Personal Care in Aged Care: What’s Included and Funded

What is Personal Care in Aged Care? 

Personal care in aged care is hands-on help with the everyday tasks that keep you clean, comfortable and safe at home, such as showering, dressing, continence support, eating and personal hygiene. My Aged Care states that under Support at Home, personal care is its own service type, delivered by trained care workers in line with your support plan.

Good personal care assistance isn’t about doing everything for you. It works around your routine, your preferences and the things you can still do yourself. One person might only need someone nearby while they shower. Another might need full help getting washed and dressed each morning. 

What Does Personal Care Include? 

My Aged Care lists these as examples of personal care:

• showering and bathing 
• getting dressed 
• continence support 
• help with eating 
• hygiene and grooming 
• assistance with taking medication you manage yourself 

Which Tasks Aren't Included in Personal Care? 

Some tasks that feel personal sit under other service types.

Cleaning, laundry and meal preparation are domestic and daily living supports. Wound care and administering medication fall under nursing care, delivered by nurses. If you’re not sure which service type something belongs to, your provider can check it against the Support at Home service list.

Who Delivers Personal Care, and What Training do They Have? 

Personal care is usually delivered by personal care workers, also called care workers or support workers. Under the Aged Care Act 2024, registered providers must engage workers with appropriate qualifications, skills and experience for the role.

Many personal care workers hold a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing). It’s a nationally accredited qualification that covers helping people with bathing, toileting and dressing, as well as dementia and palliative care. Training differs between workers, so it’s reasonable to ask any provider what qualifications its care workers hold and how their skills are kept up to date. 

Do Care Workers Have to Follow Certain Rules? 

Every aged care worker must go through a screening process before they can work in aged care, and must follow the Aged Care Code of Conduct.The Code requires workers to treat you with dignity and respect, and to value your diversity.

If something doesn’t feel right, raise it with your provider first. You can also make a complaint to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

How do Allied Health Practitioners and Nurses Fit in? 

Personal care workers follow your support plan, and other professionals often shape that plan.

An AHPRA-registered occupational therapist, for example, can watch how you manage in the bathroom and suggest changes such as a shower chair, grab rails or a different order of steps. Your care worker then supports you using that set-up.

Is Personal Care Funded Under Support at Home? 

Yes. From 1 October 2026, the Australian Government fully funds approved personal care under Support at Home, so clients no longer pay a contribution for it.

To qualify, personal care needs to be approved in your support plan and you need available Support at Home funds.

What Changed on 1 October 2026? 

Support at Home groups services into contribution categories. On 1 October 2026, personal care moved from the Independence category, which attracts a client contribution, to the Clinical supports category, which doesn’t.

My Aged Care outlines that contributions still applied to personal care delivered before 1 October 2026, and those payments won’t be refunded. You may still see a contribution on a statement that covers services from September.

What Hasn’t changed? 

The government has confirmed that a few things stay the same:

• What counts as personal care is the same, including showering, dressing and continence support. 
• If personal care is already approved in your support plan, you don’t need to be reassessed. 
• Personal care still has to be covered by your available Support at Home funds. 
• Contributions for other Support at Home services, such as domestic assistance or transport, still apply. 

Does the Change Apply to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme? 

The October change is to the Support at Home service list, so it relates to Support at Home clients. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is due to move to Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. If you receive CHSP services, ask your provider how fees apply to you.

How do you Arrange Personal Care, or More of it? 

Your next step depends on where you are in the aged care system: 

• New to aged care: apply for an assessment through My Aged Care, online or on 1800 200 422. Your assessment determines which services you’re approved for. 
• Already approved for personal care: if cost held you back before, talk to your provider about updating your care plan and budget.
• Finding fees hard to manage: ask your provider or My Aged Care about financial hardship assistance.

What Should you Ask a Provider About Personal Care? 

Whether you’re choosing a provider or reviewing your current one, these questions can help: 

• What training do your care workers have, and how is it kept up to date? 
• How do you match care workers to clients, and can I ask for a change? 
• How will personal care appear on my statements now that the contribution has been removed? 
• Who do I contact if I’m unhappy with a visit?