Support at home
Eligibility
You may be eligible for a home care package if you are an older person who needs coordinated services to help you to stay in your home.
Eligibility
You may be eligible for a Support at Home (SAH) if you are an older person who needs coordinated services to help you to stay in your home.
Assessment for a Support at Home (SAH)
To find out if you are eligible for a Support at Home (SAH) or any other help at home services, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. The My Aged Care contact centre will ask you a series of questions to determine if you need an assessment by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).
During the assessment the ACAT will determine if you are eligible for a Support at Home (SAH) and which package level best meets your care needs. There are four levels:
During the assessment the ACAT will determine if you are eligible for a Support at Home (SAH) and which package level best meets your care needs. There are four levels:
- Level 1 – basic care needs
- Level 2 – low-level care needs
- Level 3 – intermediate care needs
- Level 4 – high-level care needs.
You will be approved for one level of the Support at Home (SAH). You will be prioritised for care based on your assessed need.
Each level of home care packages provides a different subsidy amount. This amount is paid to your selected approved home care provider. The subsidy contributes to the total cost of your services and care delivery.
Find out more about an ACAT assessment.
Services
The types of services you can access under a home care package include, but are not limited to:
A home care package may also be used to support the use of:
Video conferencing and digital technology (including remote monitoring) to increase access to timely and appropriate care.
Such as aids and equipment (particularly those that assist a person to perform daily living tasks), as well as devices that assist mobility, communication and personal safety.
Some aids and equipment that are directly associated with your care needs can be purchased using funds from your package budget. Read more about aids and equipment.
Home care package restrictions
There are care and services that you must not use home care package funds for:
- Items that would normally be purchased out of general income
- Buying food, except as part of enteral feeding requirements
- Payment for permanent accommodation, including assistance with home purchase, mortgage payments or rent
- Payment of home care fees
- Payment of fees or charges for other types of care funded or jointly funded by the Australian Government
- Home modifications or assets that are not related to your care needs
- Travel and accommodation for holidays
- Cost of entertainment activities, such as club memberships and tickets to sporting events
- Gambling activities
- Payment for services and items covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Assistance with personal activities such as bathing, showering, toileting, dressing and undressing, mobility and communication.
Assistance with preparing meals, including special diets for health, religious, cultural or other reasons; assistance with using eating utensils and assistance with feeding.
Assistance in using continence aids and appliances such as disposable pads and absorbent aids, commode chairs, bedpans and urinals, catheter and urinary drainage appliances, and enemas.
Providing crutches, quadruped walkers, walking frames, walking sticks, mechanical devices for lifting, bed rails, slide sheets, sheepskins, tri-pillows, pressure-relieving mattresses and assistance with the use of these aids.
Inclusive of speech therapy, podiatry, occupational or physiotherapy services, hearing and vision services. Home care level 1 and 2 packages are not intended to provide comprehensive clinical or health services. Home care level 3 and 4 packages have a greater emphasis on delivering complex care in the home, including more clinical care where needed.
Assistance with shopping, visiting health practitioners and attending social activities.
Assistance with bandages, dressings and skin emollients.
Consumer directed care
All Support at Home (SAH) must be provided on a consumer directed care basis. This means your provider will work with you to identify a Support at Home (SAH) of care and services to meet your needs so you can live a more active and independent life.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme
We are a Registered NDIS Provider
