Home Care Explained
If you're just starting to look into Home Care, for yourself or for a parent, it's completely normal to feel like you're being handed a stack of acronyms instead of answers. This page is here to change that. Below, we've broken down what Home Care actually is, how funding works, how to apply, and what your options look like, in plain English, with no jargon left unexplained.
What Is Home Care?
Home Care is support that comes to you, help with the everyday things that become harder to manage as you get older, delivered in the comfort of your own home rather than in a facility. It can be as simple as a few hours of help around the house each week, or more comprehensive support that includes personal care, transport, and regular companionship. The goal is straightforward: to help you stay independent, safe, and living in your own home for as long as that's what you want.
Home Care Package or Support at Home — What's the Difference?
You may have heard both terms, and here's why: "Support at Home" is the current name of the government-funded in-home aged care program, which officially replaced the old "Home Care Packages" system on 1 November 2025. If you're still hearing "Home Care Package" from friends, family, or even some providers, that's normal, it was the name used for almost 20 years, so the language is still catching up.
In short:
- Support at Home now has eight funding classification levels, instead of the old four.
- Funding is released as four quarterly budgets across the year, instead of one annual amount.
- If you were already receiving a Home Care Package (or approved and waiting for one) before 12 September 2024, the government has committed that you won't pay more under Support at Home than you were paying before (in this case you are a 'Grandfathered' client - see below for more information).
Want the full breakdown? Read our complete guide: Home Care Package vs Support at Home: What Changed in 2025–26
Funding models explained
Grandfathered Participants
Received, on the waitlist for,
or approved/assessed as eligible for a
Home Care Package (HCP)
on or before 12 September 2024.
Automatically moved to Support at Home on
1 November 2025 under the
"no worse off" principle,
contributions stay the same
or lower than under the old HCP system,
and they keep a lower lifetime contribution cap.
Hybrid / Transitional Participants
Approved or assessed for a Home Care Package between 13 September 2024
and 31 October 2025.
Initially stay on their existing HCP funding level when Support at Home began,
gradually moving onto
the new eight-level structure,
but subject to standard Support at Home contribution rules,
not the grandfathered protections.
New Support At Home Participants
Assessed or approved
from 1 November 2025 onwards.
Participants enter under full standard
Support at Home rules from day one.
No grandfathering,
and no transitional treatment.
How Do you Apply for Home Care?
Getting started involves a few formal steps:
- Contact My Aged Care (1800 200 422 or online) to begin an assessment.
- Complete your assessment — an assessor will talk through your day-to-day needs, health, and safety at home.
- Wait for funding to become available. Demand has genuinely outpaced supply in recent years, so this step can take time — it's worth checking current wait times directly with My Aged Care.
- Complete an income assessment through Services Australia, if applicable.
- Choose your provider — you'll have a window of time to compare options and select one that suits you.
- Begin services, with a care plan built around your actual needs.
Want the full step-by-step guide? Read: How to Apply for Home Care in Australia
What Services Does Home Care Include?
At Happy Valley Home Care, we provide support across four core areas:
- Domestic Assistance — housekeeping, laundry, and meal preparation
- Personal Care — dignified, qualified support with daily personal tasks
- Transport, Shopping & Accompanied Activities — getting to appointments, running errands, and outings
- Social Support & Respite — companionship and regular scheduled visits
Other services available, that Happy Valley Home Care unfortunately do not provide: Gardening, Home Modifications, Clinical Care & Nursing, Allied Health Services, End-of-Life Pathways and funding for equipment and CAPS.
Every Home Care journey looks a little different — some people need just one of these, others benefit from a combination. Your care plan is built around what actually matters to you.
Self-Managed, Provider-Managed or Private Funding - Which is Right for You
There are a few different ways to arrange and pay for Home Care, and it's worth understanding the difference before you choose:
- Provider-managed care — your provider handles the coordination, rostering, and admin for you. This is the most common and simplest option.
- Self-managed care — you (or your family) take on more of the day-to-day coordination and choice over who delivers your care, usually in exchange for lower management fees.
- Privately funded care — arranged and paid for directly, without going through the government assessment process. This is often the fastest way to start receiving support, particularly useful if you need help sooner than a government-funded package will become available.
Happy Valley Home Care are an associated provider. Which means that you can access our services through your chosen registered provider, your self managed option or you can privately fund and pay for your services directly with us.
Want the full comparison? Read: Self-Managed vs Provider-Managed Home Care page to talk about privately funded options directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be on a government package to receive Home Care?
No, you can also privately fund Home Care services without going through My Aged Care, which often means you can start sooner.
How much does Home Care cost?
It depends on your funding classification, your income (if applicable), and which services you need. Read our full guide: How Much Does Home Care Cost in Victoria
What areas do you service? We provide Home Care support across Victoria. See our service areas.
What's the difference between Home Care and the NDIS?
Home Care (Support at Home) is for people generally 65 and over.
The NDIS is for people under 65 with a permanent disability. Read the full explanation: Home Care vs NDIS
How do I know if it's time to consider Home Care for a parent?
It's rarely one single moment — usually a gradual build-up of small changes. Read: Signs It Might Be Time to Consider Home Care
