How to access aged care services
There are many aged care services to consider. Most are regulated by the Australian government. For some people, it can be difficult to understand how the system works and how to find the right service.
This page explains how to access publicly funded aged care services. For information about LGBTI-specific concerns, please go to the "LGBTI Supports" section.
Publicly funded aged care services
To receive a publicly funded aged care service, you must be 65 years or older, or 50 years or older if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. With new aged care laws having taken effect from 1 July 2025, people aged 50 years or older who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are now also eligible.
Services range from basic supports to help you stay at home, through to full-time residential care. Whether you need short-term help to manage a health issue or more intensive support, there are a range of support options.
To access any government-funded aged care service, you need to contact My Aged Care.
1. My Aged Care
You can connect with My Aged Care by phone on 1800 200 422 or via the My Aged Care website.
Some Services Australia offices have an Aged Care Specialist Officer who can see you in person. For more information, see the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN).
Aged care providers must make sure people of diverse gender, sexual orientation or who are intersex feel safe, included and respected. For more information, see the Government’s Support for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex or other sexual orientations or are gender diverse or bodily diverse.
2. Help finding aged care supports
Some older people find it very difficult to navigate the range of aged care services. Care Finders is a free service to help. It supports people who have no one else to help them learn about, apply for and set up support services.
For more information about how to apply for assessment, including any LGBTI-friendly aged care service providers, please read our "Care Finders" information sheet.
To see if you are eligible for help to navigate the aged care system, please visit the Care Finder section on the My Aged Care website.
3. Government support options
There are two main types of publicly funded supports. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), which provides support for people with low-level care needs, and a single Support at Home program for people who have more complex needs.
Support at Home started on 1 November 2025, covers what used to be known as Home Care Packages and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. During this period of change, the best place to keep up to date with the changes is the Department of Health website.
The Government has announced that there will be changes to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, but this will start no earlier than 1 July 2027.
a. Commonwealth Home Support
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) provides basic support at home. You may be able to access one or two services a week, including cleaning, meal preparation, transport, social support or help with dressing or showering. For more information, see Older People’s Advocacy Network information.
b. Support at Home
Under Support at Home, you have access to a defined list of services to support you to live at home for longer. This can include support for:
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- clinical supports, such as nursing care, occupational therapy, and podiatry
- independence, such as help with showering, taking medications, transport, and respite care
- everyday living, such as cleaning, gardening, shopping, or meal preparation.
It also includes services that support culturally safe care, such as help to join in cultural activities and access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and health workers.
For more information, see Support at Home.
4. LGBTI-friendly services
You may have found an aged care service potentially suitable for you. To help decide whether they are LGBTI-friendly, you might find the 10 Questions to Ask leaflet helpful. This leaflet can help make sure you ask the right questions about residential aged care. It has been developed by nurses, doctors and other experts in aged care.
5. LGBTI specialised services
Once you have been assessed as eligible for support, the ‘service finder tool’ on the government’s My Aged Care website can help you find and compare Aged Care providers in your area.
My Aged Care allows you to use a filter to find providers who have undertaken additional steps to specialise in care for older LGBTI people. You can read step-by-step instructions for how to do this in My Aged Care's "Finding LGBTI-Inclusive Home Care Packages on the Service Finder" guide.
For more information about how to apply for assessment, including any LGBTI-friendly aged care service providers, see our "How do you access an LGBTI-friendly aged care service?" information sheet.
