Help at Home - What You Need to Know

 A little support at home Perth can make a big difference to your wellbeing. The government subsidises the cost of many home support services, including personal care, respite care, and assistive technology.

The new Support at Home program replaces the Home Care Packages and Short-term Restorative Care programs from 1 November 2025. The program provides better access to services and products, and simplifies how you receive your funded care.

Aged care services in Perth and surrounding areas

Home care is a range of support services, including personal assistance, domestic help, social support and access to allied health professionals, all delivered in your own home. This service can be provided by an approved provider, like Southcare, as part of the Commonwealth Home Support Programme or Home Care Packages, or you may pay for a private care arrangement.

Residential care homes offer 24/7 medical supervision, including dementia care units and specialised nursing services. These facilities are government funded and operate on a co-payment model. They are often in close proximity to family and friends, allowing you to stay in your community while receiving the necessary level of care.

Short-term aged care options include respite care and intermediate care. Respite care gives primary caregivers a break by having someone else take charge of their loved one, while intermediate care is a short stay to enable a full recovery and prevent hospital admission. The location of the facility is also a factor.

Find a provider

If you’re an existing Home Care Package (HCP) recipient, you’ll transition into the new Support at Home program when your funding is approved. When this happens, you’ll get to choose which provider to work with and what mix of services suits your needs and budget. You can find information about providers’ costs and organisation on their profiles in Find a provider.

Some providers offer specialised care — for example, supporting people with particular needs and preferences. You can use the filters in Find a provider to see which ones are available in your area. You can also add up to 16 providers to your shortlist, making it easier to compare them.

Before you meet with a provider, prepare a list of questions that you want to ask. It’s also a good idea to bring someone with you, especially if it’s your first time choosing a provider. This will help you make the most of your meeting.

Short-term pathways

The Australian aged care system is undergoing one of its biggest transformations in decades. Starting 1 November 2025, the new Support at Home program will replace the current home care packages and short-term restorative care schemes. This new model is designed to help older Australians live safely and independently at home for longer.

The new program includes 3 short-term pathways: Restorative Care, Assistive Technology and Home Modifications, and the End-of-Life pathway. Each pathway offers a different mix of services and a separate funding tier for these services. This is in contrast to ongoing support at home funding, which uses capped service prices and only covers the cost of the assessed care needs.

Those wishing to apply for a home care package will be assessed using the new Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). This will allow assessors to gather more detailed information about a person’s needs, ensuring they are receiving the right level of care. This will also reduce wait times.

End-of-life pathway

The end-of-life pathway provides urgent, compassionate care that helps people live their last days with dignity and comfort. It combines clinical support services, such as pain management and symptom relief, with social and emotional support, like counselling and respite care.

It can be followed at home, in a hospice, or in hospital, depending on the person’s preference and healthcare needs. A team of specialist professionals will ensure that the individual’s wishes are respected and that their pain is managed as they near the end of life.

It works alongside state-based palliative care schemes, so people can use their existing funding for this service. If a person is eligible, they can ask their provider to complete the End-of-Life Pathway Form alongside a doctor or nurse practitioner and request a high-priority Support Plan Review. This can avoid the need for a new aged care assessment.

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