Types of Care Available
- Help at home
- Short-term care
- Aged care homes
What types of Services are available:
Services that keep you well and independent:
- meals and other food services, personal care services
- nursing care services, allied health / therapy services
Specialised support services, services that keep you safe in your home:
- Domestic assistance, home maintenance services
- Home modification services, goods, equipment and assistive technology
- Assistance with care and housing,
Services that allow you to interact with your community:
- Transport services, social Support services
Are you eligible for government-subsidised aged care services?
To be eligible you must be aged 65 years or older, or 50 years or older if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
You may also be eligible if you are:
On a low income, homeless or at risk of being homeless, and aged 50 years or older (45 years or older for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people).
Find you are struggling to remember or perform daily tasks.
Been diagnosed with a medical condition or you have reduced mobility.
Experienced a change in family care arrangements or if you have suffered a recent fall.
Have recently returned home from a hospital admission.
To find out if you are eligible, you will need to have an assessment.
If you meet the requirements, you can either apply for an assessment online or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and organise with them for an Aged Care Assessor to visit you at home to carry out an assessment. They will talk to you about your circumstances and needs and work with you to identify what services might suit you best.
How to apply for Government Assistance
What do I need to apply for Government Assistance?
You just need your Medicare card. The application takes at least 10 minutes, so make sure you have a little time to spare.
The first step is an eligibility check. Their priority is getting you the help you need. To do this, they will ask about:
your health how you are managing at home any support you’re currently receiving.
(Experience has shown us you have to talk about your worst day not your best day as the assessor may assume you are
fine and don’t need help).
Your answers will help them understand your needs and whether you are eligible for a face-to-face assessment.
If you are eligible, they will ask you for a few details to complete your application.
My Aged Care will keep a record of your application, so you won’t have to provide the same information again at your assessment.
(Please note they may call you back from an unlisted or private number and they will only call you back twice so ensure you answer).
If you find that you are not eligible and want more information, you can call My Aged Care to discuss your situation.
(You may want to consider looking at providers who are not government-funded, ie. private care).
How does the Help at Home Subsidy work?
The Australian Government subsidises the cost of home support services that you may receive in the comfort of your own home. What you need to pay depends on your services and in some cases, your financial situation.
How do I access these services?
Depending on your care needs, services can be accessed through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme or a Home Care Package. The assessment process determines what program is more suitable for you.