For many older couples living together, the thought of receiving help at home can feel both reassuring and complicated. Ageing partners often want to continue supporting each other, even when one or both begins to face health or mobility challenges. The new Support at Home program (launched November 2025) is designed to make that goal more achievable, offering flexible, practical solutions for couples who want to age together in the comfort of their own home.
Whether you’re exploring support options for two ageing parents or you’re part of a couple navigating the journey yourselves, understanding how the Support at Home system can address your needs (jointly and individually) is key. In this blog, we’ll unpack how the program works for couples, how funding applies, and how Home Care Assistance can help tailor a shared care plan that maintains independence, dignity and connection.
Why Care Needs Often Evolve Differently for Each Partner
It’s common for older couples to experience different care needs as they age. One partner might recover from surgery and require temporary assistance with mobility or personal care, while the other may be managing a long-term chronic condition like arthritis, heart disease, or early-stage dementia. In some cases, both partners may have ongoing support needs – but to varying degrees.
This natural difference can present challenges for families trying to coordinate care. One-size-fits-all solutions may not meet both partners’ needs adequately. That’s where the Support at Home program becomes a game-changer.
A Flexible Framework for Tailored Couple Support
Under the Support at Home model, eligible Australians receive funding for a broad range of in-home services, assessed and delivered based on individual needs. However, this new program also recognises that many older adults live and age with a partner, and that care cannot always be planned in isolation.
Rather than duplicating services unnecessarily, Support at Home allows care providers like Home Care Assistance to coordinate services that work for both partners in a household. This is especially helpful in cases where:
- One partner is the primary carer for the other but now needs support themselves.
- Both partners have individual needs that overlap (for example, assistance with shopping or home cleaning).
- A couple is struggling to manage domestic tasks due to mobility or cognitive decline.
Instead of splitting care delivery into separate visits or plans, support can be designed to be as seamless and integrated as possible.
What Services Can Couples Receive at Home?
Couples supported under the Support at Home program may receive a combination of individual and shared services, based on assessments completed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). These services might include:
- Personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming)
- Meal preparation and nutrition support
- Light domestic cleaning
- Transport to medical appointments or outings
- Allied health services, such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy
- Social support or companionship
- Cognitive stimulation for dementia or memory loss
- Mobility assistance and walking support
- Medication reminders
- Respite for family caregivers
- Home modifications and assistive technology, such as grab rails or ramps
Many of these supports can benefit both partners at once. For example, a care professional might prepare a meal that both partners enjoy, or provide transport for a couple to attend a medical appointment or social activity together.
How Funding Works for Couples
Under the Support at Home system, funding is assessed individually – meaning each partner will have their own funding level, ranging from Level 1 (lowest care needs) to Level 8 (higher needs). However, services can often be coordinated to meet the needs of both people efficiently. Couples can also pool some of their services, depending on compatibility. For example:
A single care professional might assist both partners during the same visit, reducing disruptions and cost.
Shared domestic tasks like cleaning or meal prep only need to be done once.
Some social support services may involve joint activities, such as walks or garden visits, improving wellbeing for both.
Additional streams of funding are also available for specific needs. For example:
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM): to support mobility and safety in shared living spaces.
Restorative care: if one partner needs short-term therapy or recovery services.
End-of-life support: for families navigating palliative care at home, ensuring comfort and dignity for both partners during difficult times.
Benefits of Joint Care Planning
At Home Care Assistance, we understand that caring for a couple is more than just coordinating rosters. It’s about respecting the relationship and routines that have developed over a lifetime. When we support couples, our approach is to:
- Keep couples involved in decision-making every step of the way
- Respect personal preferences, even when they differ between partners
- Maintain shared routines like mealtimes, walks or afternoon tea
- Support the healthier partner so they don’t burn out while caring for the other
- Build care plans that foster connection, rather than separation
We also support families by offering respite care when one partner needs a break or has their own medical needs. This helps couples stay together at home for longer, without compromising anyone’s health or wellbeing.
What If One Partner Doesn’t Want Help Yet?
It’s not uncommon for one half of a couple to resist the idea of professional care, especially if they see themselves as the carer, or don’t want to admit that they need assistance. In these cases, it can help to reframe the conversation:
- Emphasise that home care is about staying independent, not giving it up
- Position support as help with tasks they no longer enjoy, like heavy cleaning
- Highlight how support can actually strengthen their ability to care for their partner
- Offer a trial visit to see how it feels
- Involve a trusted GP or health professional in the conversation
The goal is never to push care on someone, it’s to provide the right support at the right time, and to preserve quality of life as much as possible.
Ageing Together at Home, With the Right Support
Couples who have spent their lives together often want nothing more than to continue doing so, even as health and mobility changes arise. The Support at Home program, together with tailored care from providers like Home Care Assistance, makes this possible.
With the flexibility to meet two sets of needs in a unified way, couples can feel more secure, more connected, and more in control of their lives at home.
Support at home from a specialist provider, such as Home Care Assistance, can bring enormous benefits and comfort to your quality of life while living independently at home. Home Care Assistance offers viable solutions for supporting independent living. For more information, get in touch with a Home Care Assistance near me today.
