Support at Home: Older Australians & Allied Health Services

If you or a family member receives government-funded aged care at home, you may have questions about what services can be accessed through Support at Home.

Support at Home is the Australian Government's program for providing government-funded aged care services to help older people remain living at home for longer. The program commenced on 1 November 2025, replacing the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme.

One of the areas covered by the program is allied health and therapeutic services.

Support at Home is designed to provide older people with services that support their assessed care needs and help them remain at home. Services are provided according to the person's support plan and the Support at Home service list. The program includes ongoing services as well as short-term pathways, including the Restorative Care Pathway and the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme.

Yes. Allied health and other therapeutic services are included in the Support at Home service list.

The current service list includes services such as physiotherapy and exercise physiology. Exactly what an individual can access depends on their assessment, support plan and the relevant Support at Home requirements.

If you're unsure whether a particular service can be included, speak with your aged care provider or care manager.

Physiotherapy can support older people experiencing changes in mobility, strength, balance, pain or physical function.

A physiotherapist may work with someone to improve movement, build physical capacity, manage a condition or support recovery following an illness or injury. The focus is on the person's individual needs and goals.

Exercise physiology uses individually prescribed exercise to support physical capacity. For an older person, this might involve working on strength, balance, mobility, cardiovascular fitness or functional movement. Exercise can be particularly valuable when the goal is to maintain the physical capacity needed for everyday activities and independence.

Hydrotherapy may also be appropriate for some older people, depending on their assessed needs and the services included in their support arrangements.

Exercising in water can provide an alternative environment for people who find some land-based movement difficult.

Whether hydrotherapy is appropriate and how it can be funded depends on the person's individual circumstances and current Support at Home arrangements.

You don't need a referral from a GP to access allied health services, but the process of accessing allied health services using your aged care funding depends on your circumstances and how your aged care services are arranged.

If you're already receiving Support at Home, your first step can be to speak with your provider or care manager about your goals and whether allied health could form part of your support.

If you are not currently receiving government-funded aged care, you can find information about eligibility and assessment through My Aged Care.

Allied health isn't simply about treating a problem. For older people receiving support at home, it can also be about maintaining the physical capacity needed to continue living the way they want to live. That might mean being able to walk around the house, get up from a chair, manage stairs, participate in the community or continue doing everyday activities independently.

Enable Fitness Centre provides physiotherapy, exercise physiology, hydrotherapy and dietetics for older adults. Our team works with people according to their individual functional needs and goals, with a focus on maintaining independence and quality of life.

If you're receiving Support at Home and want to know whether Enable's services may be suitable for you, speak with your aged care provider or contact our team to discuss your needs.

Support at Home rules and service arrangements can change. For the most up-to-date information about your funding and eligibility, check with your provider or My Aged Care.