Under the Support at Home program, older Australians approved for personal care will no longer need to contribute to services such as showering, dressing, eating, personal hygiene and continence support.

The Australian Government will fund those services in full.

We welcome it.

It does however raise a fair question.

If assistance to shower, dress and maintain personal hygiene is considered essential care on 1 October, why was it treated differently before now?

When Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025, services were divided into different categories.

Clinical care, including nursing, attracted no participant contribution.

Personal care, however, sat within the “independence” category, meaning many older Australians were expected to contribute towards its cost.

From 1 October, that changed. As we’ve always thought it should.

There is nothing optional about being able to shower.

There is nothing discretionary about needing assistance to dress, eat or manage continence.

For many older people, this support is exactly what allows them to remain safely and confidently at home.

But there is an uncomfortable reality in the system

Not every older Australian is treated the same.

People who were receiving, or had already been approved for, a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 are protected by the Government’s “no worse off” provisions.

Those who entered the system after that date are generally subject to the newer contribution rules.

That difference can be significant.

While clinical care will be fully funded, older Australians may still need to contribute towards services such as cleaning, gardening and other everyday living support.

Depending on income and assets, those contributions can vary considerably.

Which means two people with similar care needs, receiving similar services, can have very different out-of-pocket costs partly because of when they entered the aged care system.

We understand why transitional protections exist. Nobody already receiving care should suddenly be financially disadvantaged because government policy changes.

But it does highlight how difficult the system can be for families to understand.

And “fully funded” does not necessarily mean unlimited

From October, approved personal care no longer attracts participant contribution.

That is excellent news.

But the service still needs to be included in the person’s support plan, and sufficient funding needs to be available within their Support at Home allocation.

Then there is the issue of access.

As at 30 June this year, more than 106,000 Australians were waiting for an ongoing Support at Home place.

For families supporting an ageing parent, months can be a very long time.

Needs can change quickly.

And while someone waits for formal support, it is often a husband, wife, daughter, son or other family member quietly stepping in to fill the gap.

Reform is necessary. So is fairness.

Australia needs an aged care system that is sustainable. We have an ageing population, increasing demand and a workforce that needs to be properly funded and supported.

These are not simple problems to solve.

But good aged care policy should also pass a very human test.

Can an older person understand it?

Can their family work out what they are entitled to?

Can they access the support when they actually need it?

And can they make decisions with confidence, rather than discovering that a date, classification or contribution rule has changed the answer?

The 1 October change is a good one.

We hope it is also part of something bigger: an aged care system that becomes easier to understand, easier to access and fairer for every older Australian.

If this article has inspired you to think about your own situation and what you and your family are going through right now, contact us to start the conversation with one of our Ageing with Grace Advisory Aged Care Specialists.

This information does not consider any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before deciding, you should consider whether it is appropriate based on your objectives, financial situation or needs.

~ Sarah Leslie, Kara Treeby & the Ageing with Grace Advisory Team