Posted in Age care, Caring Hands, Community Care, Quality, Support at Home

This update is shared by our caring hands to support you as we transition to Support at Home.

Aged care in Australia is changing — and for the better. The new Aged Care Support at Home Program, commencing on 1 November 2025 replacing the Home Care Package (HCP) Program, is designed to simplify services, improve flexibility, and give older Australians more choice and control over their care. 

But what does that actually mean for older people, their families, and carers? Here are the three service types explained of the new Aged Care Support at Home Program — and what it means for you.  The new categories have been designed to streamline service delivery and funding, ensuring a more personalised approach to care.

Of course, if you need more information, check out our frequently asked questions or get in touch with us our caring hands are here to help you navigate the transition. 

The three new categories are:

1. Clinical Care: Supporting your health and wellbeing

Clinical Care, focuses on specialised health services aimed at maintaining or improving participants’ functional and cognitive abilities. This category includes essential services such as nursing care, allied health services like physiotherapy and podiatry, nutritional support through meal planning with dieticians, and comprehensive care management and restorative care planning.

Key benefit: Clinical care services are fully funded by the Government, meaning participants do not need to bear out-of-pocket costs for these vital supports.

2. Independence: Helping You Live Confidently

Independence caters to daily activities that promote active and engaged living within the community. This category encompasses personal care assistance such as showering and dressing, social support and community engagement including transport and companionship, therapeutic services like occupational therapy and speech therapy, respite care to support caregivers, and assistive technology and home modifications such as mobility aids and handrails.

Financial consideration:  Participants co-contribute to the cost of Independence services based on their financial circumstances.

3. Everyday Living: Keeping your home safe and comfortable

Everyday Living addresses essential household tasks aimed at maintaining a safe and comfortable living environment while promoting independence. Services within this category include domestic assistance like cleaning, laundry, and shopping assistance, home maintenance and minor repairs such as fixing steps and changing light bulbs, and meal services including delivered meals or meal preparation.

Financial consideration: Everyday Living services require varying levels of participant co-contributions, with self-funded retirees potentially covering up to 80% of the costs.

Benefits of the new service categories under Support at Home

The introduction of these distinct categories under the Support at Home program brings several benefits for home care participants:

Structured funding: Ensures funding is targeted and sustainable, enhancing access to essential services

Flexibility: Maintains flexibility to cater to individual needs while improving service delivery efficiency

Financial clarity: Provides transparency regarding participant co-contributions based on your specific category of service.

How will these categories affect you?

Changes will impact care participants differently based on the current status within the existing Home Care Package program:

Grandfathered participants: Those approved for a Home Care Package before 12 September 2024 will see their current care plans transitioned into the new categories without changes to co-contribution fees or funding structure.

Transitional or new participants: Participants approved after 12 September 2024 will align their care services with these new categories, adhering to the Support at Home co-contribution fee framework within current funding structure.

For assistance in navigating these changes and understanding how they affect you, Southcare’s caring hands are here to support you.

Need more support about Support at Home? Not sure how it will affect you or your loved one?

Contact us today — we’d love to chat.

Southcare is ready and supportive of these changes as they put the customer at the forefront of care and better define what good home care means.  

The Support at Home program has lots of information and new information is coming all the time, which often brings more questions!   Understanding the benefits of the new Support at Home Program will help individuals, families, and communities plan ahead — and make the most of the support available.  

And we are here to support you, so please reach out if you need help.

Posted in Age care, Caring Hands, Community Care, Quality, Support at Home