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Support at Home or Veterans’ Home Care - understanding your options

In Australia, Support at Home (SaH) and Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) are programs that help older Australians stay safe and independent at home. Each program suits a different need, and each is run by a different government department. In this guide we explain the differences to help you choose the right program for you or your eligible family member - now and if your situation changes.

What is Support at Home?

Support at Home is a coordinated help-at-home program for older Australians over 65 years of age, or over 50 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australians. SaH supports day-to-day tasks and more complex needs, depending on assessment.

Read more about Support at Home services provided by Kanda

What is Veterans Home Care?

Veterans’ Home Care in-home care, support services and respite to people who are eligible clients of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), The program’s services help eligible Australians to continue living safely and independently in their own home, with services that maintain their health and quality of life.

Read more about Kanda’s Veterans’ Home Care services.

Veterans home care vs aged care services – key differences explained

Even though Support at Home and Veterans’ Home Care are different, the services they offer are similar so it’s easy to get them confused. Both programs offer help at home, both involve assessments, and both use approved providers.

Eligibility and access pathways

Support at Home sits within the aged care system and is accessed through a My Aged Care assessment and approval. You generally need to be aged 65 years or older (50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). A My Aged Care assessment is how the government determines if you are eligible for Support at Home and the level of support you can get. You can request an assessment by phone, online, or in your home.

Veterans’ Home Care sits within the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) system and is only available to eligible DVA clients. It has its own assessment pathway. DVA clients are generally veterans, war widows/widowers, and some dependants under relevant service conditions. A VHC assessment determines what supports are appropriate.

It’s possible for veterans and other DVA clients to be eligible for both programs, at different times in their life, depending on their changing support needs.

Funding and out-of-pocket costs

Support at Home funding is assigned based on your My Aged Care assessment. The government pays a subsidy, and you may have to pay a means-tested contribution. Providers must publish prices, for example Kanda’s Support at Home pricing is published on our website. The government pays 100% of the cost of clinical supports, and a portion of other services depending on your income, assets, and the type of service.

Veterans’ Home Care clients pay a small co-payment for personal care, domestic assistance and home and garden services. For example you might need to contribute $5 per hour for home and garden services with weekly and annual caps on domestic, personal, and maintenance services. If you cannot afford to pay contributions, you can apply for a waiver. You will not need to make a contribution to respite care under VHC.

Types of services and flexibility

Support at Home offers a broad range of services across 3 categories:

  • clinical supports,such as nursing and allied health
  • independence supports such as personal care, transport and respite
  • everyday living supports such as cleaning, gardening and preparing meals.

Support at Home also includes 3 short-term pathways, including assistive technology and home modifications, restorative care, and end-of-life care.

If your needs change, funding levels can be reassessed and increased or decreased based on the reassessment.
Veterans’ Home Care provides practical services including domestic assistance, personal care, in-home or residential respite, and home and garden maintenance. VHC is sometimes called a ‘low-level’ support program because it is suitable for people who don’t have complex care needs. If you need more complex care and you’re already a client of DVA, they may refer you to another program instead of Veterans’ Home Care.

Continuity of care and coordination

Support at Home involves a support plan and budget that you can manage with your provider, and your services are coordinated within the My Aged Care framework. If your needs change, you can request reassessment to adjust your budget or services over time, and providers work with you to review your plan.

Veterans’ Home Care services are planned by the assessment agency and outlined in a VHC care plan. Services are arranged with DVA’s contracted providers, but because the program is focused on low-level support, ongoing coordination is often a light touch. The care you receive may rely on referrals to other programs such as DVA community nursing for higher-level or clinical needs.

Should I apply for Support at Home or Veterans’ Home Care?

Here are a few simple examples that show how people usually decide.

If you are an older person who needs coordinated aged care at home

If your needs include a mix of personal care, everyday tasks, and possibly clinical support, Support at Home is often the right starting point because it is built for coordinated in-home aged care and includes clinical supports.

If you are a DVA client who mainly needs practical help and respite

If you are eligible for DVA supports and need low-level help like domestic assistance, basic personal care, respite, or home and garden maintenance, VHC is designed for exactly that purpose.

If your needs are higher or more complex

If you are a DVA client but your care needs are complex or high-level, Veterans’ Home Care may not be the right fit. People with long-term high-level personal care needs should look at other programs such as community nursing. DVA may be able to help with referrals.

For older Australians in the aged care system, Support at Home includes clinical supports and higher levels of funded support via classifications, based on assessment.

How Kanda can help with either pathway?

If you are unsure which program applies to you, you do not have to figure it out alone. Kanda can talk through your situation, explain the options in plain language, and help you understand the next steps.

Whether that is Support at Home or Veterans’ Home Care, our approach is the same, with practical, respectful support that helps you live well at home.

Kanda care worker assisting and chatting with an elderly man in a wheelchair outdoors in a sunny park

Unsure which program applies to you?

We’ll listen, explain your options clearly, and guide you through the next steps.

Contact our friendly team today

Frequently asked questions

Support at Home is part of the aged care system and is accessed through My Aged Care, while Veterans’ Home Care is run by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and is only available to eligible DVA clients. Support at Home can include clinical, independence, and everyday living supports. Veterans’ Home Care is designed mainly for low level practical help such as domestic assistance and personal care.

You are generally eligible for Support at Home if you are aged 65 or older, or 50 or older if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. You must complete a My Aged Care assessment to determine eligibility and the level of support you can receive. Approval is based on your care needs and circumstances.

Veterans’ Home Care is available to eligible clients of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. This usually includes veterans, war widows and widowers, and some dependants under relevant service conditions. A VHC assessment determines what practical supports you can receive at home.

Yes, it is possible to be eligible for both programs at different times in your life. Your eligibility depends on your age, DVA status, and your level of care needs. Some veterans may access Veterans’ Home Care initially and later move into the aged care system if their needs become more complex.

You apply for Support at Home through My Aged Care. The process includes requesting an assessment online, by phone, or in your home. The assessment determines your eligibility and the level of funded support you can receive based on your care needs.

You apply for Veterans’ Home Care through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. An assessment is arranged to determine what practical supports are appropriate. Services are then organised with DVA contracted providers based on your approved care plan.

Support at Home includes three main categories of services: clinical supports such as nursing and allied health, independence supports such as personal care and transport, and everyday living supports such as cleaning and gardening. It also includes short term pathways like assistive technology, restorative care, and end of life care.

Veterans’ Home Care provides practical help at home, including domestic assistance, personal care, respite, and home and garden maintenance. It is generally suited to people who need low level support rather than complex or clinical care.

Support at Home is subsidised by the Australian Government. You may be required to pay a means tested contribution depending on your income, assets, and the type of service. Clinical supports are fully funded by the government, while other services may require a contribution.

Veterans’ Home Care usually requires a small co payment for services such as personal care, domestic assistance, and home and garden maintenance. Weekly and annual caps apply. Respite care under VHC does not require a contribution, and you can apply for a waiver if you cannot afford the co payment.

If your needs increase, Support at Home allows for reassessment and adjustment of your funding level and services. Veterans’ Home Care may not be suitable for complex or high level care needs, and DVA may refer you to other programs such as community nursing or aged care services.

The right program depends on your eligibility and the type of support you need. Support at Home is often appropriate for coordinated aged care that includes clinical services. Veterans’ Home Care is designed for eligible DVA clients who mainly need practical, low level support at home. Speaking with an experienced provider like Kanda can help clarify the best pathway for your situation.