Caring for a loved one with dementia can be one of the more challenging roles you’ll ever take on. While you might worry that a move to Residential Aged Care is inevitable, many older Australians are safely staying in their own homes for longer with the right mix of support.
Since the introduction of the Support at Home program in November 2025, the focus has shifted towards “reablement”. That is, helping older Australians maintain independence and delaying the need for Residential Care. Getting the right combination of clinical and independence services in place can make a real difference to quality of life for everyone involved.
Can People with Dementia Stay at Home?
Yes, staying at home is often possible for people living with dementia, provided they have the right mix of support.
The Aged Care system is designed to support ageing in place. This means services can be scaled up to provide increasingly intensive support at home, delaying the need for a nursing home admission.
For families navigating dementia, successful home care often involves accessing funded services that target 3 key areas:
- Personal safety: Managing daily risks like wandering or falls.
- Behavioural support: Strategies to handle changes in mood or cognition.
- Carer respite: Making sure you, as carer, get the breaks you need to avoid fatigue.
Support at Home Classifications for People Living with Dementia
Under the Support at Home program, funding is allocated across 8 classifications based on care needs. For dementia care, we typically see families accessing Classifications 4 to 8, which offer higher budgets for comprehensive support.
- Classification 4 (High-frequency support): Often suitable for early-stage dementia where prompts for daily routines (like showering or dressing) are needed.
- Classification 7 (Intensive daily care): Designed for complex conditions including advanced dementia. It provides a higher budget to cover intensive assistance with all daily living activities.
- Classification 8 (Highest level of care): For those requiring intensive support, offering the highest level of government funding available for in-home care.
A note for families with Transitioned Home Care Packages: If your loved one was on a Home Care Package before November 2025, you are likely on a “Transitioned HCP” level. You can still access these same service types; the main difference is how your budget is administered.
Learn more about Support at Home and Transitioned HCP classifications
Service Combinations That Support Dementia Care
Support at Home funding covers a range of services from an approved list. Your provider will work with you to create a care plan that brings these services together in a way that meets your loved one’s assessed needs.
Here are three examples of how services are commonly combined for dementia care:
Personal care and behaviour support
Personal care workers can help with daily tasks like showering, dressing and maintaining routines. This support is often combined with behaviour support strategies to manage changes such as agitation, confusion or anxiety.
Together, these services handle the physically demanding aspects of care while giving you practical strategies to navigate the emotional challenges that often come with dementia.
Respite care and social support
Respite services give you a break. Whether that’s a few hours of in-home care, an overnight stay or a couple of weeks at a respite centre. When paired with social support activities like supervised outings or group programs, your loved one stays engaged and connected.
This means you can take some time to recharge, knowing your loved one is supported, engaged and connected. That balance can make a real difference, for them and for you.
Allied health services and assistive technology
An occupational therapist can assess your home for safety risks and recommend changes that help your loved one move around more confidently. The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme can then fund practical solutions like sensor mats, GPS trackers, grab rails or bathroom modifications.
These adjustments create a safer home environment, reducing the need for constant supervision while supporting your loved one’s independence.
Recognising When Extra Support is Needed
Even with a comprehensive care plan, there may come a time when residential care becomes the safer option. It’s important to watch for signs that home is no longer working:
- Wandering risks: Your loved one is leaving the house and getting lost despite safety measures.
- Your own health: Your physical or mental health is suffering due to the demands of care.
- Unmanageable behaviours: Aggression or distress that’s becoming unsafe for everyone.
- Sleep deprivation: You’re not getting proper rest due to night-time activity.
- Medical complexity: Health needs have become too complex to manage with home visits alone.
If you’re noticing these signs, it may be time to explore residential care options. This usually indicates that care needs have increased beyond what can be safely managed at home.
How to Access Dementia Support at Home
If you currently have Support at Home and need more help:
- Talk to your provider: They can adjust your current service mix within your existing budget
- Request a Support Plan Review: Your provider can refer you for a reassessment if your needs have changed significantly
- Contact My Aged Care: You can also call 1800 200 422 directly to request a review of your classification
If you don’t have in-home support
- Apply for an Assessment: Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and specifically mention “changes in cognition” or “memory loss.”
- Get a Support Plan: An assessor will visit. Be honest about your situation, do not downplay the challenges.
- Choose a Provider: Look for a provider with specific dementia expertise, not just a generalist.
How our FREE Service Helps
Finding a provider who actually understands dementia and has staff available in your area can be difficult. Aged Care Decisions makes this fast and simple.
- Tailored matching: We filter providers based on their specific experience with dementia and behavioural support.
- Current availability: We only match you with providers who have staff ready to start now.
- 100% FREE & independent: Our service is completely free for families, and we are not owned by any provider.
- Support at every step: Our Aged Care Specialists can help you compare providers and understand your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dementia Home Care
Can I get 24/7 care at home for dementia?
While round-the-clock care is technically possible, it’s rarely fully funded by the government. Even a Classification 8 Support at Home budget (around $78,000 per year) covers significant daily visits but doesn’t fund someone to be there 24 hours a day. Many families combine government-funded care with private contributions or family support to achieve continuous coverage.
What if my loved one refuses care?
Refusal of care is common with dementia. When services begin, it can help to frame them in less clinical language; referring to workers as “help around the house” or using their first name rather than calling them “the carer” or “the nurse”. Some families find that starting with less personal tasks like cleaning or gardening helps build familiarity and trust before personal care is introduced.
Does the government pay for dementia modifications?
Yes. Under the Support at Home program, funds can be used for “Assistive Technology and Home Modifications” to make the home safe for someone with cognitive impairment.
What To Do Next
If you are struggling to manage dementia behaviours at home, or if your current level of service isn’t meeting your needs, we can help you.
- Check your current classification: Make sure you’re receiving the right level of funding for current needs.
- Review your care plan: Ask your provider to include behaviour support or respite if it’s not already there.
- Get expert help: Request a free Options Report from Aged Care Decisions to see which providers with dementia experience are available in your local area.
