Approved, but waiting? You don't have to wait alone.
Support at Home packages can take months to be assigned. The good news: you almost certainly already have access to other government-funded help right now — and a few small things done well in this window can make a big difference when the package arrives.
Three things you can use today.
These programs run alongside Support at Home. Most older Australians are eligible for at least one — often without realising. We help our clients access them at no charge.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme
Entry-level subsidised help — domestic assistance, personal care, transport, social support, simple home modifications. Funded directly by the government on a per-service basis.
Assistive Technology & Home Modifications
A separate funding stream for equipment and modifications — rails, ramps, shower seats, mobility aids — plus the assessments needed to choose them safely.
GP-referred allied health visits
Through your GP's Chronic Disease Management Plan, Medicare covers up to five subsidised visits per year to a physio, OT, podiatrist, dietitian or psychologist.
Help that doesn't wait for a package.
CHSP is the entry-level program for older Australians who need a bit of help to keep living independently. It's been around for years and it's the most common safety net while a Support at Home package is being assigned.
You access it after a free assessment from My Aged Care — different from (and faster than) the package assessment. You pay a small contribution per service (often $5–15), the government pays the rest, and there's no monthly budget to manage.
Most of our clients waiting for a Support at Home package are using CHSP for shopping, cleaning, and a weekly social-support visit. It buys you breathing room.
Search for your provider →Use the wait to make the home itself ready.
The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications stream funds the equipment and changes that make the home safe — and an assessment now puts you on the front foot for when funding starts.
Rail installation
Grab rails in the bathroom, hallway and near the front step. The single highest-impact modification for fall prevention.
Bathroom modifications
Shower seat, hand-held shower, threshold ramp. Often funded under the low-cost stream — turnaround in weeks, not months.
OT home assessment
A registered occupational therapist walks through the home with you, lists what would help, and writes the report needed to claim funding.
Physiotherapy review
Falls, balance, getting up out of a chair — a physio can prescribe simple home exercises that compound while you wait.
Mobility equipment
Walkers, wheelchairs, transfer aids, pressure-relief mattresses. Costed and applied for through AT–HM, not your care package.
Assistive Technology
Reachers, kettle tippers, raised toilet seats, non-slip mats. Approved without quotes — fastest path to safer day-to-day living.
What can be done while you wait?
We'll walk you through what the Commonwealth Home Support Programme covers, how to apply, and which providers can help — so you're not waiting empty-handed.
We arrange the OT assessment, gather quotes, and submit the AT–HM claim once your package starts.
We brief your GP on what to include in the Chronic Disease Management Plan, and book the first round of visits.
Read it from the source.
We always point clients to the official government materials so the information you act on is the same information your assessor sees.
Don't know what you qualify for? Let's find out together.
Bring your My Aged Care letter to a free 30-minute consultation. We'll map every program you can access today, in plain words, in your language.