As you move through your senior years, it’s natural to want peace of mind - knowing you have the right support to stay safe, comfortable, and independent in your own home.
The Australian Government provides funding for a wide range of services, from help with meals and cleaning, to nursing care, transport, and even home modifications. But for many families, understanding where to begin can feel confusing and overwhelming.
That’s where we come in. Our team specialises in guiding you, and your loved ones, through the aged care system. We simplify the process, explain your options in clear language, and help you make confident choices,so you don’t have to face it alone.
This guide will walk you through your options, how funding works, and what to expect from your assessment and care journey.
Government funded home care: Your options
Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)
The Commonwealth Home Support Program is the entry level tier of government funded aged care programs.
It’s usually considered the first step for older Australians to get some help at home. It’s not income or means tested. You will need to make a small contribution towards the cost of services and the Australian Government subsidises the rest. Services are usually limited to just a few hours per week.
Support at Home
Support at Home provides more intensive, coordinated care for people with higher support needs. It includes eight levels of funding and features additional short-term pathways for specific situations like recovery from illness or end-of-life care.
Key Features:
Eight funding levels from basic to high care
Income tested participant contributions
Coordinated care management included
Short-term support pathways:
Restorative care pathway: Additional funding for up to 16 weeks of therapy and support to regain independence.
End-of-life pathway: Funding to provide care at home in the final months of life.
Assistive technology & home modifications (AT-HM): With three funding tiers (low, medium, high) for items like ramps, grab rails, or mobility equipment.
This mix of ongoing and short-term funding ensures you don’t have to wait for your funds to accrue to receive the right support at the right time.
Services you can access
Clinical supports: Nursing, allied health, physiotherapy, and other therapeutic services.
Independence: Personal care (such as bathing and dressing or continence management), transport, respite for carers, and social support.
Everyday living: Help with meals, cleaning, gardening, shopping, and basic home maintenance.
You are not automatically eligible for all services on the service list. You must be assessed as needing the service. Your personal assessment ensures you only pay for and receive the services you truly need.
Typically, people will transition from the Commonwealth Home Support Program to Support at Home as their needs increase.
How is this funded?
The funding of the Support at Home program is paid directly by the government to the provider you choose. Your budget is allocated quarterly and your chosen provider delivers services in accordance with your support plan.
You may also contribute to the cost through the participant contribution framework, depending on your financial situation.
Support at home fees and costs
There is a ten percent care management fee, which is set by the Government for every approved provider. This comes directly out of your core funding.
You may also pay a price per service for the supports you receive. Our service prices sit at the lower end of the national providers that operate at our standard
You will also pay a participant contribution assessed and calculated by Services Australia, it considers your income, assets and financial situation.
You will only pay this contribution for services received.
When you join Five Good Friends we build your weekly budget together so you can see exactly how those three parts fit into your own situation.
Who is eligible?
Getting started is simple. If you’re not already registered with My Aged Care, your first step is to check your eligibility, either online or by calling 1800 200 422.
Government funded services are available if you:
are aged 65 years and over, or
are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and aged 50 years or over, or
are homeless or at risk of homelessness and aged 50 years or over, or
Eligibility is determined through a simple Single Assessment.
Preparing for your assessment
If eligible, you’ll have an in-home or virtual assessment, where an assessor talks with you about your health, daily needs, and goals.
The goal of the aged care assessment is to determine the support and care a person needs to remain living in their home safely and happily.
Five Good Friends can support you to prepare for your assessment. You’ll be asked about:
What you can do for yourself and what you are seeking assistance with. Write down the tasks you find difficult (e.g., cooking, showering, cleaning).
If you have any health concerns. Have medical records or hospital notes on hand.
How are you managing with activities around the home.
Your safety in the home.
Be honest about your struggles—this helps match you to the right services.
What happens after the assessment
Once approved, you’ll receive a notice of decision letter and a support plan that includes:
Summary of your care needs and goals
your funding classification and quarterly budget
the services you’re approved to access
and, if relevant, short-term supports such as assistive technology, home modifications, the restorative care pathway, or the end-of-life pathway.
This support plan is then shared with your chosen provider, who will work with you to put the right services in place.
Depending on your priority level wait times for ongoing funding vary from 1 up to 11 months.
What if I’m not eligible for government funding?
Five Good Friends can guide you through our privately funded home care services.
By starting private services with an approved provider like Five Good Friends, we can ensure that an any stage, you have clear pathway to all the help and support you need in the future.
If you need some help at home, you don’t need to manage the process alone. When you get in touch with Five Good Friends, we can have a chat with you about your needs and help guide you through the application process.
Engage our team's expertise to reduce the complexity of managing home care day-to-day. Call us today on 1300 787 581.