Help at Home advice

It is normal to be unsure when thinking about arranging support at home – it is a big step. Additionally, people may be worried that an assessment means a fast-track to a nursing home. The reality is that having an assessment to arrange home care services can help you to remain independent at home for longer, and can even improve your quality of life. You can get started by calling My Aged Care on 1800 100 422.

Helping Hand also offers an alternative – Elevate by Helping Hand – which doesn’t require any assessment. All home care services we offer can be provided through Elevate, through a pay-per-service hourly fee arrangement.

The cost of help at home services varies from person to person, depending on what services you are receiving, and your own personal financial situation. The Government may contribute toward your care costs, and you may be asked to contribute towards them too if you can afford it. My Aged Care provides an overview of the costs involved on their website, and we also publish our fees for Support at Home and Elevate by Helping Hand on our website.

Transition care provides short-term care after a hospital stay to help you get back on your feet. You can have nursing, physical therapy and personal care services. You will need to have hospital staff arrange an assessment while you are still an inpatient, or you can arrange this yourself by phoning My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) supports older people who are still managing well, but want some extra assistance, at home. Support at Home provides more care and support services on an ongoing basis, for people whose needs are more intensive or complex. Both programs give you support to stay at home, but there are some differences:

CHSP:

• choose from a set menu of services – there isn’t much flexibility
• only pay for the services you use
• dip in and out of the program as you need things
• have your eligibility assessed by the Regional Assessment Service (RAS).

Support at Home:

• Our Care Partner Team helps you understand the system and work out a care plan that suits your individual needs and preferences
• you can access Government funding for the services you have been assessed as needing
• you may need to make a co-contribution based on your income and assets (this is determined by the government not Helping Hand)
• your eligibility is assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).

You can talk to our Welcome Team with any queries about your account, on 1300 444 663. You can also contact our Accounts Department on 08 8366 5426 if you are having trouble with a payment. Please have your Client ID number ready – this can be found on your Tax Invoice/Statement.

Yes. We’re really happy when you find a worker that you click with, and encourage you to let us know if you’d like a specific team member to visit you regularly. We will do our best to make sure we schedule them in with you, however at times it may not be possible if there has to be a last minute change to your service date or time. We will always let you know in advance if someone different to usual will be visiting you.

Please call our Home Care Services team on 1300 444 663 during business hours, and have your Client ID number ready (this can be found on your Tax Invoice/Statement). Please allow at least 2 business days notice when calling, to avoid being charged for a cancelled or changed visit.

Finding the right age care service is really important. We created a podcast to help people do just that by providing information and advice from people both delivering and receiving quality age care.

In the first episode of Age Old Problems: New Aged Care we discuss Home Care. With the help of Jo Carter Jones, Group Manager of Retirement Living and Housing at Helping Hand, and one of our Home Care clients Reg, we’ll help you learn:

• The difference between Home Care Packages and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme
• Who is eligible for Home Care
• What sort of services are available
• How best to start the process
• The documentation you need ready, and other tips for making the process run smoothly
• Where to seek the best advice
• Why you should be open to help
• And how accessing Home Care can make a happy life even happier!

Finding the right age care service is really important. We created a podcast to help people do just that by providing information and advice from people both delivering and receiving quality age care.

In this episode of Age Old Problems: New Aged Care we get to the bottom of what an Occupational Therapist (OT) does and how they can help you to remain safe and independent in your own home.

Joining us with all the expertise is Amanda Bailey, Occupational Therapy Manager in Home Care at Helping Hand. Chatting with Kate she explains:

• What are the different allied health services available to older people at home?
• What is an OT, and what are the reasons someone might need one? What are the types of things an OT can help with around the home?
• Who is eligible for OT services at home, and how is it funded?
• How OT services can keep you living safely and independently at home for longer. Small changes can make a BIG difference.

No one likes to think about ageing, end-of-life or the worst-case scenario, but planning ahead is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and your loved ones.

In this episode of our podcast Age Old Problems: New Age Care, we discuss Advance Care Planning – why it matters, how to start the conversation, and the peace of mind it brings.

Zara Freeman is a Palliative Care Nurse with Helping Hand and she spoke to host Kate Holland about the benefits of talking early and openly about your current and future care needs. She explains:

• Advance Care Planning: what it is and how beautiful the conversations can be
• The definition of an Advance Care Directive (ADC): how you can get one and who signs off on it
• The things to include in your ADC. Yes, songs for your funeral are a valid inclusion
• Benefits of planning for the individual (this includes nominating a substitute decision-maker in case of incapacity)
• Benefits of planning for the family (less guessing and decision making at a stressful time)
• Advice for getting the conversation started. (Relaxed and casual is good!)

Starting 1 November 2025, the Australian Government is introducing a new program called Support at Home. This program will replace the Home Care Packages (HCP) model and is designed to help more older Australians stay independent and at home for longer.

This fact sheet provides more information on the new program and the changes for those people who are currently receiving a Home Care Package.   

If you have any questions about Support at Home, you can contact our Home Care Services Team on 1300 050 435

How good would it be to skip the hassle of booking a doctor’s appointment then sitting around in a busy waiting room full of sick people, by receiving a health visit at home instead? Very good, of course, and fortunately it’s quite easy to arrange!

However, many older people are still going to their GP for simple nursing services that they don’t realise they could be receiving at home. So, this episode of our podcast Age Old Problems: New Aged Care we discuss what’s available at home and who is eligible to receive it.

With new funding for Support at Home set to be announced in November 2025, receiving nursing at home will become a reality for even more people. Listen to host Kate Holland in discussion with Helping Hand Nurse and Clinical Manager, Jess Bryant, to find out:

• The many services a nurse can offer without needing a GP on-site
• The important reporting and interaction between GPs and Nurses
• The benefits at home nursing can also bring to carers
• More on Support at Home and other initiatives to keep people living at home longer.

From group programs to home visits, exercise physiologists are helping clients reach meaningful goals, whether it’s improving balance to prevent falls, maintaining memory, or simply getting back to everyday routines.

In this episode of our podcast Age Old Problems: New Aged Care, we sit down with Harry Beresford, the Exercise Physiology Manager in Home Care at Helping Hand. In conversation with host Kate Holland, he explains:

• What Exercise Physiologists (EPs) do and how they differ from physios
• How EPs support recovery and independence at home
• The benefits people might be missing, like getting back to watering the garden
• Common goals, questions, and success stories from real clients

Tune in to understand more about how Allied Health could support you or a loved one.

Big changes are coming to home care, and we want to make sure older Australians feel confident and supported. The Federal Government is introducing the Support at Home Program, designed to help people stay independent at home longer, with improved access to care, tailored pathways, and simplified funding.

In this episode of our podcast Age Old Problems: New Aged Care, Helping Hand’s Aged Care Connector Mel Bassham explains:

• What Support at Home is and why it matters
• What current and new clients should expect
• How the new model is helping people access what they need earlier
• Where to go for help when things feel confusing

It’s a must-listen if you or a loved one is currently receiving home care services or thinking about it.

If you have any questions please call the Helping Hand Home Care Services Team on 1300 444 663.

It’s estimated that more than 400,000 Australians are living with dementia. While everyone’s experience is unique, there are some early signs to watch for. In this episode of our podcast Age Old Problems: New Aged Care, Helping Hand’s Tanya McIver shares what dementia is, how to recognise early changes, starting the conversation with loved ones, and where to find support.