Partial self-management: Can you self-manage only part of your Support at Home services? 

Self-managed aged care does not have to be an all-or-nothing arrangement. 

Under the Support at Home program, you can choose to manage only the parts of your care that suit your preferences, abilities and circumstances. Your registered provider can continue coordinating the rest. 

This is sometimes described as partial self-management. It can give you more choice and control without leaving you responsible for every schedule, invoice or service decision. 

Partial self-management means agreeing with your Support at Home provider on which activities you would like to manage and which ones you would prefer them to handle. 

For example, you may want to: 

At the same time, you may prefer your provider to arrange personal care, coordinate nursing services, process invoices or manage changes to your care plan. 

The Australian Government confirms that Support at Home participants can self-manage different activities depending on their needs, preferences and abilities. These arrangements must be agreed with the registered provider and documented in the participant’s care plan. 

The activities you can self-manage may include choosing and coordinating services, managing workers, organising schedules, monitoring your budget or paying approved invoices and seeking reimbursement. 

You may also choose your own third-party workers, such as an independent gardener or service provider, subject to the registered provider’s requirements. 

However, every funded service must: 

Your provider remains responsible for the services delivered under your arrangement, even when you take an active role in choosing or coordinating them. 

Everyone receiving ongoing Support at Home services continues to receive care management, including people who self-manage most of their care. 

Your care partner will continue to work with you to plan and review your services, monitor whether they remain safe and suitable and respond when your needs change. Ten per cent of each participant’s quarterly budget is set aside for care management, regardless of how much they choose to self-manage. 

Your provider may also continue to: 

The exact division of responsibilities should be clearly recorded in your care plan and service agreement. 

Yes. The way you manage your care can change as your needs, confidence or circumstances change. 

You may begin by managing one familiar service, such as gardening, and take on more responsibilities later. You may also decide that managing schedules or invoices has become difficult and ask your provider to take back some of those tasks. 

The important part is finding a balance that gives you meaningful choice without creating unnecessary pressure. 

At Leora Healthcare, you can decide which parts of your Support at Home services you would like to manage and where you would value more support. 

Together, we clarify responsibilities, build them into your care plan and help you understand how each decision may affect your services and budget. 

Talk to Leora about creating a self-managed aged care arrangement that gives you greater control, with support available when you need it.