Key points

  • Many people with dementia can stay at home safely with the right support
  • Support at Home funding covers personal care, nursing, allied health, home modifications, and respite
  • Home safety modifications and assistive technology are practical tools for managing dementia at home
  • Respite care is available to prevent carer burnout
  • Knowing when home care is no longer enough is important for safety
  • This guide covers home-based care; for residential options, see our guide to dementia-specific aged care facilities

Dementia and the Support at Home program

A dementia diagnosis does not automatically mean residential care. With the right support, many people with dementia continue to live at home for years, maintaining routines, independence, and connections that matter to them.

The Support at Home program provides funding specifically designed to support people to stay at home. For people with dementia, this funding can be used for personal care, clinical services, home modifications, assistive technology, respite, and more.

This guide focuses on how Support at Home works for people with dementia. For a complete overview of the program itself, see our Support at Home program complete guide.

What services does Support at Home fund for dementia care?

Your Support at Home funding is allocated across three service categories. Here is how each one applies to dementia care:

Clinical care (no co-contribution)

Clinical services are fully subsidised, meaning you pay nothing out of pocket. For dementia, relevant clinical services include:

  • Personal care: Help with showering, dressing, grooming, non-clinical continence, eating, hygiene, and help self-administering medication. Until 1 October 2026 a contribution applied to personal care; from 1 October 2026 personal care moves into clinical supports and is fully government funded (no participant contribution). As dementia progresses, personal care needs increase significantly.
  • Nursing: Medication management (particularly important when the person can no longer manage their own medications), wound care, continence management, health monitoring
  • Occupational therapy: Home safety assessments, cognitive strategies, recommending assistive technology, advising on home modifications
  • Speech pathology: Swallowing assessments (dysphagia is common in later-stage dementia), communication strategies
  • Physiotherapy: Falls prevention, mobility maintenance, exercise programs adapted for cognitive ability
  • Psychology or counselling: For the person with dementia (particularly in early stages) and for carers

Independence services (base co-contribution)

These services have a small co-contribution. For dementia, they include:

  • Home modifications: Grab rails, sensor lights, door alarms, bathroom modifications, removing trip hazards, installing key safes
  • Assistive technology: GPS trackers, automatic stove shut-offs, medication dispensers with alarms, motion-sensor night lights, simplified phones
  • Transport: Getting to medical appointments, social activities, and day programs

Everyday living services (higher co-contribution)

These have a higher co-contribution based on your means assessment:

  • Domestic assistance: Cleaning, laundry, and other household tasks the person can no longer manage
  • Meal preparation and delivery: Ensuring proper nutrition when cooking becomes unsafe
  • Garden maintenance: Maintaining a safe outdoor environment
  • Social support: Companionship, outings, group activities tailored to people with cognitive impairment

Making the home safe for someone with dementia

Home safety is one of the most practical things you can address early. Many accidents are preventable with simple modifications. Here are the areas to focus on:

Falls prevention

Falls are the leading cause of injury for people with dementia. Practical steps include:

  • Remove loose rugs and mats
  • Install grab rails in the bathroom, toilet, and along hallways
  • Ensure good lighting throughout the house, especially at night (sensor lights are ideal)
  • Remove clutter from walkways
  • Consider non-slip flooring in the bathroom and kitchen
  • Get an occupational therapy assessment through your clinical funding

Kitchen safety

The kitchen becomes a risk area as dementia progresses:

  • Install an automatic stove shut-off device
  • Remove or lock away sharp knives and appliances that could cause harm
  • Use a kettle with an automatic shut-off
  • Consider whether meals on wheels or meal preparation services are appropriate
  • Lock cleaning chemicals in a cupboard

Wandering

Wandering is common, particularly in moderate to advanced dementia:

  • Install door alarms or sensor mats
  • Consider a GPS tracker (wearable or sewn into clothing)
  • Make sure the person carries identification at all times
  • Notify neighbours so they can help if needed
  • Secure gates and fences in the backyard
  • Register with the missing persons helpline as a precaution

Bathroom safety

  • Install grab rails near the toilet and in the shower
  • Use a shower chair or bench
  • Replace glass shower screens with curtains
  • Set the hot water thermostat to below 50 degrees to prevent scalding
  • Consider a raised toilet seat for easier transfers

Medication management

  • Use a dosette box or automatic medication dispenser
  • If the person cannot manage medications independently, arrange nursing visits for medication administration
  • Keep a clear, up-to-date medication list visible for all care workers
  • Dispose of expired or unused medications safely

Many of these modifications can be funded through your Support at Home independence budget. An occupational therapist can assess your home and recommend specific changes, and this assessment is covered under clinical funding at no cost to you.

The role of respite in dementia care

Caring for someone with dementia is demanding. Respite is not a luxury; it is a practical necessity to keep the caring arrangement sustainable.

Types of respite available under Support at Home

In-home respite: A trained worker comes to your home and stays with the person with dementia while the carer takes a break. This can be for a few hours or overnight.

Centre-based respite: The person attends a day program at a community centre or aged care facility. Good dementia-specific day programs offer structured activities, social interaction, and meals. This also provides the carer with a predictable regular break.

Short-term residential respite: In some cases, the person can stay in a residential aged care facility for a short period (usually up to 63 days per financial year) while the carer takes a longer break, recovers from illness, or manages other responsibilities.

Why respite matters

Research consistently shows that carer burnout is one of the primary reasons people with dementia enter residential care earlier than necessary. Regular, planned respite helps carers maintain their own health, reduces stress, and extends the time the person with dementia can stay at home.

If you are a carer, do not wait until you are exhausted to access respite. Build it into your regular routine from the beginning.

Accessing dementia-specific providers

Not all aged care providers have the same level of dementia expertise. When choosing a provider, look for:

  • Staff training: Ask whether support workers have dementia-specific training. Look for providers whose workers have completed units in dementia care as part of their Certificate III or IV in Individual Support.
  • Experience: How long has the provider been supporting people with dementia? Do they have a dedicated dementia team?
  • Person-centred approach: Good dementia care is built around the individual’s history, preferences, and routines. Ask how the provider gets to know the person and adapts their approach.
  • Consistency of staff: People with dementia benefit significantly from seeing the same workers. Familiar faces reduce anxiety and confusion. Ask whether the provider offers consistent rostering.
  • Communication with families: Dementia care requires close communication between the provider, the person, and their family. Ask how the provider keeps families informed.

Carevo connects you with vetted providers, including those with dementia-specific experience. You can compare providers, check qualifications, and find the right match for your situation.

When home care is no longer enough

This is one of the hardest conversations in dementia care. There is no single answer, and the decision is deeply personal. However, there are signs that residential care may need to be considered:

Safety concerns that cannot be managed at home:

  • Frequent wandering despite interventions
  • Repeated falls that home modifications have not resolved
  • The person leaving the stove on, taps running, or doors open despite alarms and shut-offs

Behavioural changes:

  • Aggression or agitation that puts the person or others at risk
  • Severe sundowning (confusion and distress in the evening) requiring overnight supervision
  • Resistance to personal care that leads to hygiene or health risks

Care needs exceeding available support:

  • The person needs 24-hour supervision and available funding and services cannot cover it
  • Multiple complex medical needs in addition to dementia
  • Incontinence management that requires frequent intervention beyond what scheduled visits can provide

Carer capacity:

  • The primary carer’s physical or mental health is declining
  • Respite is no longer sufficient to sustain the caring arrangement
  • The carer can no longer provide safe manual handling (transfers, mobility assistance)

If you are approaching this point, start the conversation early. Talk to your GP, your aged care provider, and an aged care advocate (OPAN: 1800 700 600). A planned transition to residential care is far better than a crisis admission.

For information about residential care options for people with dementia, see our guide to dementia-specific aged care facilities.

Dementia is a progressive condition. Planning ahead while the person still has capacity to make decisions is important.

Enduring power of attorney: Appoint someone you trust to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf when you are no longer able to. This must be set up while you still have legal capacity.

Enduring guardianship (or medical power of attorney): Appoint someone to make health and lifestyle decisions for you if you lose capacity. This includes decisions about your care, where you live, and medical treatment.

Advance care directive: A written document that records your preferences for future medical treatment and care. This is particularly relevant for decisions about hospitalisation, resuscitation, and end-of-life care.

Will: Ensure your will is up to date. If you already have dementia, a solicitor can assess whether you have sufficient capacity to update it.

These documents should be completed as early as possible after a dementia diagnosis. Talk to your GP, a solicitor, or contact your state’s public trustee or guardianship tribunal for guidance. Waiting until capacity has declined significantly makes these arrangements much harder and sometimes impossible.

Staying socially connected with dementia

Social isolation accelerates cognitive decline. Your Support at Home funding can be used to maintain social connections:

  • Social support workers: A support worker can accompany the person to community activities, coffee with friends, visits to family, or regular outings
  • Centre-based day programs: Structured programs designed for people with cognitive impairment. These often include group activities, meals, and social interaction.
  • Technology: Video calls with family, simple tablet interfaces, and digital photo frames that display family photos can help maintain connection
  • Community groups: Some local councils and community organisations run dementia-specific social groups, walking groups, and music or art therapy sessions

Ask your provider about social support options in your area, or search for dementia-friendly activities through your local council or Dementia Australia.

Getting assessed for Support at Home with dementia

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with dementia and is not yet receiving Support at Home services, here is how to start:

  1. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. A family member or GP can call on the person’s behalf.
  2. Complete the screening. My Aged Care will ask about the person’s situation and needs.
  3. Assessment. An assessor will visit the home and use the Independent Assessment Tool (IAT) to determine the person’s classification level. Make sure to describe the person’s worst days, not their best.
  4. Classification and funding. Based on the assessment, the person is assigned a classification level (1 to 8) with corresponding funding.
  5. Choose a provider. Select a provider with dementia experience. This is where platforms like Carevo can help you compare options.
  6. Develop your care plan. Work with your chosen provider to create a care plan that addresses dementia-specific needs.

Assessment tip: People with dementia often present better than their usual state during assessments. They may downplay their difficulties or appear more capable than they typically are. Having a carer or family member present during the assessment is strongly recommended so the assessor gets an accurate picture.

Dementia support organisations

In addition to Support at Home services, the following organisations provide free information and support:

  • Dementia Australia: 1800 100 500 or dementia.org.au. Counselling, education, support groups, and the National Dementia Helpline.
  • Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737 or carergateway.gov.au. Coaching, counselling, respite, and peer support for carers.
  • Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN): 1800 700 600. Free advocacy for people receiving aged care.
  • Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: 1800 951 822. For complaints about aged care services.

Summary

Dementia does not have to mean the end of living at home. The Support at Home program provides substantial funding for the personal care, clinical services, home modifications, assistive technology, and respite that make home-based dementia care possible.

The keys are getting assessed early, choosing a provider with genuine dementia expertise, making practical safety modifications, and building respite into the routine from the start. When the time comes that home care is no longer enough, having those conversations early and planning ahead makes the transition to residential care less distressing for everyone involved.