Access to Community Care services
If you need help to stay living at home and in your community, you may be eligible for assistance from Community Care.
Community Care provides basic support (usually 1-5 hours per week) to people with a disability or condition that restricts their day-to-day living who are under 65.
If you, or the person you care for, are 65 years or older, you may be eligible for aged care services.
Community Care service types
In home services
- domestic assistance, such as cleaning, washing and ironing
- personal care, including bathing, showering, dressing, toileting and hair-care
- home maintenance, including changing light bulbs, fixing leaks and lawn mowing
- home modifications, like access ramps or bathroom equipment
- meals and other food services, including provision of meals, help with food shopping and food preparation.
Community-based services
- centre-based group activities, including excursions, tours and classes
- social support, including help from a support worker to attend appointments, or do shopping or banking
- transport, for help getting to shopping, appointments, or community activities
- goods and equipment, including loan or purchase of accessibility aids, wheelchairs or personal care items.
Clinical services
- nursing services, including help with medications and wound care
- allied health services, for example podiatry, physiotherapy, or advice from a dietician.
Respite, counselling and carer support services
- counselling support and advocacy, for you or your carer
- in-home or centre-based respite to provide a break for carers
Eligibility
In order to access Community Care services, you must be a person, or the carer of a person, who is:
- under 65, and
- has a moderate, severe or profound disability, or a condition which restricts the ability to carry out activities of daily living, and
- is living in the community, and
- having difficulty performing the core activities of daily living* due to functional limitations, and
- is at risk of losing independence without assistance from Community Care, due to loss of functional ability or unsustainable living arrangements.
*Core activities of daily living are communication, self-care and mobility. Core activity tasks include dressing, bathing or showering, preparing meals, house cleaning and maintenance, and using public transport.
Cost
Each organisation delivering Community Care services has its own policy on fees. Most services ask for a small contribution—this depends on your situation. Special arrangements may be made if you cannot afford to pay a fee.
How to apply
To apply, phone your local Community Access Point on 1800 600 300. You do not need a referral.
If you are over 65, phone the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 200 422.
To assess your eligibility and support needs, a worker from a Community Care service or a Community Access Point will talk to you about how you are coping with daily living.
The information you provide is then used by the Community Care service to determine your eligibility, and what type of service you may need in order to stay living at home.
