does the provider communicate well with carers and family members?
• Do they have experience supporting people with fall risk, reduced mobility, dementia or complex health needs?

These questions help people identify providers for home care packages that are person‑centred and focused on outcomes.

How to Access the Program

The access pathway starts with My Aged Care. An older person (or someone on their behalf) first registers, completes an initial screening and then has an assessment to understand their support needs, goals, health issues, home environment and daily challenges.

After assessment, the person may receive a funding classification under Support at Home, which determines the level of budget available for ongoing services. The person can then choose a Support at Home provider to coordinate care and help put services, equipment and support in place.

Pre‑assessment checklist

Before an assessment, it helps to prepare:

• A list of tasks that are becoming hard
• Recent falls, near‑falls or hospital stays
• Current medications and health conditions
• Concerns about home safety
• Questions about equipment, mobility, bathing, transfers or continence
• Family or carer input, if relevant

This preparation leads to an accurate picture of what support is needed and what the package should prioritise.

Support at Home, Assistive Technology and AT‑HM

Support at Home includes funding pathways for assistive technology and home modifications through both regular Support at Home budgets and the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT‑HM) scheme.

AT‑HM provides separate, upfront funding specifically for assistive technology and home modifications, with three tiers based on the complexity and cost of items. This funding is designed to cover products and home changes that improve mobility, safety and independence, and it sits alongside the person's ongoing Support at Home services.

Not all assistive technology will be funded through AT‑HM alone. Depending on the assessment and support plan, equipment may be funded through:

• Regular Support at Home budgets (independence supports)
• AT‑HM funding
• Any remaining Home Care Package funds for people transitioning to Support at Home
• Private purchase or other schemes (such as NDIS) for some items

AusMed Health can help people and providers understand which items may fall under each pathway and prepare quotes accordingly.

Support at Home and NDIS Home Care Packages

Support at Home is an aged care program, while the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a disability support program. Some people interact with both systems if long‑term disability and ageing‑related care needs overlap.

AusMed Health supports both as an equipment and consumable supplier. We are a registered NDIS provider and supply continence items, wound care products, mobility aids and daily living supports to help people remain safe and comfortable at home.

How Support at Home Helps Older Australians Stay Independent

Support at Home helps people live safely and independently at home by matching services and equipment to their needs. When supports are well‑planned, they can reduce fall risk, ease pressure on carers, improve confidence, support dignity and make daily routines more manageable.

For example, a walker can support safe movement, a lift recliner chair can make transfers easier, and a pressure relief chair can improve comfort and skin protection. Coordination between Support at Home providers and trusted suppliers such as AusMed Health is important to ensure equipment is suitable and correctly used.

AusMed Health can help with equipment and supplies that support safe, independent living at home. Browse mobility aids, lift chair recliners and pressure relief chairs online, or contact AusMed Health to discuss suitable options for Support at Home or NDIS funding.