Well At Home

Support At Home Program

What the Changes Mean for Older Australians, Families & Allied Health — and How Well At Home Supports You

From 1 November 2025, the Australian aged-care system entered a major new phase with the introduction of the Support at Home (SAH) program. This program replaces the former Home Care Packages (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care programs, shifting the way services, equipment, and reablement supports are funded and delivered.

Well At Home has been designed with these reforms at the forefront—aligning with the new funding rules, the assistive technology (AT) framework, and the needs of therapists, providers, clients, and families.

What the Support at Home Program Changes

The Support at Home system restructures how older people receive help to stay safe, independent, and well at home. Key elements include:

1. New Fee-for-Service Funding Model

Instead of a single pool of funds like traditional Home Care Packages, SAH uses quarterly budgets linked to specific support categories.

2. Clear, Ring-Fenced Funding for Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM)

Approved low-risk equipment now has defined parameters, making it easier for clients to access necessary items without long delays or complicated quoting.

3. Increased Transparency for Clients & Families

People receiving support can now see:

  • What items are authorised

  • How much funding is used

  • The purpose and expected outcome of each purchase

4. Stronger Requirements for Evidence & Documentation

Therapists must provide:

  • Clear clinical justification

  • Accurate item descriptions

  • Trial or functional outcome notes (when relevant)

  • Quotes aligned with AT categories and risk levels

What SAH Means for Therapists and Allied Health Providers

Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists play an even more central role in SAH. The program introduces clearer expectations around assessment and documentation, including:

1. A Single Assessment System With Defined Support Types

Therapists will now be working within a structure that links assessments directly to budget allocations—reducing ambiguity but increasing the need for precise recommendations.

2. Quarterly Budgets Create Time-Sensitive Decision Making

Delays can result in unused funds. Timely, concise recommendations matter more than ever.

3. Assistive Technology Funding is Categorised

Low-risk AT (such as the items included in Well At Home kits) typically require:

  • Functional rationale

  • Alignment to daily living goals

  • Evidence of need

Higher-risk AT will require more comprehensive reporting.

4. Evidence-Based Decisions Are Now Mandatory

Clear documentation supports:

  • Faster approvals

  • Cleaner claims for providers

  • Reduced back-and-forth communication

  • Lower risk of funding rejection

Therapists need suppliers who respond quickly, provide accurate product information, and support compliance.
Well At Home is built to fill that gap.

What This Means for Older Australians & Their Families

For those currently receiving aged-care support—or transitioning from HCP to SAH—the new system offers:

1. More Control and Clarity

Clients and families can better understand:

  • What support they’re entitled to

  • What equipment is appropriate

  • How reablement supports maintain independence

2. Faster, Simpler Access to Low-Risk Assistive Products

This includes items related to:

  • Safety

  • Mobility

  • Strength and balance

  • Functional independence

  • Self-care

3. Greater Transparency

You’ll know what is being ordered, why, and how it supports independence.

4. A Strong Emphasis on Reablement

SAH focuses not just on compensating for loss of function, but on supporting older Australians to maintain or regain independence where possible.

How Well At Home Supports the SAH Framework

Well At Home was created to integrate seamlessly with the Support at Home system by offering:

✔ Curated Assistive Technology Kits

Containing multiple low-risk reablement items in one compliant, cost-effective box, reducing the need for multiple orders.

✔ Clear Item Descriptions & Compliance Alignment

Every product is mapped against SAH AT-HM criteria for age-appropriate, low-risk equipment.

✔ Rapid Fulfilment & 30-Day Terms for Providers

Supporting the need for timely purchases within quarterly budgets.

✔ Easy Ordering for Care Advisors & Clients

Providers can use a simple email template, saving time and administrative pressure.

✔ Reduced Workload for Therapists

Instead of sourcing multiple vendors, trialling numerous low-risk items, or creating long quotes, therapists can confidently recommend:

  • A single kit

  • Multiple functional solutions

  • Immediate practical benefit

How the System Differs From NDIS

While Support at Home is the primary focus for older Australians, some people also receive NDIS funding or transition between both systems.

NDIS remains stricter around:

  • Conflict of interest

  • Item-specific evidence

  • AT categorisation

  • Prohibited incentives

  • Professional independence requirements

Well At Home remains compliant with:

  • AHPRA ethical frameworks for OTs and physios

  • NDIS Code of Conduct (no incentives, no referral inducements)

  • Consumer law standards

But our service model is built primarily to support SAH and HCP environments.

Why a Well At Home Reablement Kit Helps Everyone

For Clients

  • Everything needed arrives in a single, practical box

  • Supports independence, safety, strength and functional ability

  • Reduces isolation and increases confidence at home

For Families

  • Provides reassurance that loved ones have the essential tools

  • Saves time, stress, and guesswork

For Care Advisors and Case Managers

  • One order → multiple needs met

  • Less admin

  • No chasing different suppliers

For OTs and Physios

  • Clear itemisation that supports evidence-based recommendations

  • Eliminates searching for multiple low-risk products

  • Easy to document in clinical notes and care plans

For Providers

  • Fast, compliant ordering

  • Predictable, transparent pricing

  • Fits neatly within SAH guidelines

Aged Care is Changing. Well At Home is Designed for This Moment.

The move to the Support at Home program signals a future where:

  • Independence

  • Reablement

  • Transparency

  • Evidence-based support

  • Functional safety

… are at the core of aged-care delivery.

Well At Home exists to make this transition easier, clearer, and more meaningful for everyone involved