Home care refers to care and support delivered in a person’s own home. Its purpose is to help an older person remain safe, healthy, independent and connected with their community.

Home care may include:

• Personal care, such as assistance with showering and dressing
• Domestic assistance
• Nursing and other clinical care
• Allied health and therapy services
• Respite care
• Social support and assistance to attend appointments or activities
• Equipment, assistive technology and home modifications where approved

Residential aged care, also known as an aged care home, provides accommodation and ongoing care for people who can no longer live independently at home.

For information about government-funded aged care, visit the Australian Government’s My Aged Care website or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

There are two main Australian Government programs that provide ongoing aged care services in the home:

• Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) for people who need entry-level assistance with one or more everyday activities
• Support at Home for people who need more coordinated or ongoing care and support

The program and services available to you will depend on your circumstances and the outcome of an aged care needs assessment.

To begin, you can:

• Call Prompt Care on 1800 472 273 to discuss your circumstances
• Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
• Apply online through the My Aged Care website

Prompt Care can explain the process and help you understand what information you may need before contacting My Aged Care.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme, commonly called CHSP, provides entry-level services to help older people remain independent and safe at home.

CHSP may be appropriate if you can generally manage at home but need some assistance with particular activities.

Depending on what is available in your area and what you are approved to receive, services may include:

• Personal care
• Domestic assistance
• Nursing
• Allied health and therapy
• Flexible respite
• Social support
• Transport
• Meals
• Home maintenance or modifications

CHSP is designed to work with you to maintain your abilities and independence rather than taking over activities you can safely continue to do yourself.

Prompt Care provides selected CHSP services in approved service areas. Call us on 1800 472 273 to ask what is available in your location.

Support at Home is the Australian Government program that provides coordinated care and services to eligible older people living at home.

It replaced the former Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025.

Following an aged care needs assessment, you may be approved for ongoing Support at Home services, a short-term pathway or a combination of supports appropriate to your needs.

If approved for ongoing Support at Home services, you will receive information explaining:

• Your assessed care needs and goals
• The services you have been approved to receive
• Your funding classification and available budget
• Any short-term supports for which you have been approved
• Any participant contributions that may apply

You can choose a registered Support at Home provider to coordinate and deliver your approved services.

Read more on the My Aged Care Support at Home page.

The Home Care Packages Program ended on 31 October 2025 and was replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025.

People who previously received a Home Care Package transitioned to Support at Home. Transitional arrangements may affect how an existing participant’s funding and contributions are treated.

If you previously had a Home Care Package and are unsure what the change means for you, contact your current provider, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or call Prompt Care on 1800 472 273.

You normally begin by registering with My Aged Care and completing an initial screening process.

You can contact My Aged Care by:

• Calling 1800 200 422
• Applying through the My Aged Care online application
• Asking a health professional or another trusted person to assist you, with your consent

My Aged Care will ask about your current circumstances, the activities you find difficult and the types of assistance you may need.

If an assessment is appropriate, My Aged Care will arrange one with an aged care assessment organisation.

Prompt Care can speak with you by telephone before you apply and explain the process. However, only the authorised assessment system can determine your eligibility for government-funded services.

An aged care needs assessment looks at how you are managing at home and what assistance may help you maintain your independence, safety and wellbeing.

The assessor may discuss:

• Your health and mobility
• Personal care and household activities
• Medication and clinical needs
• Your memory, communication and emotional wellbeing
• Your home environment
• Support provided by family members, friends or carers
• Your goals and what is important to you

You may have a family member, carer, advocate or other trusted person present during the assessment.

The assessment outcome will identify whether you are eligible for government-funded aged care and the program, services or pathways for which you have been approved.

ACAT means Aged Care Assessment Team. In Victoria, these teams have historically also been known as Aged Care Assessment Services, or ACAS.

The aged care assessment system has changed over time, and people may now hear the broader term aged care needs assessment.

You do not generally need to locate an assessment team yourself. My Aged Care will arrange the appropriate assessment after discussing your circumstances.

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to begin the process.

You do not necessarily need a referral from your GP to contact My Aged Care or apply for an assessment.

However, involving your GP can be helpful, particularly if you have:

• Complex health or medication needs
• Recently returned home from hospital
• Experienced falls or a decline in mobility
• Changes in memory or behaviour
• Nursing, palliative care or allied health needs

Your GP may provide relevant medical information, make referrals to other health professionals or help explain why additional support is needed.

You can search for registered aged care providers using the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

When comparing providers, consider:

• Whether the provider operates in your location
• Whether it can deliver the services in your support plan
• Its service prices
• Its availability and likely commencement time
• Whether services are delivered by its own staff or subcontractors
• How it manages changes, cancellations and emergencies
• Whether it can meet your language, cultural or personal preferences
• How care management and clinical oversight are provided

Prompt Care provides Support at Home, CHSP and private services in selected areas. Call us on 1800 472 273 to discuss what is available where you live.

Yes, provided Prompt Care offers the services you need in your area and has capacity to accept your referral.

If you have received your assessment outcome, Notice of Decision or support plan, call us on 1800 472 273. We can discuss your approved services, explain our prices and determine whether we can meet your needs.

Our initial discussions will generally take place by telephone. This allows us to understand your circumstances, answer your questions and identify whether Prompt Care is likely to be a suitable provider before arranging any further consultation.

You have the right to choose your registered Support at Home provider and may change providers.

Before changing providers, you should:

• Review the notice period and exit arrangements in your existing service agreement
• Check whether your current provider has any outstanding invoices or commitments
• Confirm that Prompt Care can provide your approved services in your area
• Agree on a commencement date that avoids an unnecessary interruption to your care

Prompt Care can explain the transfer process and communicate with your current provider, with your consent.

Waiting times vary according to your approved program, assessed priority, location, required services, government funding availability and provider capacity.

Approval for aged care does not always mean every service can commence immediately.

If you have an urgent health or safety concern, tell My Aged Care, your assessor and any provider you contact. You should also speak with your GP or treating health professional where appropriate.

Prompt Care can tell you whether we currently have capacity for the services you need, but we cannot guarantee government assessment or funding timeframes.

You can help a relative contact My Aged Care, but the older person should ordinarily be involved and provide consent.

Before making arrangements, talk with your relative about:

• The assistance they feel they need
• The difficulties you or others have observed
• Who they would like involved in discussions and decisions
• Whether they consent to you speaking with My Aged Care or providers on their behalf

My Aged Care may record you as a registered supporter or representative where the required consent or authority is in place.

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or Prompt Care on 1800 472 273 for guidance.

Support at Home is intended to involve you in decisions about your care.

You can discuss:

• Your goals and priorities
• The approved services you wish to receive
• How and when services are delivered
• Your personal, cultural, language and communication preferences
• Which family members, carers or supporters you want involved
• How your available budget is used

Your choices must remain consistent with your assessed needs, approved services, support plan, available funding and applicable aged care requirements.

Your provider should give you clear information about service prices and help you understand how the services you receive affect your budget.

If you are approved for ongoing Support at Home services, government funding is allocated according to your assessed classification.

Your budget is used to pay for approved services, care management and other permitted supports. The amount available will depend on your assessment outcome and any applicable short-term pathway funding.

Your provider should give you regular statements showing:

• The services delivered
• The prices charged
• Government funding applied
• Any participant contributions
• Your remaining available funds

Your budget is not a cash payment and can only be used for services and supports allowed under the Support at Home program and included in your care arrangements.

The Australian Government funds all or part of the cost of approved Support at Home services.

Depending on your financial circumstances and the type of service, you may be required to make a participant contribution.

Under the Support at Home contribution arrangements:

• Clinical supports do not attract a participant contribution
• Contributions for other services depend on the service category and your income and assets assessment
• You only pay a contribution when you receive the relevant service
• Services Australia determines the contribution percentage that applies to you

Transitional contribution arrangements may apply to people who previously received a Home Care Package.

Your provider should explain its service prices before you enter into a service agreement.

For further information, visit the Support at Home costs and contributions page or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

Support at Home does not use the former Home Care Package model of separately charging package management as a percentage of a participant’s budget.

Prompt Care publishes service prices that reflect the cost of delivering each service. Care management is separately funded within the participant’s Support at Home arrangements in accordance with program requirements.

Please see our Support at Home Schedule of Prices or call us on 1800 472 273 for an explanation of our pricing.

When choosing a provider, ask questions about:

• Staff qualifications, screening and training
• How staff are matched with participants
• Clinical supervision and care management
• How missed or changed services are managed
• How incidents, complaints and concerns are handled
• Continuity of staff
• Communication with participants and families
• Service prices and subcontracting arrangements

You can also review provider information through My Aged Care and ask your GP, health professionals, family members or friends about their experiences.

A good provider should listen to you, explain its services clearly, respect your rights and respond appropriately when your needs change.

Many people living with dementia can remain at home with suitable care, a safe environment and appropriate support from family, health professionals and aged care services.

Whether living at home remains safe will depend on factors such as:

• The person’s memory, judgement and orientation
• Mobility and falls risk
• Medication management
• Nutrition and personal care
• Behavioural or psychological symptoms
• The safety of the home
• The availability and wellbeing of family carers

Needs can change over time, so regular review is important.

For aged care assistance, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. For dementia information and support, call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or visit Dementia Australia.

Encourage the person to make an appointment with their GP.

Changes in memory, behaviour or thinking do not always mean dementia. Similar symptoms can sometimes be caused by medication, infection, depression, sleep problems, nutritional deficiencies or other health conditions.

A GP can assess the person’s health, review medications and arrange referrals to a specialist, memory clinic or other health professional if required.

The National Dementia Helpline provides information, advice and support on 1800 100 500. You can also visit www.dementia.org.au.

Government-funded aged care services are available to eligible older people from all cultural and language backgrounds.

You can tell My Aged Care, your assessor and your provider about:

• Your preferred language
• Whether you need an interpreter
• Cultural or religious practices that affect your care
• Dietary requirements
• Your preferred gender of care worker, where practicable
• Family or community members you want involved

My Aged Care can arrange access to interpreting support. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for assistance in your preferred language.

Prompt Care will also discuss your language, cultural and communication preferences when arranging services.

Yes. My Aged Care can provide information about culturally safe services for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Depending on location and eligibility, support may be available through mainstream aged care programs or specialised services, including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program.

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and explain the type of culturally appropriate assistance you are seeking.

Yes. Palliative care can often be provided at home through a coordinated arrangement involving a GP, specialist palliative care service, community nursing, aged care workers, allied health professionals and family carers.

The services available will depend on the person’s clinical needs, location and local health services.

Speak with the person’s GP or treating hospital team about a referral to a community palliative care service.

You can also obtain information from Palliative Care Australia.

Encourage them to speak with their GP. A GP can assess possible causes, review medications and arrange appropriate mental health or specialist support.

Changes in mood should not be dismissed as a normal part of ageing.

If there is an immediate risk of harm, call 000 or attend the nearest hospital emergency department.

Home nursing may be available through:

• Support at Home
• The Commonwealth Home Support Programme
• A hospital discharge or community health program
• A private nursing arrangement

Home nursing may include:

• Wound care
• Medication support
• Continence care
• Diabetes management
• Clinical assessment and monitoring
• Post-hospital care
• Palliative nursing support

Your GP, hospital team or My Aged Care may help arrange a referral.

You can also call Prompt Care on 1800 472 273 to discuss our nursing services. We will initially discuss your requirements by telephone and advise whether a clinical referral, care plan or further assessment is required.

Respite care provides temporary support for an older person so their usual family carer can take a break, attend appointments, manage other responsibilities or rest.

Respite may be provided:

• In the person’s home
• In the community or at a day program
• During an outing
• Overnight
• For a short stay in an aged care home

Respite may be planned regularly or arranged in response to an unexpected situation.

For information about government-funded respite, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

If emergency respite is required because a carer is unexpectedly unable to continue providing care, call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.

Prompt Care provides flexible respite services in selected areas. Call us on 1800 472 273 to discuss availability.

Speak with the hospital’s nursing, medical and social work teams as early as possible.

They can help:

• Identify what support will be needed after discharge
• Arrange an aged care needs assessment where required
• Refer the person to community nursing, rehabilitation or transition services
• Discuss whether returning home can be made safe
• Provide information about residential aged care if living at home is no longer appropriate

Do not assume that residential care is the only option. Depending on the person’s assessed needs, health and home environment, services may be arranged to support a return home.

You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

In some circumstances, a person may be able to return home from residential aged care if appropriate services, equipment, home modifications and informal supports can be arranged.

This will depend on:

• The person’s wishes
• Their health and assessed care needs
• The safety and suitability of the home
• The availability of family or other informal support
• The availability of suitable funded or private services

A new assessment and careful discharge or transition planning may be required.

Call Prompt Care on 1800 472 273 to discuss your circumstances. We will begin with a telephone consultation and advise what information or referrals may be needed.

Helpful steps may include:

• Having regular health checks with your GP
• Reviewing medications regularly
• Remaining physically active within your abilities
• Eating well and staying hydrated
• Maintaining friendships and community involvement
• Addressing hearing or vision difficulties
• Reducing falls risks around the home
• Seeking assistance early rather than waiting for a crisis

Support at Home and CHSP services are intended to help you maintain your abilities and continue doing as much as possible for yourself.

A GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, nurse or other health professional may help identify practical ways to maintain your independence.

Begin by speaking with them about what they enjoy and whether they would welcome more contact or assistance.

Options may include:

• Social support visits
• Assistance to attend clubs, appointments or community activities
• Group programs
• Telephone or online social contact
• Volunteering
• Adult education, libraries or University of the Third Age activities

Social support may be available through CHSP or Support at Home if it is identified during an assessment and approved as part of the person’s services.

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or Prompt Care on 1800 472 273 to discuss possible options.

This depends on their health, vision, cognition, medications and ability to drive safely.

Warning signs may include:

• Becoming lost on familiar routes
• Recent accidents or near misses
• Difficulty judging distance or speed
• Confusion at intersections
• Unexplained damage to the vehicle
• Concerns raised by passengers, family members or health professionals

Encourage the person to speak with their GP. A formal driving assessment may be recommended.

It is also important to plan alternative transport so the person can remain active, independent and socially connected if they reduce or stop driving.

Yes. You can purchase private care and support directly from Prompt Care without first receiving approval through My Aged Care.

Private services may be useful if:

• You are waiting for an aged care assessment or funding decision
• You need assistance that is not included in your approved support plan
• Your available government funding does not cover all the services you want
• You need short-term assistance
• You prefer to arrange and pay for services directly

Call Prompt Care on 1800 472 273. We will initially discuss your needs by telephone, explain available services and provide pricing information.

Call Prompt Care on 1800 472 273.

You can also email:

• services@promptcare.com.au for service enquiries
• info@promptcare.com.au for general information

We generally begin with a telephone discussion so we can understand your circumstances, answer initial questions and determine the most appropriate next step.

There is no obligation to proceed with Prompt Care after making an enquiry.