Self-managed aged care: How it works under Support at Home
Learn how self-managed aged care works under Support at Home, including choosing your own providers, managing services and the support Leora continues to provide.
Table of Contents
Self-managed aged care gives you more say over how your Support at Home services are arranged.
That can include choosing providers you already know and trust, having more involvement in scheduling and deciding how your approved services are organised.
But self-management does not mean managing everything alone.
Under Support at Home, you still work with one registered provider, and that provider remains responsible for care management, quality, safety and compliance. My Aged Care also notes that Support at Home services are accessed through a single provider, even where participants take a more active role in managing their services.
What does self-managed aged care mean?
In practical terms, self-managed aged care means having greater involvement in decisions about your care.
Depending on your arrangement, you may be able to:
- choose your own Support Workers or service providers
- keep providers you already trust
- have more say over when services happen
- manage parts of your schedule
- keep a closer eye on how your budget is being used
- work with your provider to adjust services as your needs change
Your registered Support at Home provider still has an important role behind the scenes. At Leora, that includes care planning, onboarding and checking providers, processing eligible claims and payments, monitoring quality and compliance and providing ongoing care management.
Watch: your self-management journey with Leora
The video above shows how self-managed care works with Leora, from deciding how involved you want to be through to ongoing check-ins and monthly statements.
The process generally looks like this:
1. Decide how much you want to manage
We agree on what you want to take responsibility for and what Leora will continue to manage.
2. Build your care plan and budget
Your approved services, goals, providers and available Support at Home funding are mapped out together.
3. Review your chosen providers
If you already have Support Workers, allied health professionals or other providers you want to keep, Leora reviews the arrangements and required documentation before services begin.
4. Confirm everything before care starts
You receive your agreement, care plan and budget so you understand your services, prices and how payments will work.
5. Stay supported after services begin
Self-management does not end Leora’s involvement. Your Care Partner continues with regular check-ins, care plan reviews, budget monitoring and monthly statements.
Can I keep my existing Support Workers or providers?
Yes. This is one of the main reasons people explore self-managed Support at Home.
If you already have a Support Worker, cleaner, physiotherapist or another provider you trust, Leora can review whether they can be included within your care arrangements.
They still need to meet the relevant requirements and fit within your approved care plan and budget before funded services can begin.
This allows greater choice without removing the safeguards that sit behind government-funded aged care.
Is self-managed care the same as managing everything yourself?
No. That distinction is important.
Self-management gives you greater choice and involvement, but your registered provider still carries responsibilities under Support at Home.
You do not simply receive your government funding directly and spend it independently.
Instead, you and your provider agree on how your services will be organised and who will manage each part.
For some people, that balance offers the best of both worlds: more control over day-to-day care, with care management, oversight and accountability still in place.
Is self-managed aged care right for me?
Self-management may suit you if you:
- want more say in who provides your care
- already have providers you would like to keep
- prefer to be actively involved in planning services
- are comfortable making decisions about schedules and providers
- want greater visibility over how your Support at Home budget is used
If you prefer someone else to organise most of your services, a provider-managed arrangement may suit you better.
It does not have to be all or nothing.
Self-managed Support at Home with Leora Healthcare
At Leora, self-management is about giving you more choice without leaving you to figure everything out alone.
You stay involved in the decisions that matter to you, while your Care Partner continues to support care planning, provider arrangements, funding oversight and ongoing reviews.