How to Apply for Support at Home

1.Register with My Aged Care and Complete Your Screening

Begin by registering with My Aged Care and complete a short screening so the system can work out your pathway and priority.

Ways to start: Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422; apply online at myagedcare.gov.au using the “Apply for an assessment” form; ask your GP, health professional or hospital to refer you; or book an Aged Care Specialist Officer (ACSO) appointment at a Services Australia service centre for face-to-face help. Why this matters: Any of these options feed the same national system, so choose what is easiest for you. What you’ll need handy: A Medicare card and one other primary ID (Driver Licence, DVA card or Healthcare Card), your GP and health professionals’ details, and a short list of what you find difficult and your goals. Helpful tip: These details speed things up, but do not delay your application if something is missing; you can add or correct information during the call.

2. Take the Triage Call

After screening, My Aged Care sends your details to an aged care assessment organisation. You will get a call from a triage delegate who uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to decide three things:

• Whether you are eligible for an assessment
• Which assessment pathway you need: Home support or comprehensive
• The urgency and priority of your assessment What Is A Triage Delegate? This is the staff member who checks your situation quickly and makes sure you are booked for the right assessment, at the right urgency. They are not your ongoing assessor. Helpful tip: Keep your phone nearby and answer unknown numbers for a few days after you register so you do not miss the call

3. Have Your In-Home Assessment

At this step, an aged care assessor will visit you at home, where you may have a family member or carer present with you. Here, the assessor will ask you about: Your everyday activities such as showering safely, cooking and getting out and about:

• Your health conditions, recent changes such as falls or hospital stays, and any potential risks
• What matters most to you such as your goals, daily routines, culture and wider community
• The support you already have available to you Why This Matters: Providing clear examples of what is hard, and what you want to achieve, helps the assessor match services to your goals.
  • A list of your medications and allergies
  • The names of your GP and/or specialists (and their contact details)
  • Two or three examples of the tasks you currently find hard Helpful tip: Notes kept on paper or in your phone are completely fine – in fact, it helps to have it written down. So, if you forget something, you can always raise it later with your provider.
• What Comes Out Of the Assessment:
  • Your ongoing classification (1 to 8) with an annual amount released quarterly
  • Your approved services from the national service list
  • Read Your Notice of Decision and Choose Your Provider of-Life, or Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) are outlined What this means for you: These decisions appear in your Notice of Decision. Keep it handy, as your provider will use it to set up care.

4.Read Your Notice of Decision and Choose Your Provider

You’ll receive a Notice of Decision and a support plan listing your classification, quarterly budget, approved services, and any short-term approvals. Your next move is to choose a provider who will:

Why this matters: Your care partner is your day-to-day contact. A good working relationship here makes the whole experience smoother. How to choose well: Ask when services can start, whether you will have consistent workers, and what happens for after-hours or weekends. Ask how they deliver care management. Ten percent of your quarterly budget is set aside for planning, coordination, monitoring and education. Ask how they will use this to deliver value for you. Ask for sample monthly statements so you can see how spending will appear.

5. Start Services and Keep an Eye On Your Budget

Your provider will book services and draw from your quarterly budget as supports are delivered. You will receive itemised monthly statements showing what was used and what is left.

Good to know: Why this matters: Understanding these rules helps you avoid surprises and make the most of your budget across the year.

• If you start mid-quarter, your first budget is pro-rated
• You can carry over up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarter, whichever is higher, to the next quarter
• If your needs change, simply ask for a Support Plan Review. You can be re-assessed and have your plan updated

If Your Situation Is Urgent

Notify My Aged Care if there is an immediate risk – for example, you do not have safe personal care, food, or your carer is in crisis. In some cases, you may be referred to receive essential short-term help before your assessment is completed. What this means for you: State clearly what the risk is, and ask whether short-term support can start while you await your assessment.

If You’re In Hospital

You may ask the ward or discharge planner to refer you to My Aged Care before you leave. Discuss Transition Care or other short-term supports to bridge the move home. Why this matters: Getting the referral while you are still in hospital can reduce delays once you are home.

If You Need Equipment Or Home Changes

The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme is separate from your quarterly budget and uses low, medium and high tiers. With approval, it can fund items and changes such as shower chairs, ramps, rails or mobility aids, usually over 12 months. Why this matters: AT-HM can remove day-to-day hazards and make caring easier. It helps to ask about this during your assessment or with your provider.

What You Might Pay And The Protections

• Clinical care such as nursing and allied health has no participant contribution
• Independence and Everyday living supports have means-tested contributions, with clear caps and a lifetime cap
• If you were in or approved for a Home Care Package on 12 September 2024, no worse off rules apply. Many people will pay the same or less, and some will continue to pay no fees
• If paying contributions is difficult, ask about financial hardship assistance through Services Australia

Bottom line: your costs depend on your means and the services you use, with safeguards to keep care affordable.

Your Rights And Where to Get Help

• Aged Care Specialist Officers (ACSO): Book a face-to-face appointment for help applying, understanding fees and next steps
• Care Finders: Intensive support if you are vulnerable or do not have someone who can help you
• Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN): Call 1800 700 600 for free, independent advocacy for support and guidance
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: If you cannot resolve an issue with your provider, you can make a complaint; it is free and anyone can lodge

Quick Explainers In Plain Language

Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT): The Australian Government’s standard set of questions used by assessors to determine what help is needed and how urgently; you will hear this term at triage and during your assessment. Triage Delegate: The person who phones after you register to confirm eligibility, set your assessment type and the priority, and make sure you reach the right assessment quickly. Classification (1 to 8): The ongoing levels of support available through Support at Home; each classification has an annual funding amount released as a quarterly budget. Care Partner: Your named contact at your chosen provider who helps you plan, book and adjust services. Short-Term Pathways: Time-limited boosts when things change and interim care is needed. Restorative Care can run up to 16 weeks to help you regain function; End-of-Life runs for about 12 weeks to support comfort, dignity and carer respite at home. Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM): A separate funding allocation for required equipment and home changes such as rails, ramps and mobility aids. Contributions or fees: What you may pay toward some non-clinical services based on your means, with caps and hardship safeguards. To gauge likely contribution costs, use the CareAbout Calculator here.

After You’ve Applied

Once you’ve been approved, the next step is an aged care assessment to determine the level of support you need. From there, you can find a provider who suits your needs. If you’re caring for someone with dementia, or need a break from your caring role, respite care may also be available.

“One of my advisers took a call last month from a daughter in tears — her dad had a fall and they’d never started the process. It took weeks to get an assessment, and she wished she’d done it sooner. That’s a story my team hears regularly. It’s why getting the assessment done early is so important — even if things seem fine now. It’s free, they come to your home, and there’s no obligation. It just means you’re ready when you need to be.”

— Nicki Powell, Head of Aged Care Adviser Team, CareAbout

8+ years in the aged care industry | Helping senior Australians navigate the aged care system