Types of care: A simple guide (before you need it at 2am)

Before diving into care options, you need to know what matters to your parent. Not what you think they need. What they actually want.

Some parents would rather have less support at home than move to residential care. Some would prefer professional care over relying on family. Some have strong feelings about medical interventions. Some don't want to be a burden. Some are terrified of losing independence.

These preferences matter. Not just ethically - practically. Care that aligns with someone's values tends to work better than care imposed against their wishes.

Have the conversation while you can. Ask:

• Where do you want to live as you age?

• What kind of help would you accept at home?

• What matters most to you - safety, independence, staying in your house, being near family?

• What would make life not worth living for you?

• Who do you trust to make decisions if you can't?

You might not get clear answers. That's okay. Even vague preferences ("I want to stay home as long as possible") give you a framework for decisions later.

And be realistic: preferences might need to change as health changes. "I never want to go into a home" becomes complicated when someone needs 24-hour care, and the family can't provide it. The goal isn't to honour every preference forever - it's to make decisions informed by what matters to your parent, acknowledging when safety or capacity shifts what's actually possible.

If they're already past the point of having these conversations, you're working with what you know of them. Their values, their past comments, their personality.

It's harder, but you do your best with the information you have.

These articles might also be helpful.
The three conversations to have before everything changes
The art of the difficult conversation

 

Basic home support services

What it is:
Help with specific tasks - cleaning, shopping, transport to appointments, meal preparation, gardening, and minor home maintenance. Someone comes to the house for a few hours a week or fortnight.

Who it's for:
People living independently who just need help with tasks they can't manage alone anymore. They're still making their own decisions, managing their own medications, handling their own finances.

What it costs:
You can access subsidised services through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) with a small fee per service, or hire private providers and pay directly.

Reality check:
This works when someone needs practical help but doesn't need supervision or medical support. If your parent is forgetting medications, getting confused, or having frequent falls, basic home support isn't enough.

 

What it is:
Government-funded support for older Australians with basic care needs. Includes personal care (help with showering, dressing), home modifications (grab rails, ramps), meals on wheels, social support groups, allied health services (physio, podiatry), and transport to appointments.

Who it's for:
People who need help with daily tasks but don't need complex or coordinated care packages. Entry-level aged care support.

What it costs:
Usually involves a small fee per service, but is significantly subsidised. Fees vary by service type and provider.

Reality check:
CHSP is designed for lower-level needs. If your parent needs nursing care, medication management, or coordinated support from multiple providers, they'll need a higher level - Support at Home packages.

 

What it is:
Support at Home is the Government's new subsidised funding program for coordinated care at home. It was introduced in November 2025, covering personal care, nursing, allied health (physio, occupational therapy), care coordination, equipment, home modifications, transport, and social support. Funding comes in eight classifications based on assessed need, ranging from around $11,000 to $78,000 annually.

Who it's for:
People who need regular support to keep living at home. This might include help with showering, medication management, wound care, mobility support, dementia care, and chronic disease management.

What it costs:
Means-tested. Most people pay income-tested care fees plus daily fees. The government covers the bulk of the cost. You choose your provider, and they manage the funding.

Reality check:
There can be waiting periods for higher classifications. Assessment happens through My Aged Care. And even the highest funding level ($78,000/year) doesn't cover 24-hour care. If your parent needs round-the-clock supervision, home care reaches its limit.

 

What it is:
Temporary care that gives family carers a break. Can be in-home (someone comes to stay with your parent while you take time off), day respite (your parent attends a centre during the day), or residential (your parent stays in an aged care facility for a few days or weeks).

Who it's for:
Family carers who are burning out and need a break, or who have a temporary situation (you're having surgery, going on holiday, dealing with your own crisis).

What it costs:
Subsidised if accessed through the aged care system (can also be included in Support at Home funding or Carer Gateway funding,  arranged separately). Emergency respite is available through Carer Gateway, sometimes at short notice if a carer becomes suddenly unable to provide care.

Reality check:
Respite is not a long-term solution. It's a pressure valve. If you're needing respite constantly, the care situation isn't sustainable and needs rethinking.

 

What it is:
Day centres, seniors' social groups, meals programs, community transport, dementia cafes, exercise programs, and other services that help people stay connected and independent. Not direct care, but support that prevents isolation and decline.

Who it's for:
People who are reasonably independent but would benefit from social connection, structured activities, or community support. Often helpful for people with early dementia or those at risk of isolation.

What it costs:
Some services are free, some charge small fees. Many are run by councils, community organisations, or not-for-profits.

Reality check:
These services are underused but valuable. They can delay the need for higher-level care by keeping people active, social, and engaged. Worth exploring before your parent needs intensive support.

 

What it is:
Medical care in a hospital setting. For emergencies, surgery, acute illness, diagnostic procedures, or treatment that requires medical supervision and equipment.

Who it's for:
Anyone needing medical intervention that can't be provided at home or in lower-acuity settings. Heart attacks, strokes, infections, falls with injury, surgery, and acute mental health crises.

What it costs:
Covered by Medicare if you're a public patient. Private health insurance covers some or all costs if you're a private patient. Out-of-pocket costs vary significantly.

Reality check:
Hospitals treat acute medical problems, then discharge. They're not aged care facilities. If your parent can't go home safely, the hospital discharge team will help organise care - but hospitals don't provide long-term accommodation or support.

 

What it is:
Intensive therapy and support after a hospital stay to help someone recover function and independence before returning home. Includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing care, and support to build strength and skills. Can be provided in hospital-based rehab units, standalone rehab facilities, or at home through the Transition Care Programme (TCP).

Who it's for:
People recovering from surgery, stroke, serious illness, or injury who need more support than they'd get at home but aren't ready for long-term care. The goal is recovery and return to previous living situation (or as close as possible).

What it costs:
TCP is government-funded with low daily fees. Hospital-based rehab is covered by Medicare. Private rehab facilities vary in cost.

How long it lasts:
Usually time-limited, typically 6-12 weeks. There's a clear goal: recover enough function to go home safely or determine that home is no longer viable.

Reality check:
Rehab requires the person to have rehabilitation potential - they need to be able to participate in therapy and make progress. It's not appropriate for advanced dementia or end-stage illness. And it's genuinely short-term; you can't use it as long-term accommodation while avoiding aged care decisions.

 

What it is:
Full-time care in an aged care facility. Staff provide 24-hour support, including personal care, nursing care, meals, accommodation, activities, and medication management. Some facilities have specialised dementia units, palliative care capacity, or specific cultural/language services.

Who it's for:
People who can no longer safely live at home, even with support. Usually, because they need 24-hour supervision, have complex medical needs, have advanced dementia, or have declined to the point where home care isn't safe or feasible.

What it costs:
Complex means-testing determines what you pay. Some people pay only a basic daily fee (~$60/day). Others pay accommodation costs, means-tested care fees, and additional service fees. It can range from $20,000 to $100,000+ per year, depending on assets and income.

How to access it:
You need an aged care assessment from My Aged Care. Then you apply directly to facilities. Waiting lists exist for preferred facilities, especially in metro areas.

Reality check:
This is a big transition. Most people resist it until it's unavoidable. Once someone's in residential care, they usually don't return home. Quality varies significantly between facilities, so do your research, visit multiple places, and talk to families of current residents.

 

What it is:
Specialised care focused on comfort, symptom management, and quality of life for people with life-limiting illnesses. Not about curing - about living as well as possible with the time left. Can be provided at home, in hospital, in residential aged care, or in specialist palliative care units.

Who it's for:
Anyone with a terminal or life-limiting diagnosis - cancer, advanced heart failure, advanced dementia, motor neurone disease, advanced COPD or other life-limiting conditions. You don't have to be "actively dying" to access palliative care. It can be appropriate for months or even years.

What it covers:
Pain and symptom management, emotional and psychological support, spiritual care, advanced care planning, family support, and coordination with other care providers. Multidisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, social workers, sometimes chaplains or counsellors.

What it costs:
Mostly covered by Medicare and the public health system. Some private palliative care services charge fees. Equipment (hospital beds, commodes) can usually be loaned free through palliative care services.

Reality check:
Palliative care isn't "giving up." It's shifting focus from cure to comfort. Many people wish they'd accessed it earlier because it significantly improves the quality of life in the final months. You can receive palliative care alongside other treatments.

What it is:
Specialised end-of-life care in a home-like setting (not a hospital). Focus on comfort, dignity, symptom management, and emotional/spiritual support for the dying person and their family. Usually, small facilities with private rooms, families can stay over, often with beautiful grounds, and less clinical than hospitals.

Who it's for:
People who are actively dying - usually the final weeks or days of life - and want a peaceful, supported environment that's not clinical like a hospital but has more support than home care can provide.

What it costs:
Most hospice care in Australia is provided by not-for-profit organisations and is free or low-cost. Some private hospices charge fees but often have subsidy arrangements.

How to access it:
Usually through referral from the palliative care team, GP, or hospital discharge planner. Admission criteria typically require a terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of weeks to months.

Reality check:
Hospice is specifically for end-of-life care. You're not accessing this unless someone is expected to die within weeks to months. It's a beautiful option when someone can't die comfortably at home but doesn't want to die in a hospital. Limited beds mean you might not get in even if appropriate.

What it is:
Specific services and funding for veterans and war widows/widowers through the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA). Includes DVA-funded home care, residential care in veterans-specific facilities, specialist health services, equipment, and support that runs parallel to (or replaces) mainstream aged care.

Who it's for:
Anyone who served in Australia's military or is the widow/widower of someone who served. Eligibility varies by service history and disability status.

What it's worth:
Can be significantly more generous than standard aged care funding, especially for veterans with service-related disabilities. May cover higher-level care or more services.

How to access it:
Through DVA directly - a separate pathway from My Aged Care. Veterans can often access DVA services alongside or instead of standard aged care.

Reality check:
If your parent is a veteran or war widow/widower, investigate DVA entitlements before arranging standard aged care. They may qualify for better funding or specialist services.

Care needs are a spectrum.
You don't jump from independent living straight to residential care. Usually, there's a gradual increase in support: a bit of home help, then CHSP services, then a Support at Home package, then maybe residential care when home is no longer safe.

Plans change as health changes.
What works today might not work in six months. Someone might start with basic home support and progress through several levels before needing residential care. That's normal.

Sometimes you skip steps.
A major health event (stroke, dementia diagnosis, severe fall) can mean someone goes straight from independent living to needing residential care. You don't always get the luxury of gradual transitions.

Rehab can buy time - but it's time-limited.
After a hospital stay, rehab might help your parent regain enough function to go home with support. Or it might reveal they can't safely return home. Either way, it's a short-term bridge, not a permanent solution.

Family capacity matters.
The "right" care option depends partly on what the family can realistically provide. If you're working full-time with kids and living two hours away, home care has different limits than if you're local and available.

Cost affects choices.
Higher-level care costs more. Some families stretch to keep someone at home longer than is realistic because residential care is expensive. Some can't afford full-time home care and need residential placement sooner. It's not just about medical need, it's about what's financially sustainable.

Geography affects access.
Rural and regional areas have fewer options. Waiting lists are longer. Specialist services (palliative care units, hospices, rehab facilities) might not exist locally. Sometimes the "ideal" care option isn't available in your area.

 

Step 1: Get a realistic assessment of current needs.
This might mean a GP visit, an aged care assessment through My Aged Care (1800 200 422), or honest conversations about what's actually happening at home. Not what you wish was happening—what's real.

Step 2: Match needs to the appropriate level of care.
Not what you wish they needed. What they actually need right now. If someone's falling regularly and forgetting to eat, basic home support isn't enough. If they need 24-hour supervision, even the highest Support at Home package won't cut it.

Step 3: Understand this will change.
Set up care that works today, but keep an eye on whether it's still meeting needs in three months, six months, a year. Gradual decline means gradual increases in support.

Step 4: Get help navigating the system.
My Aged Care (1800 200 422) is the entry point for government-funded aged care. Carer Gateway (1800 422 737) supports family carers. Aged care assessment teams can help determine what level of care is appropriate. Hospital social workers or discharge planners can help if your parent is currently hospitalised.

Step 5: Research quality, not just availability.
Particularly for residential aged care - quality varies enormously. Visit multiple facilities, talk to families of current residents, check quality reports on the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website, and ask hard questions about staffing levels and complaint processes.

Sometimes, what your parent wants and what they actually need diverge. They want to stay home. But they're not safe at home anymore. They don't want strangers helping them shower. But they can't manage personal care alone, and you can't do it.

When preferences and reality clash, you're making decisions based on safety, capacity, and what's actually sustainable ... not just what everyone wishes was possible.

That's hard. But it's also part of this life stage. Sometimes honouring someone's dignity means making difficult decisions they wouldn't have chosen themselves, because their capacity to make safe decisions has changed.

There's no perfect answer. Just the best decision you can make with the information and resources you have right now.

Some parents will need only basic support for years. Some will decline rapidly and need intensive care quickly. Some will move through every level of this list over a five-year journey. There's no single path.