Please note: the former Home Care Packages program was replaced by the Support at Home Program on 1 November 2025. Funded in-home care in Australia now falls under the Support at Home Program.
If you or a parent need extra help to keep living comfortably at home, the range of support available may be broader than you expect. Funded in-home care includes much more than cleaning and transport. From nursing and personal care through to meals, transport, and companionship, there is a service to match most needs. This guide explains what you can access and how it works.
What Is Support at Home?
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s funded system for delivering aged care in a person’s own home. It replaced the former Home Care Packages program and the Short-Term Restorative Care program.
Rather than moving into a facility, an eligible older person receives funding that a chosen provider uses to deliver services at home. The aim is to help people remain independent and safe in familiar surroundings for as long as possible.
In simple terms, Support at Home is a pool of funding, matched to your assessed needs, and used for the services that help you most.
The Three Service Categories
Funded services fall into three categories. Understanding them helps you see what your budget may cover.
● Clinical care: nursing, allied health such as physiotherapy and podiatry, and care management
● Independence: personal care, social support, transport, and assistive technology
● Everyday living: domestic help, gardening, and meals
Each category has different contribution rules, which affect what you pay. Clinical care is fully funded for everyone, while the other two are means-tested.
Services You Can Access
Here is a closer look at practical support available under the program.
Personal care
Assistance with showering, dressing, grooming, and continence support. From 1 October 2026, personal care became fully funded, so there is no contribution for approved participants.
Nursing and clinical care
Registered and enrolled nurses can provide wound care, medication management, and health monitoring at home.
Allied health
Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, and dietetics to help a person stay mobile and well.
Domestic help
Cleaning, laundry, and shopping assistance to keep the home safe and liveable.
Meals
Meal preparation and delivery suited to a person’s dietary needs and health conditions.
Home maintenance and gardening
Light yard work and minor repairs that help keep the home safe to move around.
Transport
Lifts to medical appointments, shopping, and social outings.
Social support
Companionship and assistance to stay connected with the community.
Assistive technology and home modifications
Equipment and safety changes such as grab rails and ramps, with funding available across three tiers.
Good quality in-home care brings several of these services together within one care plan, so a person receives coordinated support from a team that knows them.
How to Access These Services
Getting started is generally straightforward. If you are unsure how to begin, these are the steps.
● Register with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or online. A GP or family member can help.
● Complete a phone screening to outline the situation.
● Have a home assessment through the Single Assessment System, where an assessor reviews health, daily tasks, and goals.
● Receive your outcome, confirming eligibility and your classification level.
● Choose a provider to deliver your services and build your care plan.
Once a care plan is in place, your provider arranges the services you have agreed on, and you can adjust them as your needs change.
What Home at Heart Provides
Home at Heart is a family-owned and operated in-home care provider serving Wagga Wagga, the Riverina, and Geelong. Each care plan is built around the individual rather than a fixed template, and the same carers attend wherever possible so trust can build.
The services we deliver include:
● Personal care assistance – help with bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting
● Companionship – genuine connection through conversation, walks, and shared activities
● Medication management – reminders, organisation, and monitoring for side effects
● Meal preparation – fresh, nutritious meals that suit health needs and personal tastes
● Mobility assistance – safe support with walking, transfers, and light exercises
● Light domestic work – cleaning, laundry, and tidying to help keep the home safe
● Transport support – reliable lifts to appointments, shopping, and social outings
Whatever combination is needed, we shape support around a person’s daily life rather than asking them to fit around us.
Why Staying at Home Matters
For most older Australians, the preference is to remain in their own home, and the research supports why that matters. Familiar surroundings can reduce stress, support better sleep, and help maintain a sense of identity and independence. People stay connected to neighbours, routines, and the community they have known for years. For anyone living with dementia, that familiarity may be especially valuable, since a new environment can cause confusion and agitation.
The Support at Home Program exists because home-based care often delivers better outcomes for many people while easing pressure on families who want the best for their loved ones.
Getting the Most from Your Support
A little planning helps your funding go further and your care work effectively.
– Start with the tasks that are hardest right now, then build from there.
– Review your care plan regularly, as needs change over time.
– Ask your provider to explain every fee clearly.
– Where practical, bring services together under one provider so the same team understands your full situation.
Many people begin with one or two services at home and add more as they identify what helps most.
If you would like to understand what support could look like for you or a loved one, Home at Heart can walk you through the options and help you get started.
Contact the Home at Heart team on 1300 923 934 or visit homeatheart.com.au for further information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What services can I get under Support at Home?
You can access personal care, nursing, allied health, domestic help, meals, gardening, transport, social support, and assistive technology. Services are grouped into clinical care, independence, and everyday living, and your care plan is built around your assessed needs.
How do I start getting in-home support?
Register with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or online, complete a phone screening, and then have a home assessment. Once approved, you receive a classification level and choose a provider to deliver your services.
Is personal care free under Support at Home?
From 1 October 2026, personal care such as showering and dressing became fully funded for approved participants, with no contribution. It is still paid from your budget, but you no longer pay a personal share towards it.
Can I choose which services I receive?
Yes. Within your approved plan and budget, you decide which services matter most, and you can adjust them as your needs change. A good provider helps you shape the right mix for your situation.
For more information about how Home at Heart can support your care needs, please contact our team.
