Aged Care Government Funding – What’s Available?

Government-Funded Aged Care Facilities

You’ll be pleased to know that there are government subsidies available for both Home Care and in an Aged Care Home.

The Australian Government’s Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and new aged care reform, the Support at Home program, help older Australians to live independently in their own home for as long as they can.

The Australian Federal Government also provides a range of subsidies for residents of Aged Care Homes. These subsidies are paid directly to the home.

About Government Subsidies

The Australian Federal Government subsidises many Aged Care services in order to keep costs as affordable as possible. The costs vary depending on the type of Aged Care and service provider accessed. Those who are eligible for subsidies are expected to contribute to the cost of their care if they can afford to.

Subsidies are available for both Home Care and for care in an Aged Care Home.

Government subsidies help to take some of the sting out of aged care and widen the choices considerably.

Home Care Subsidies

There are two main government programs that provide financial assistance for home care. They are the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and Support at Home (SAH) Program.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) helps older people with low needs and is entry-level care.

You may be eligible if you’re:

• Having trouble doing everyday activities without help, and;
• Need support to live independently in the community;

And are:

• 65 years or older (50 years or older and identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person) or
• 50 years or older (45 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and on a low income, homeless or at risk of being homeless.

Services provided come under several categories:

• Community and home support
• Meals and food services
• Allied health support services
• Respite care
• Help with care and housing.

The Australian Government’s Support at Home (SAH) program helps people live independently in their own home for as long as they can. There are eight classification levels of Support at Home. Each level of Support at Home provides a different subsidy amount – you can gauge how much your contribution will roughly be, using our free Calculator here.

Aged Care Home Subsidies

The first thing to note, is that Federal Government assistance is not provided for care in all Aged Care Homes. There are many privately funded aged care housing options that are not approved providers of Aged Care services and are therefore not funded by the government.

You may be eligible for government-subsidised care in an Aged Care Home if you are:

• An older person who can no longer live independently at home;
• A younger person with a disability, dementia or other special care needs that are not met through other specialist services.

However, be aware that everyone will need to pay something towards their care in a basic fee. And most Australians will need to pay for their accommodation.

The amount you pay for your care is on top of this. And if you want extra services like the ones listed below you will need to pay more again.

• Wine with meals;
• Newspapers;
• Foxtel;
• Other extra services.

It can all be overwhelming, confusing, and stressful, but that’s exactly why we’re here. We’re here to provide the clarity you need to make such an integral decision as a choice (and never a compromise).

With CareAbout, Home Care is just a click away!

Frequently Asked Questions

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Helpful Articles

What Is My Aged Care?

Your Simplified Guide to Support at Home

Classification Levels 1-8 Explained

Home Care Packages