Finding home care services in Adelaide starts with an older person’s daily needs, preferences and eligibility, not a provider directory. Families can explore Support at Home for ongoing care, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) for entry-level help, or private care. Before agreeing, compare written prices, worker screening, staff continuity and complaints processes.

Key Takeaways

In this guide

Home care options in Adelaide: definitions and pathways

Home care is practical, personal or clinical support delivered where an older person lives to help them remain independent and safe. It can include showering, meals, cleaning, transport, nursing or allied health. Services should reflect the person’s goals, consent and assessed needs.

Support at Home is the Australian Government program for ongoing, coordinated home care. It commenced on 1 November 2025 and replaced the former Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme. Funding is allocated across eight ongoing classifications, alongside separate short-term pathways. CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme) provides entry-level help, such as domestic assistance, transport or social support. The Commonwealth has extended CHSP grant funding to 30 June 2029, with program transition to Support at Home scheduled no earlier than 1 July 2027. My Aged Care is the government gateway for eligibility checks and assessments for subsidised aged care.

An assessment identifies support needs and approved services. It does not oblige a family to accept a particular provider, although Support at Home services must eventually be delivered through one chosen provider. If a family carer needs regular time away, in-home respite uses the same kind of support visit; see our guide to in-home respite care. The older person should be involved in decisions as much as they wish and are able. See our guide to aged care at home in Adelaide for the assessment and setup pathway. Where memory changes or dementia are part of the picture, our dementia care at home in Adelaide guide covers specialist safety, routine and respite considerations.

Compare three home care pathways

The right pathway depends on assessed needs, timing and affordability. Government approval and provider availability are separate: approval does not guarantee a provider can start immediately.

PathwayWho it may suitHow it worksWhat to check
Support at HomePeople approved for ongoing, coordinated support, including a combination of everyday living and clinical servicesThe program allocates funding by assessed need. Its current overview explains ongoing classifications and separate short-term pathways.Approval, classification and available budget; service agreement; prices; service capacity and start date.
CHSPPeople needing entry-level help rather than a higher level of coordinated supportThe Commonwealth Home Support Programme provides entry-level services. Grant funding has been extended to 30 June 2029; transition to Support at Home is scheduled no earlier than 1 July 2027.Local service availability, waiting time, contribution policy and whether needs have changed enough to request reassessment.
Private self-funded carePeople who are ineligible for subsidised services or need to arrange support while waiting for funded servicesNon-government-funded services are paid for privately and are not subsidised or regulated by the Australian Government. Scope, prices and cancellation terms depend on the provider’s agreement. My Aged Care explains non-government-funded services.Full rates, minimum booking, travel pricing, worker checks, insurance, clinical qualifications and cancellation terms; ask what safeguards and complaint routes apply.

For example, a North Adelaide resident needing occasional meal preparation may suit entry-level support, while a Morphett Vale resident needing daily personal care and clinical coordination may seek a comprehensive assessment. These examples do not determine eligibility; an assessment does.

How to access government-subsidised home care

Start with My Aged Care: apply online, call 1800 200 422, or ask an Aged Care Specialist Officer (ACSO) for in-person help. A family member or carer can assist with the older person’s agreement. Explain current difficulties, changes, safety concerns and existing support.

The assessment type depends on the level of support. Since 9 December 2024, the Australian Government’s Single Assessment System workforce has replaced the separate Regional Assessment Service (RAS) and Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) workforces. A home support assessment considers entry-level services such as CHSP; a comprehensive assessment considers broader or more complex needs, including Support at Home. An assessor discusses the person’s circumstances and goals. If the person is approved, the assessment organisation sends a Notice of Decision and support plan that lists approved services. Ask questions if it does not reflect the person’s priorities.

For Support at Home, approval and access timing differ. The national Priority System uses the person’s priority category and approval date to sequence access. Starting service also depends on a provider’s capacity in the relevant suburb and service.

Once funding is available, the person has 56 calendar days from the funding letter to find a provider and sign a service agreement. They can ask My Aged Care for a further 28 days. Ask about start dates, and contact My Aged Care if needs worsen while waiting. Sudden health changes need clinical advice, not just reassessment.

Do legacy Home Care Package levels still apply?

Families often arrive with older paperwork that names a Home Care Package level. A parent may be described as approved for a Home Care Package level 3. Those labels came from the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program. Support at Home replaced it on 1 November 2025.

The labels still matter for people assessed as eligible for a Home Care Package on or before 31 October 2025. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing describes their transitioned funding as “equivalent to their previous funding”. It labels the four transitioned classifications HCP Level 1 to HCP Level 4. This group is separate from the eight ongoing Support at Home classifications. No official source states a one-to-one match between an HCP level and one of those eight.

In practice, the older person’s Notice of Decision and funding allocation letter now carry the operative detail. The old package level alone is no longer the whole story. Our legacy Home Care Package levels explained guide covers how to read those documents. It also explains how to confirm the current classification with My Aged Care. If the paperwork names a specific level, our guides to Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 packages cover the published funding and the services that may be approved. For the official definitions, see the Department’s funding classifications for Support at Home.

Costs, contributions and travel pricing

Government funding does not always mean every service is free. Under Support at Home, the participant contribution depends on the service category and the person’s circumstances. Clinical supports, including eligible nursing and allied health, have no participant contribution.

From 1 October 2026, approved personal care services are in the clinical supports category. There is no participant contribution if the service is approved in the person’s support plan and funds are available in their budget. This applies to services delivered on or after that date. Earlier services remain subject to the contribution rules that applied when delivered. Read the official personal care contribution guidance for details.

For other services, including many everyday living supports, a contribution may apply. My Aged Care’s Support at Home costs and contributions guidance describes how service category and circumstances affect contributions and provides a fee estimator. Ask providers how contributions appear on monthly statements and what happens if financial circumstances change.

Compare the provider’s published price schedule with the services and budget in the support plan. Under the Department’s Support at Home pricing rules, travel costs must be included in the published price for a service; providers cannot add a separate standalone travel charge on top. Travel may be reflected in the service rate, so ask how the total price is set and whether a visit has a minimum charge. Get the answer in writing before signing.

Worker screening, clinical boundaries and safety

Ask how a provider checks workers, monitors ongoing suitability and responds to concerns. Registered aged-care providers have workforce obligations under the Aged Care Act and Aged Care Rules 2025. Depending on the role and care setting, worker screening generally requires a police certificate or an NDIS Commission worker screening clearance.

Providers must regularly check the Commission’s Register of banning orders. They must not let a person work in aged care if the person does not meet the screening requirements. A banning order can be permanent or for a specific period, and it can restrict specified aged-care services or activities, so ask how the provider checks both screening status and any current order.

If a worker also delivers NDIS supports, confirm that they hold the applicable NDIS worker screening clearance. A police certificate alone does not meet that requirement. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission oversees provider compliance.

Everyday household assistance is different from clinical care. Wound care, medication-related clinical tasks and other procedures must be within the worker’s training and authority, supported by appropriate clinical direction and governance. Ask who supervises clinical work, how changes in health are escalated, and who to contact after hours. For information on the workforce behind care, see our Adelaide healthcare staffing guide.

Questions to ask an Adelaide home care provider

Use a short checklist when comparing providers. Ask:

  1. Do you cover the older person’s suburb, and when could service start?
  2. Can you provide a consistent small team, and how are workers introduced?
  3. Are all the services in the support plan available through your organisation?
  4. Can we see the full price schedule and service agreement before committing?
  5. How is travel reflected in the service price, and are there minimum bookings?
  6. What notice applies to cancellations, missed visits or changes to the roster?
  7. How do you handle complaints, worker screening and clinical escalation?
  8. Who will manage care day to day, and how often will you review the support plan and budget with us?
  9. How will we see each month what has been spent and what budget remains?

Compare written answers rather than relying on verbal assurances. Check that the agreement names the services, frequency, prices, contribution arrangements (where relevant), cancellation terms and process for changing or ending care. For Support at Home, all approved services must be delivered through the one provider you choose, an arrangement the Department calls the single provider model, so confirm the provider can cover the full support plan. My Aged Care’s Find a provider tool lets you shortlist providers and compare up to three side by side on location, services and published prices. A provider should explain any limits plainly, including when it cannot meet a requested schedule.

Choosing a provider for a Support at Home budget

The same checklist applies to a Support at Home budget, including a transitioned Home Care Package, with three extra checks. Start comparing early: the 56-day window to sign a service agreement runs from the date of the funding letter.

The choice is not locked in. My Aged Care says a participant can change provider at any time and the current provider must support the move; its changing Support at Home providers fact sheet sets out the steps. A careful first choice still spares the older person a disruptive switch later.

Complaints and independent advocacy

If a concern arises, raise it with the provider first where it is safe and appropriate, and keep notes of dates, names and the response. You can also contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission directly on 1800 951 822. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) offers free, independent aged-care advocacy on 1800 700 600. If someone is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical help, call 000.

When to contact Timely Health Assist

This guide is general information, not an eligibility decision or a statement that Timely Health Assist is an approved Support at Home or CHSP provider. Program approval, funding and service availability must be confirmed directly with the relevant government body and provider. You can review Timely Health Assist services, learn about the organisation, or contact the team to ask about current offerings, worker availability and suburb coverage. Confirm whether any proposed service is private or government-funded before making arrangements.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my parent is eligible for home care?

Contact My Aged Care for an eligibility check and assessment. An assessor considers needs, circumstances and goals; the assessment outcome, not a provider’s informal opinion, determines eligibility and approved services. Our home care package eligibility guide explains who can request an assessment and what the decision letter tells you.

What is the difference between CHSP and Support at Home?

CHSP funds entry-level assistance. Support at Home provides ongoing, coordinated support through eight classifications for people approved for that level. The CHSP extension announcement sets out the funding extension and transition timing; check it for the latest arrangements.

Can an aged care provider charge separate travel fees?

For Support at Home, the Department’s published-price guidance says travel costs are included in the service price rather than charged as a separate standalone fee. Ask for the complete price schedule and how travel is reflected in the rate.

What should we do if an older person’s health declines suddenly?

For an emergency, call 000. For a non-emergency change, contact the person’s GP or treating health professional and tell My Aged Care if support needs have changed; ask whether a reassessment is appropriate.

Editorial note: Information in this guide was last checked on 2 November 2026. Aged-care program rules, prices and provider availability can change; confirm current details with My Aged Care, Services Australia and the provider before making decisions.