Home Care Services in Australia: What They Are, What They Cost, and How to Choose
If you're trying to understand home care services for an ageing parent — or for yourself — this guide explains what's actually available, what it costs, who pays, and the one gap that most services don't cover.
💙 Quick answer: Home care services in Australia are government-funded and private supports that help older people live safely in their own homes — personal care, nursing, domestic help, transport, allied health, and more. Most are coordinated through a Home Care Package (now Support at Home) or the Commonwealth Home Support Programme. Daily wellbeing check-ins and companionship are typically not included — that's the gap families often feel most.
What are home care services?
Home care services are any form of professional support delivered in a person's own home to help them remain independent. In Australia, most home care services for older people are either:
- ● Funded by the government through programs like Support at Home (formerly home care packages) or CHSP
- ● Fee-for-service / private paid directly, with or without government top-up
Together they cover the most common needs of aged care at home: getting up and ready each day, keeping the house in order, managing medications, and staying connected to health professionals.
Types of home care services available in Australia
| Service type | What it includes | Typically funded by |
|---|---|---|
| Personal care | Showering, dressing, grooming, continence care | Support at Home / CHSP |
| Domestic assistance | Cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, shopping | Support at Home / CHSP |
| Nursing care | Wound care, medication management, health monitoring | Support at Home / Medicare |
| Allied health | Physiotherapy, podiatry, occupational therapy, speech therapy | Support at Home / Medicare |
| Transport | Trips to appointments, shopping, social activities | Support at Home / CHSP |
| Respite care | Short-term relief for family carers | Support at Home / CHSP |
| Home modifications | Grab rails, ramps, bathroom safety, stair lifts | Support at Home / NDIS |
| Equipment & tech | Assistive devices, personal alarms, safety tech | Support at Home / NDIS |
| Social support | Companionship visits, group activities | Support at Home / CHSP |
| Daily check-in calls | Morning call, medication reminder, wellbeing check | Usually private / CareCob AI |
How are home care services funded?
Australia's home care system has two main pillars:
1. Support at Home (previously Home Care Packages) Four funding levels from ~$10,600 to ~$60,500 per year. Coordinated by an approved provider. Requires an ACAT assessment and registration through My Aged Care (1800 200 422). Most people wait 3–12 months.
2. Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) Entry-level services for people with lower needs — generally one or two services a week. Faster access, often with a small co-payment.
Both are administered through My Aged Care. Services can also be accessed privately (without government funding) if you prefer to arrange your own support.
What does home care cost families?
| Scenario | Typical cost to you |
|---|---|
| CHSP services (government subsidised) | Small co-payment, e.g. $5–15 per service |
| Support at Home (Level 1–2) | Basic daily fee ~$12–14/day; income-tested fee may apply |
| Support at Home (Level 3–4) | Same daily fee; income-tested fee may be higher |
| Private home care (no government funding) | Full cost — typically $35–80+/hour depending on service |
| CareCob AI daily check-in call | From $59/— Credit you use as you go. Top up anytime |
Choosing a home care provider
If you have a government-funded package, you have the right to choose your own approved provider — and to switch if you're not happy. When comparing providers, ask:
- ● What is your package management fee? (Can be 15–35% of your budget — lower is better)
- ● Do you have staff available in my area on the days I need them?
- ● How do you communicate with families between visits?
- ● What happens if my regular support worker is sick?
- ● Can I direct how my budget is spent, or do you prescribe it?
For full guidance on navigating your options, see our dedicated home care services page.
Technology in aged care: what's changing
Residential aged care technology has been under intense scrutiny since the Royal Commission, and the same expectations are flowing into home care. Providers are now expected to use digital care plans, electronic medication management, and remote monitoring tools.
Aged care facility management has modernised considerably — but for people living at home, the most impactful technology is often the simplest: a daily phone call that confirms they're okay, reminds them about medications, and tells the family all is well.
This is where AI-powered check-ins represent a genuine advance: consistent, friendly, every single day — not only when a support worker happens to visit.
The gap home care services don't fill
Here's what families consistently tell us catches them off guard: even with a good home care package and a reliable provider, there are large stretches of time when nobody is checking on your loved one.
A provider might visit Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning. That means Monday evening, Wednesday, Friday, and the whole weekend — no contact from a professional. If something goes wrong quietly, nobody knows.
And the things families worry about most — Is Mum okay today? Did she remember her medication? Is she lonely? — aren't things a Tuesday visit can answer on Thursday.
How CareCob AI fills the daily gap?
CareCob AI companion Grace calls your loved one every day on their normal phone — a real conversation, a medication reminder if needed, and a gentle update to the family so you always know they're okay. No device. No app. No package funding needed.
It's not a replacement for a home care package — it's what happens every day in between. See how it works on our how it works page.
| Funded home care services | CareCob AI daily call | |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled personal/domestic care | Yes | Not applicable |
| Daily contact & wellbeing check | Visits only | Every day |
| Medication reminders | During visit only | Daily |
| Family update between visits | Rarely | Every day |
| Companionship/conversation | Depends on provider | Yes |
| Works without a package | Usually needs ACAT | Yes — anyone |
| Requires device or app | — | Just their normal phone |
The bottom line
Australia's home care services system is well-resourced and genuinely helpful for people who need regular professional support at home. Get your assessment done early, choose your provider carefully, and understand what your package can and can't pay for.
But if the daily question — "is Mum okay today?" — is the thing keeping you up at night, a home care package alone won't answer it. A daily check-in call will.
Try CareCob AI first 30 minutes free — Grace calls their normal phone. Nothing to install or wear.
Frequently asked questions
What are home care services in Australia?▼
Professional support services — personal care, nursing, domestic help, transport, allied health, equipment — delivered in a person's own home so they can keep living independently. Most are accessed through the Support at Home program or CHSP via My Aged Care.
Who is eligible for home care services?▼
Australians aged 65+ (or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) who have been assessed by an ACAT as needing support at home. Entry-level CHSP supports can sometimes be accessed with a simpler assessment. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Are home care services free?▼
The government subsidises most costs. You may pay a small co-payment for CHSP services, and a basic daily fee and income-tested care fee for a Support at Home package. Private home care with no government funding is paid in full by the individual.
What is the difference between home care services and a home care package?▼
Home care services is the broad category — all the types of support available. A home care package (now Support at Home) is a government-funded budget that pays for a coordinated set of those services. Think of the package as the wallet, and home care services as what you spend it on.
Can I get home care services without a package?▼
Yes. CHSP provides entry-level services without a full package. You can also pay privately for any service at any time. And CareCob AI daily check-in call requires no package or assessment — just a phone.