Glossary of aged care terms

The assessment a person needs before using government-subsidised aged care for the first time. One application covers every type of care and support, including help at home, short-term care and care in an aged care home.

Source: My Aged Care - Apply for an assessment online, checked 13 November 2026.

Also called residential aged care. It is for older people who can no longer live independently at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care.

Source: My Aged Care - Aged care homes, checked 13 November 2026.

The level of ongoing funding a person is given to meet their assessed care needs. There are 8 classifications for ongoing services, and an aged care assessor decides which applies.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

Services such as nursing, occupational therapy, podiatry and help with showering or dressing. The government pays the full price, so there is no contribution.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

A government program that helps older people get entry-level support services to live independently and safely at home. An aged care assessment decides eligibility. A person whose needs are more complex may be approved for Support at Home instead.

Source: My Aged Care - Commonwealth Home Support Program, checked 13 November 2026.

A concession card from Services Australia that gives cheaper medical costs. It is for people of Age Pension age who are not getting an income support payment from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs and who meet an income test, among other conditions.

Source: Services Australia - Who can get a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, checked 13 November 2026.

The share of a service's price that the person receiving care pays. The government pays the rest to the provider. The share depends on the type of service and on the person's income and assets.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home participant contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

Services such as cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation. These carry the highest contribution.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home participant contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

A person who receives the maximum Australian Government means-tested pension.

Source: My Aged Care - Glossary, checked 13 November 2026.

An assessment of a person's income and assets that decides how much they pay and how much the government pays. Services Australia does it for most people. The Department of Veterans' Affairs does it for people who receive a means tested payment from that department.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

Services such as remedial massage, respite care, transport and support to attend appointments. The person receiving care makes a moderate contribution.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home participant contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

The most a person can be asked to contribute over their lifetime. It is combined with the non-clinical care contribution in residential aged care, and is indexed on 20 March and 20 September each year.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home participant contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

The status given to a person who has not given their income and assets details to Services Australia. Their contributions are set at the maximum rate.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

A protection for people who were receiving, or approved for, a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024. They pay no more under Support at Home than they were assessed to pay before, and an earlier, lower lifetime cap applies to them.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home participant contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

A person who receives an Australian Government means-tested pension that is less than the maximum amount.

Source: My Aged Care - Glossary, checked 13 November 2026.

For Support at Home contributions, the pension means the Age Pension and any other income support payment.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

Help with showering, dressing and non-clinical continence management. From 1 October 2026 it counts as a clinical support, so there is no contribution when it is approved in the support plan and funding is available.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Personal care to be fully funded under Support at Home from October, checked 13 November 2026.

The funding available for a person's services every three months. The amount depends on their classification, and what providers charge comes out of it.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

A person who is not eligible for the pension and not eligible for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. They pay the highest contribution rates.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.

(previously called 'Home Care Packages')

A government program that funds care and support in a person's own home. The person receiving care gets a budget based on their assessed care needs, made up of government funding and their own contributions.

Source: My Aged Care - Support at Home costs and contributions, checked 13 November 2026.