What is self-managed aged care under Support at Home?
Learn what self-managed aged care means under Support at Home, what you can manage and how your registered provider continues to support you.
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Self-managed aged care gives you greater involvement in how your care and services are arranged.
Under the Support at Home program, you may be able to choose your workers, organise service times and take a more active role in managing your care budget. You do not have to manage everything yourself, and you will still have a registered aged care provider responsible for overseeing your services.
The level of involvement is flexible. You may choose to manage only the parts of your care that matter most to you while your provider supports you with the rest.
How does self-managed aged care work?
When you choose self-managed aged care, you and your registered Support at Home provider agree on which responsibilities you will manage.
- Depending on your arrangement, you may take responsibility for: Finding and choosing your own support workers
- Selecting independent or third-party service providers
- Organising your service schedule
- Communicating directly with workers
- Reviewing your spending and available funding
- Checking that invoices are correct
Your provider will document these responsibilities in your service agreement and care plan. Self-management is designed to give you more control, but it does not remove the provider’s responsibility for the safety and quality of your aged care services.
Do I have to manage everything myself?
No. Self-managed aged care is not an all-or-nothing arrangement.
You might feel comfortable choosing your own cleaner and gardener but prefer your provider to arrange personal care or nursing services. You may want to coordinate your weekly schedule while receiving help with invoices, budgeting and service reviews.
The activities you manage should reflect your preferences, abilities and circumstances. Your arrangement can also be reviewed when your needs change.
All Support at Home participants continue to receive care management. A dedicated care partner works with you to plan services, review your care and help ensure your supports remain suitable.
What services can I self-manage?
Services must be approved in your support plan and included in the Support at Home service list.
- The service list covers three categories: Clinical supports, including nursing and allied health
- Independence services, including personal care, transport and respite
- Everyday living services, including domestic assistance and home maintenance
The exact services you can receive will depend on your aged care assessment, approved support plan and available budget.
You may also be able to keep workers or service providers you already know, provided they meet the relevant requirements and your registered provider approves the arrangement.
What does the registered provider still do?
Even when you self-manage parts of your aged care, your registered provider continues to oversee your services.
This may include:
- Developing and reviewing your care plan
- Confirming services align with your assessed needs
- Checking independent workers and providers
- Managing claims and payments
- Providing monthly statements
- Monitoring the quality and safety of your care
- Helping you respond when your needs change
A provider may charge an overhead when you use a third-party worker to cover the additional administration and compliance involved. Under Support at Home, this overhead is capped at 10% of the actual cost of the third-party service.
Is self-managed aged care right for me?
Self-management may suit you if you want more say over who supports you, when services are delivered and how your funding is used.
It can be particularly helpful if you already have trusted workers, want greater visibility over your budget or prefer to organise parts of your own care. However, it also comes with responsibilities, so it is important to understand what you will manage before entering an agreement.
At Leora Healthcare, you can choose how involved you want to be. We will help you understand your options, agree on responsibilities and build a self-managed Support at Home arrangement that works for you.
Talk to Leora about having more choice and control over your aged care, with support available when you need it.