How to Prepare for Your Support at Home Assessment
A step-by-step guide to applying through My Aged Care, preparing for your assessment and explaining the support you need to stay safe, confident and independent at home.
As we get older, everyday activities that once felt easy can gradually become more challenging. You might find yourself feeling exhausted after doing the housework, struggling to get in and out of the shower, feeling unsteady on your feet or relying more on family and friends.
The Australian Government's Support at Home program helps eligible older Australians access care and services so they can continue living independently in their own homes.
Before accessing government-funded Support at Home services, you'll need to complete an aged care needs assessment through My Aged Care.
But what happens during a Support at Home assessment? What questions will you be asked? And how can you make sure your needs are properly understood?
This guide explains how to prepare for your aged care assessment, what information to gather and how to confidently discuss the assistance you need.
Step 1: Apply for a Support at Home Assessment Through My Aged Care
The first step is to contact My Aged Care and request an assessment for Support at Home.
You can:
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Visit https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/apply-online to begin the process online.
The initial phone application commonly takes around 20 minutes, although it may take longer depending on your circumstances.
What do you need when applying for My Aged Care?
Before making the call, have the following information ready:
Your Medicare card and another form of identification.
A pen and paper to record your My Aged Care ID, reference details, names and dates.
A current list of medications.
Contact details for your GP and other healthcare professionals.
Examples of everyday activities you're finding difficult, tiring or unsafe.
Details of any assistance you currently receive from family, friends or other services.
During the phone application, you may be asked questions about your health, mobility, falls, personal care, meals, medication, household activities, transport, memory, safety, social connection and the help provided by family or friends.
Helpful tip: You don't have to make the call alone. A trusted family member or friend can help you explain your circumstances with your consent. You can also ask My Aged Care about registering them as your supporter if you want them involved in future discussions.
If you need an interpreter or communication assistance, let My Aged Care know.
Step 2: Prepare for Your Aged Care Needs Assessment
If you may be eligible for government-funded aged care, an assessment organisation operating under the Single Assessment System will contact you to arrange an assessment.
Your assessment will usually take place face to face in your home, although another location, telehealth or phone may be used in some circumstances.
The assessor will discuss your health, daily activities, independence, safety and the support you may need.
Waiting times can vary depending on your circumstances, location, assessment type, workforce capacity and the urgency of your needs.
What documents should you bring to your aged care assessment?
Gathering relevant medical information can help your assessor understand how your health affects everyday activities.
Useful documents may include:
GP letter: Outlining your medical history, diagnoses, recent changes, risks and support needs.
Physiotherapy report: Describing difficulties with mobility, strength, balance, pain, falls risk, transfers, endurance and functional limitations.
Occupational therapy report: Identifying challenges with personal care, household activities, equipment, home accessibility and possible modifications, if available.
Other medical information: Hospital discharge summaries, specialist letters, nursing reports and a current medication list.
It's also helpful to write down any recent falls, near misses, infections, medication mistakes or activities you've stopped doing because they've become too difficult.
You don't need every document to proceed with an assessment, but providing relevant information can help give your assessor a clearer understanding of your circumstances.
Step 3: Think About What Everyday Life Really Looks Like
One of the most important parts of preparing for your Support at Home assessment is recognising where you need assistance.
It's natural to focus on what you can still do independently. However, if you're finding certain activities difficult, painful or exhausting, it's important to explain this honestly.
Think about your difficult days, not just your good days.
For example, rather than saying:
"I can still shower myself."
You might explain:
"I can shower, but I struggle to wash my feet and dry my back. I also feel unsteady getting out, so I prefer having someone nearby in case I need help."
Or instead of:
"I still do my own shopping."
You could explain:
"I can manage a small grocery shop, but carrying heavy bags leaves me exhausted. Sometimes I need to rest for the afternoon afterwards."
These details help your assessor understand not just whether you can complete an activity, but how safely and comfortably you can do it.
What type of assistance might you need?
During your assessment, explain whether you need:
Prompting: Someone to remind or encourage you to complete an activity.
Supervision: Someone to monitor you while completing a task.
Standby assistance: Someone nearby who can step in if you need help.
Set-up assistance: Someone to prepare equipment or items so you can complete the activity yourself.
Hands-on assistance: Someone to physically help you complete part or all of a task.
For example, standby assistance with showering might mean having a support worker nearby while you shower independently, ready to help with drying your back, putting on socks or maintaining your safety if needed.
Needing assistance doesn't mean giving up your independence. Often, having the right support allows you to continue doing more for yourself.
Step 4: Identify Everyday Activities You're Finding Difficult
Before your aged care assessment, take some time to consider how you're managing different areas of daily life.
Personal care and mobility
Are you having difficulty with:
Showering, washing your hair or reaching your feet?
Dressing, putting on socks or managing buttons?
Using the toilet or managing continence?
Getting in and out of bed or chairs?
Walking around your home or outside?
Using stairs or getting in and out of a car?
Household tasks
Are you finding it harder to:
Clean, vacuum or mop your home?
Change bed sheets?
Wash, hang out or fold laundry?
Prepare meals and cook safely?
Shop for groceries and carry bags?
Maintain your garden or outdoor areas?
Health and wellbeing
Have you noticed:
Falls, near misses or feeling unsteady?
Ongoing pain or reduced strength?
Difficulty remembering medication?
Changes in memory, hearing or vision?
Wounds that are slow to heal?
Difficulty managing continence?
Unintentional weight changes?
Feeling lonely or becoming less socially active?
Staying connected and independent
Think about whether you're finding it difficult to attend medical appointments, use public transport, drive safely, visit friends or participate in activities you enjoy.
Remember: An activity doesn't need to be completely impossible before it's worth mentioning.
If something has become painful, exhausting, unsafe or an activity you regularly avoid, tell your assessor.
Download our Support at Home Assessment Preparation Checklist
We've created a practical checklist to help you identify everyday activities you may need assistance with, record changes in your health and prepare notes for your assessment.
Complete it before your appointment and keep it handy when speaking with your assessor.
Step 5: Consider Equipment and Safety Around Your Home
Your Support at Home assessment is also an opportunity to discuss equipment and home modifications that could make everyday activities safer and easier.
Think about any equipment you already use, including:
Walking sticks, walking frames or mobility scooters.
Shower chairs or toilet aids.
Grab rails and handrails.
Personal alarms or falls alert devices.
Medication organisers or Webster-paks.
Hearing aids or vision aids.
Electric beds or lift chairs.
Consider whether your existing equipment still meets your needs or whether you're having difficulty using it.
Is your home safe and accessible?
You may also want to identify any areas of your home that are becoming difficult to navigate, such as:
Steps at entrances or inside your home.
Bathrooms without suitable grab rails.
Showers with raised edges that are difficult to step over.
Narrow doorways or uneven pathways.
Difficulty accessing your bedroom, bathroom or living areas.
An occupational therapist may be able to assess your home and recommend appropriate equipment or modifications.
Step 6: Discuss the Support You Need Now and in the Future
Your assessor will consider your individual circumstances and determine which types of government-funded aged care support you may be eligible to receive.
It's important to discuss all areas where you currently need help, along with any foreseeable changes to your needs.
What services can be included in Support at Home?
Depending on your eligibility, assessed needs and program requirements, services may include:
Personal care: Assistance with showering, dressing, grooming and other personal activities.
Nursing care: Support with wound management, continence and other clinical needs.
Allied health: Services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry.
Exercise and rehabilitation: Appropriate therapeutic exercise and allied health programs.
Domestic assistance: Help with cleaning, laundry and household tasks.
Meals and food preparation: Assistance with preparing meals and access to eligible meal services.
Transport: Assistance getting to appointments and community activities.
Social support: Help maintaining relationships, participating in activities and staying connected.
Assistive technology and home modifications: Eligible equipment and changes that improve safety and independence.
Some services, such as massage or exercise classes, may only be funded where they meet program requirements and are clinically appropriate.
Not every requested service will automatically be approved.
Should you ask about respite care?
If a family member or friend provides regular care, it's worth discussing respite options during your assessment.
Residential respite is assessed separately and is not automatically included with Support at Home approval.
If you're assessed as eligible for residential respite, you may receive a respite classification.
Having respite approval doesn't mean you have to use it immediately.
It simply means you've been assessed as eligible should you need it, which may be helpful when planning for carer breaks or unexpected changes in circumstances.
Step 7: Have Someone With You During Your Assessment
You don't need to go through your aged care assessment alone.
You can ask a family member, friend, carer, advocate or another trusted person to attend with you.
They can help you:
Remember important information.
Explain changes they've noticed in your daily activities.
Ask questions you might not think of.
Take notes about the assessment and next steps.
Sometimes the people around us notice difficulties that we've become used to managing.
Having another perspective can help make sure important details aren't overlooked.
Step 8: Understand What Happens After Your Support at Home Assessment
After your assessment, you'll receive information about the outcome, including your assessed care needs and any approvals or recommendations.
Depending on the outcome, this may include a Notice of Decision and a support plan outlining the services and care needs identified.
Approval doesn't necessarily mean services will begin immediately. Access to ongoing Support at Home funding may depend on funding availability and priority.
Keep copies of your assessment documents, medical reports and correspondence in an easily accessible folder.
If your circumstances change or your needs increase, contact My Aged Care to discuss whether a reassessment or review is appropriate.
7 Important Tips for Your Support at Home Assessment
1. Start early. Don't wait until everyday activities become unsafe or you reach a crisis point. The assessment and funding process can take time.
2. Don't minimise your difficulties. It's okay to acknowledge that something you used to manage independently has become harder.
3. Give real examples. Explain what happens when you attempt an activity, how often you struggle and whether you need to rest afterwards.
4. Think about your difficult days. Make sure the assessor understands how your needs vary, particularly if you have a condition that affects you differently from day to day.
5. Explain what happens without help. If family or friends currently assist you, describe what would happen if they were unavailable.
6. Ask questions. If you're unsure about an assessment outcome, recommended support or next steps, ask for clarification.
7. Focus on maintaining your independence. The aim isn't to have someone do everything for you. It's to identify the right assistance so you can continue living safely and confidently at home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Support at Home Assessments
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You can apply by contacting My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or starting the process online at myagedcare.gov.au. My Aged Care will ask questions about your circumstances and help determine the next steps.
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An aged care assessor will discuss your health, daily activities, mobility, personal care, home safety and existing support arrangements. The aim is to understand what assistance you may need to continue living safely and independently at home.
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The length of an assessment varies depending on your circumstances, health conditions and the complexity of your support needs. Allow enough time to discuss your situation thoroughly and ask questions.
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Yes. You can have a family member, friend, carer, advocate or another trusted person attend with you. They can help explain your needs, ask questions and take notes.
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You may still be eligible for assistance if certain activities have become difficult, unsafe or exhausting. Explain how these challenges affect your daily life, even if you can still complete some tasks independently.
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If your health or circumstances change, contact My Aged Care to discuss your situation. You may be eligible for a reassessment or review of your support needs.
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No. You don't need to choose a Support at Home provider before requesting an assessment through My Aged Care. Once you have received the relevant approvals and funding, you can explore providers and choose one that suits your needs.
Need Help Understanding Support at Home?
Navigating aged care can feel overwhelming, especially when you're unsure where to begin.
At allcare, we're here to help older Australians across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven understand their options and access the support they need to continue living independently at home.
Whether you're preparing for your first assessment, exploring Support at Home services or considering changing providers, our friendly local team is here to help.
Have questions about Support at Home?
Call our friendly team on 1300 377 074 to discuss your options.
Ready to begin your assessment? Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or click here to get started online.