Personal Care Under Support at Home: Helping You Stay Independent at Home
There are times when a little help with your everyday routine can make life at home safer, easier and more comfortable.
You might appreciate someone nearby while you shower, need a helping hand getting dressed, or find that your morning or evening routine is becoming a little more difficult than it once was.
That’s where Personal Care can help.
And from 1 October 2026, an important change to Support at Home means eligible participants no longer pay a client contribution for approved Personal Care services.
Personal Care has moved from the Independence contribution category to the Clinical Supports contribution category under Support at Home. Participants who have Personal Care approved in their support plan and available Support at Home funding can now access these services with no out-of-pocket participant contribution.
Personal Care Should Help You Keep Doing Things Your Way
For some older people, accepting help with personal activities can feel like a big step.
You may worry that needing assistance means you’re becoming less independent.
At Home Care Assistance Central Coast, we believe good Personal Care should do the opposite.
It’s about providing just the right amount of support so you can continue doing as much as possible for yourself.
For one person, that might mean having a Care Worker nearby for reassurance while they shower. Someone else may need hands-on assistance with dressing or getting safely in and out of bed.
Your support should reflect your needs, your preferences and your usual routine.
What Can Personal Care Help With?
Personal Care covers a range of everyday activities relating to your personal wellbeing, hygiene and daily routine.
Depending on your individual needs and care plan, this may include:
- Showering and bathing
- Dressing and undressing
- Grooming and hair care
- Shaving
- Oral and denture care
- Toileting and continence support
- Personal hygiene
- Skin care
- Getting safely in and out of bed
- Support with morning and evening routines
- Mealtime assistance
- Assistance with self-administration of medication
The Australian Government’s definition of Personal Care includes assistance with daily activities such as showering, dressing, eating, personal hygiene, non-clinical continence management and assistance with self-administration of medication.
What’s Changed Under Support at Home?
Until 30 September 2026, Personal Care sat within the Independence contribution category under Support at Home.
From 1 October 2026, Personal Care moved into the Clinical Supports category for participant contribution purposes.
This means Support at Home participants no longer pay a contribution for Personal Care delivered from 1 October when:
- Personal Care has been approved in their support plan; and
- they have available Support at Home funding.
Personal Care services are still paid from the participant’s available Support at Home budget. The change removes the participant’s out-of-pocket contribution towards those services.
What Hasn’t Changed?
While the contribution arrangements have changed, Personal Care itself hasn’t.
The Government has confirmed there are no changes to the scope of Personal Care services, eligibility and approval requirements, or the way Personal Care can be delivered.
Personal Care can also continue to be provided by Personal Care Workers.
For clients, this means the change is primarily about how your Personal Care contribution is treated, rather than changing the care itself.
It’s About More Than Completing a Task
Helping someone shower, dress or prepare for the day might sound straightforward, but good Personal Care is about much more than completing a task.
It’s about taking the time to understand how someone likes things done.
It’s about privacy and dignity.
And it’s about encouraging people to remain involved in their own routines rather than automatically doing everything for them.
At Home Care Assistance Central Coast, our Care Workers follow each client’s individual care plan and provide support based on their needs and preferences.
The aim is always to help our clients feel comfortable, respected and in control of their care.
The Little Things Can Matter
Regular Personal Care can also give Care Workers an opportunity to notice when something isn’t quite the same as usual.
Perhaps someone who normally dresses independently suddenly needs much more assistance. They may appear less steady on their feet, have a change in their skin, seem unusually tired or find their normal routine more difficult.
Because our Care Workers spend time with clients in their own homes, they can be well placed to recognise these changes.
Where something new or concerning is noticed, it can be reported and followed up by the appropriate member of the care team.
It’s another reason Personal Care is about much more than simply helping someone get ready for the day.
Support Can Be as Little or as Much as You Need
There isn’t one standard approach to Personal Care.
Some people need regular hands-on assistance. Others simply benefit from stand-by support.
You might still wash and dress yourself but feel more confident knowing someone is close by. Or perhaps there are just one or two parts of your routine where a helping hand would make things easier.
Personal Care can be tailored around you.
Wherever possible, the goal is to support you to continue doing what you can for yourself while providing assistance where it’s helpful.
Choice, Comfort and Dignity Come First
Personal Care can involve some of the most private parts of a person’s day, so feeling comfortable with the person providing your care is incredibly important.
Our Care Workers take the time to understand how you prefer your support to be provided.
That includes respecting your privacy, explaining what they’re doing, listening to your preferences and giving you choices.
You stay in control.
Receiving support doesn’t mean giving up your usual routine. It means having someone there to help you continue it.
Could Personal Care Give You a Little More Confidence at Home?
Sometimes people wait until they’re really struggling before asking for help.
But Personal Care doesn’t need to begin with a high level of assistance.
If showering is becoming tiring, you’re feeling less steady in the bathroom, getting dressed takes more effort or you’d simply feel safer with someone nearby, a little extra support may be worth considering.
With the changes introduced on 1 October 2026, approved Personal Care under Support at Home now has no participant contribution, provided you have available Support at Home funding.
Talk to Our Central Coast Team
If you’re already receiving Personal Care, considering adding it to your support, or you’re just beginning to explore Support at Home, we’re here to help.
Our friendly Home Care Assistance Central Coast team can talk with you and your family about what Personal Care could look like for you and how it can fit around your existing routine.
Because sometimes, a little extra support is all you need to keep doing the things you can for yourself.