Support at Home

You may be eligible for Support at Home if you are:

• aged over 65 (or over 50 if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or at risk of homelessness)
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident
• In need of assistance to keep living at home

1. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au
2. Book an in-home assessment with My Aged Care
3. Complete an income assessment with Services Australia – call 1800 227 475 or online via myGov
4. After receiving a letter from My Aged Care with your Support at Home reference number, contact Crowley Care to nominate us as your preferred provider – ph 1300 139 099

The government pays for a percentage of the cost of each service, and recipients contribute the rest. How much you need to contribute will be determined by an income assessment conducted by Services Australia or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

If you are on the aged pension or have a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, you will pay a lower contribution than a self-funded retiree or part pensioner.

Services are divided into 3 categories, each with different out-of-pocket contribution rates. The government covers 100% of the cost of clinical care services, and individuals pay up to 80% of the cost of independence and daily living services. Lifetime caps apply so that once you’ve contributed a capped amount towards your care, no further charges will apply for your services. The cap is indexed annually.

Crowley Care also offers private, fee-for-service home care – giving you immediate access to trusted support if you need short-term support or are waiting for funding to be approved. We can guide you through both private and government-funded options, helping you make informed choices that suit your needs now and into the future.

There are three categories of support.

1. Clinical Care includes nursing care, allied health services, continence support and nutrition.
2. Independence services include personal care, social support, therapeutic services, respite care and transport services.
3. Everyday Living services include domestic assistance, home maintenance, home repairs, meals and shopping.

For a full list of your approved Support at Home services, refer to your approval letter from My Aged Care, which outlines the classifications of government-funded support available to you.

Under the Support at Home program, there are also short-term pathways for immediate or temporary need, such as recovery after illness or care at the end of life:

• Restorative Care Pathway provides up to 16 weeks of restorative care, allied health, assistive technology and home modifications that can be used alongside ongoing Support at Home services.
• End-of-Life Pathway provides urgent, higher-level in-home care if diagnosed with 3 months or less to live.

Switching is easier than you might think. You’re never locked in and have the right to change providers at any time.

To make a switch to Crowley Care, simply contact us on 1300 139 099. We will review your options and make sure you’re getting the care, communication and respect you deserve.

Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) funding is specifically for equipment and changes to your home that help you stay safe, independent and comfortable living at home.

It can be used for items such as:

• mobility equipment
• bathroom modifications
• personal alarms
• home modifications like grab rails or bathroom upgrades.

To access AT-HM funding, prescriptive evidence is required for all recommended purchases. This means your medical practitioner (your GP or specialist) will need to provide written confirmation supporting the purchase of recommended equipment or modifications.

Waiting for funding to come through is where the biggest delays are happening right now. Funding approvals are prioritised by the government as Urgent, High, Medium or Standard. Typical wait times are:

• Urgent priority: a few weeks
• High priority: around 3-6 months
• Medium priority: around 6-12+months
• Standard priority: can be 12 months or longer.

Some people receive interim funding (about 60% of what they are approved for). This means you can start getting some help, but not everything you need yet, with services often limited to basic care and essential support only.