Can You Self-Manage Support at Home? What Older Australians Need to Know

Can You Self-Manage Under Support at Home?

Yes. Under Support at Home, participants can choose to self-manage parts of their care, depending on their needs, preferences and abilities.

Self-management looks different for everyone. Some people want to manage most of their day-to-day arrangements. Others prefer to manage only one or two things, such as choosing a regular worker, and leave everything else to their provider.

Whatever you choose, you and your provider agree on the arrangements together, and they are written into your care plan.

What Can You Self-Manage?

Depending on what you and your provider agree, self-management activities can include:

• Choosing or coordinating your services, based on your needs and budget.
• Managing your own workers and scheduling your services.
• Paying invoices for services delivered and seeking reimbursement from your provider.
• Managing your budget.
• Navigating the aged care system.
• Sourcing assistive technology and home modifications.

You can take on as much or as little as suits you, and you can change your arrangements as your needs change.

For example, you might keep the cleaner you have used for years and book your own cleaning times, while your provider continues to arrange your personal care, manage your budget and check in with you each month.

Do You Still Need a Provider If You Self-Manage?

Yes. Even if you self-manage, you still need a registered Support at Home provider.

Your provider holds and manages your Support at Home funding, makes sure services meet the program rules and remains responsible for the quality and safety of your care. This protects you, and it means you always have someone to turn to if things change.

Choosing the right provider matters. Look for one that is happy to support the level of self-management you want and that explains clearly what they will and will not do.

Care Management Still Applies

One of the most important things to understand is that care management continues, even when you self-manage.



• 10% of your Support at Home budget is set aside for care management. This stays the same whether or not you self-manage.
• Your provider must deliver at least one direct care management activity each month, to help oversee your safety, quality and wellbeing.
• Your Care Partner develops your care plan with you, including any self-management arrangements, before or on the day your care starts.

Care management is not a sign that you are not trusted to manage your own care. It is a safety net that makes sure your services are working for you and that someone is checking in regularly.

Can You Use Your Own Workers?

Some people prefer to choose their own workers, including workers from other organisations, such as a gardener or a cleaner they already know.

These are called third-party workers.

• Third-party workers can be used under Support at Home, but there are some important rules:
• Your provider must still meet all of its regulatory obligations when a third party delivers your services. If they cannot meet those requirements, they cannot agree to the arrangement.
• You and your provider agree on what will be charged to your budget for the third-party service.
• If you self-manage and use a third-party worker, your provider can charge an overhead to cover the extra work involved. This is capped at 10% of the actual cost of the third-party service.
• You may need to contribute towards the cost, depending on the type of service and your contribution rate.

If you have a worker in mind, raise it with your provider early so they can check what is needed before services begin.

What Can You Spend Your Funding On?

Self-managing does not change what your funding can be used for. Services must be on the Support at Home service list and match your assessed needs and care plan.



Contribution rules also still apply. Depending on your financial situation, you may contribute towards some services, such as help with independence and everyday living, while clinical care is fully funded by the government. Our guide to Support at Home pricing and contributions explains this in more detail.

Is Self-Management Right for You?

Self-management can work well for people who like to stay hands-on, but it is not for everyone. Before you decide, it can help to ask yourself:

• Do I want to choose and manage my own workers, or would I prefer my provider to arrange them?
• Am I comfortable keeping track of invoices, appointments and my budget?
• Do I have a family member or carer who can help if I need it?
• How would I manage if I became unwell or my needs changed?
• Which parts of my care do I want to manage, and which would I rather hand over?

There is no right or wrong answer. Many people start with one or two self-managed activities and adjust over time. Before you sign anything, our Support at Home agreement checklist can help you work out what to ask.

Common Questions About Self-Management

FOCUS Connect is a registered Support at Home provider supporting older people across South West Sydney and Northern Sydney.

Whether you want to manage parts of your care yourself or would prefer us to coordinate everything, our Care Partners can talk you through what is possible and work alongside you to set up arrangements that suit your needs, preferences and routine. We believe in doing things with people, not for them, so you stay in control of the decisions that matter to you.

Prefer to leave the organising to us? That’s completely fine. Our Care Partners can arrange and coordinate your services for you, so you can focus on living well at home.

We support people from many cultural and language backgrounds, and we can talk you through your options in a way that makes sense to you.

Talk to Us About Your Support at Home Options

If you are thinking about self-managing parts of your Support at Home services, or you are not yet sure what is right for you, our friendly team can explain how it works and answer your questions.

Not yet receiving Support at Home? Our step-by-step guide explains how to get Support at Home through My Aged Care.

Contact FOCUS Connect

Phone: 1300 000 618
Local: (02) 4627 1188
Email: info@focusconnect.org.au
Website: www.focusconnect.org.au

This article provides general information about self-management under the Australian Government's Support at Home program. Arrangements depend on your individual needs, care plan and provider. For official information, see the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing guidance on self-management.