Aged care glossary

Aged care assessment

A conversation with a trained assessor, usually at home, that works out what help an older person needs and which government funded aged care programs they are eligible for. It is the first step for all government funded aged care.

Source: How to get assessed (My Aged Care) · Read more: Getting an aged care assessment

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

The national regulator of aged care. It registers providers, monitors them against the Aged Care Quality Standards and handles complaints about government funded aged care.

Source: Glossary (My Aged Care)

Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme

Support at Home funding for equipment such as walking frames and shower chairs, and home changes such as grab rails and ramps. It is separate from the ongoing quarterly budget.

Source: Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme (My Aged Care)

Care finder

A free service that helps vulnerable older people with no one else to support them to learn about, apply for and set up aged care and other local services.

Source: Help from a care finder (My Aged Care)

Care management

Planning, coordinating and reviewing a person’s care, done by a provider staff member called a care partner. For ongoing Support at Home services, 10% of each quarterly budget goes to the provider for care management.

Source: Care management for Support at Home (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)

Carer Gateway

A free Australian Government program for carers, offering counselling, peer support, coaching, tailored support packages and emergency respite. Call 1800 422 737.

Source: What is Carer Gateway? (Carer Gateway) · Read more: Respite care for carers

Classification

The Support at Home funding level set at the assessment. There are 8 ongoing classifications, each with its own quarterly budget, plus 4 transitioned classifications for former Home Care Package recipients.

Source: Support at Home costs and contributions (My Aged Care) · Read more: Classifications and budgets

Commonwealth Home Support Program

Entry level help at home for older people, such as help around the house, transport, meals, personal care and planned respite. It continues alongside Support at Home and will move into it no earlier than 1 July 2027.

Source: About the Commonwealth Home Support Program (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)

End of Life Pathway

A Support at Home short term pathway giving extra care at home for people aged 65 or over (50 or over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) with an estimated 3 months or less to live.

Source: End of Life Pathway (My Aged Care)

Financial hardship assistance

Help from the government, also called a fee reduction supplement, for people who cannot pay their aged care contributions because of genuine financial hardship.

Source: Support at Home participant contributions (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)

Home Care Packages Program

The former program for aged care at home, replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025. People with a package moved across with a transitioned classification equivalent to their package level.

Source: About the Support at Home program (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)

Income and assets assessment

The Services Australia (or DVA) assessment that sets a person’s Support at Home contribution rates. Pensioners’ existing details are used; others may need to fill in a form.

Source: Income and assets assessments for Support at Home (My Aged Care)

Integrated Assessment Tool

The standard set of questions every aged care assessor uses, covering physical health, medical conditions, thinking and memory, wellbeing, safety at home, support needs and risks. Its results set the Support at Home classification and priority category.

Source: How the assessment process works (My Aged Care)

Interim funding

When waits are longer than expected, 60% of a person’s approved Support at Home funding may be allocated first so the most important services can start. The rest follows when available.

Source: Assessment outcome: Support at Home, including funding wait times (My Aged Care)

Lifetime cap

The most a person can be asked to contribute over their lifetime, combined across Support at Home and the non clinical care contribution in residential aged care. It is indexed each March and September.

Source: Support at Home participant contributions (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)

My Aged Care

The Australian Government’s starting point for aged care. It is made up of the myagedcare.gov.au website, the phone line on 1800 200 422 and Aged Care Specialist Officers at some Services Australia centres, and it is where you apply for an assessment.

Source: Glossary (My Aged Care) · Read more: Getting an aged care assessment

Notice of Decision

The assessment outcome letter. It explains what a person has been approved for, the reasons, and how to ask for a review, and it comes with a copy of the Support Plan.

Source: Receiving your assessment outcome (My Aged Care)

Older Persons Advocacy Network

A free, independent and confidential advocacy service for older people and their families, reached on the Aged Care Advocacy Line, 1800 700 600.

Source: Seeking support from an advocate (My Aged Care)

Participant contribution

What a person pays towards Support at Home services: a percentage of the price, set by the type of service and their income and assets. Clinical supports have no contribution.

Source: Support at Home participant contributions (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing) · Read more: What you pay

Quarterly budget

The Support at Home funding for each 3 month period, made up of government funding and the person’s contributions. Some unspent money carries over to the next quarter.

Source: Managing your Support at Home budget (My Aged Care) · Read more: Classifications and budgets

Referral code

A unique reference number from the assessment that you give your chosen provider so they can see the client record and Support Plan and start organising services. It is also in the My Aged Care Online Account.

Source: Assessment outcome: Support at Home, including funding wait times (My Aged Care)

Registered provider

An organisation registered with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to deliver government funded aged care. Under the Aged Care Act 2024, every provider of government funded aged care must be registered.

Source: Provider registration (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission)

Registered supporter

Someone, often a family member, registered with My Aged Care to help an older person make and communicate decisions about their aged care, in line with that person’s wishes.

Source: Registering a supporter (My Aged Care)

Respite care

Care from someone other than the usual carer for a few hours, days or weeks, at home, in the community or in an aged care home, so the carer can have a break. It is also available in emergencies.

Source: Respite care (My Aged Care) · Read more: Respite care for carers

Restorative Care Pathway

A Support at Home short term pathway giving intensive allied health and nursing for up to 16 weeks to help a person regain function and stay independent.

Source: Restorative Care Pathway (My Aged Care)

Service agreement

The legal contract between a person and their provider that sets out services, prices, contributions, rights and the complaints process. It must be in place on or before the day services start.

Source: Agreeing to Support at Home services (My Aged Care)

Support at Home

The Australian Government program that funds aged care at home. It started on 1 November 2025, replacing the Home Care Packages Program and the Short Term Restorative Care Programme.

Source: About the Support at Home program (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing) · Read more: Support at Home explained

Support at Home Priority System

How funding for ongoing Support at Home services is handed out once someone is approved, based on their priority category (urgent, high, medium or standard) and the date of approval.

Source: Assessment outcome: Support at Home, including funding wait times (My Aged Care) · Read more: Waiting for Support at Home

Support Plan

The document written with the assessor that records a person’s strengths, difficulties, goals and preferences, and lists the programs and services they are eligible for.

Source: How the assessment process works (My Aged Care)

Transition care

Short term care after a hospital stay, for up to 12 weeks, at home, in the community or in an aged care home, to help a person recover and avoid moving into long term care too soon.

Source: Transition care (My Aged Care)