Home Care in Melbourne: How to Choose the Right Support for You

Our local presence across Melbourne is why more families are turning to in-home care instead of considering a move into residential care.

If you’ve started researching home care services in Melbourne, you’ve probably noticed the government funding landscape has recently changed. Whether you’re planning ahead for yourself or supporting an older relative or parent living in Melbourne and surrounding suburbs, this guide is for you.

A Quick Note on “Home Care Packages”

If you’ve been searching using the term “Home Care Package,” as of 1 November 2025, the Home Care Package program was replaced by the Australian Government’s Support at Home program. If you were already receiving a package, your funding transitioned across automatically, and your services should have continued without interruption.

What is Support at Home?

Support at Home is Australia’s government-funded in-home aged care program. It replaced the four Home Care Package levels with eight classifications (Levels 1–8). Funding is allocated on a quarterly budget based on your assessed needs from a My Aged Care ACAT assessment, and unspent funds can carry over (up to $1,000 or 10%, whichever is greater, each quarter).

Support at Home funding can go toward personal care, nursing and clinical support, allied health, domestic assistance, transport, and social support, tailored to your goals rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

How In-Home Care Actually Works Across Melbourne

Regardless of whether your support is government-funded through Support at Home or privately arranged, home care services Melbourne families rely on typically include:

• Personal care — showering, dressing, mobility support
• Nursing and clinical care — wound care, medication management, palliative support
• Domestic assistance — cleaning, laundry, meal preparation
• Travel & Transport — companionship, transport, community outings

A Support Worker or nurse (we call them Community Support Professionals) comes to you, on a schedule built around your life — not the other way around. This is the core difference between in-home care and residential care: the service adapts to you, rather than you adapting to a facility.

Local Support Across Melbourne’s Suburbs

Just Better Care Franchise Owners operate right across Melbourne, so wherever you’re based, there’s a local team who knows the area:

• Melbourne Inner East
• Melbourne Outer East & Outer North East
• Melbourne Metro North & North West
• Melbourne West
• Melbourne Bayside & South East

Visit our main Melbourne home care page to find the office closest to you.

Melbourne Metro North Expands Into Melbourne’s North West

Just Better Care Melbourne Metro North has expanded its coverage into Melbourne’s North West, now supporting one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse regions in the city, including communities such as:

• Brunswick
• Coburg
• Moonee Ponds
• Essendon

If you’re a family in Melbourne’s North West, the local Melbourne Metro North team can now support you directly with the same personalised, community-connected approach to Support at Home, aged care and disability support.

New Franchise Owners at Melbourne Inner East

We’re excited to announce a new chapter for Just Better Care Melbourne Inner East. Shanaya Saad and Mano Saad have taken over as the new Franchise Owners of the office, bringing fresh energy and vision to lead the office into its next chapter.

For existing customers and their families, nothing changes when it comes to the care and support you know and trust.

Choosing a Home Care Provider in Melbourne

This is where most families spend the most time, and it’s worth getting right, because you can change providers if it’s not working, but a good first choice saves a lot of disruption.

When comparing home care providers, ask:

• Can they service your specific suburb reliably? Melbourne is large, and a provider with a strong presence in the inner city may have thin coverage in the outer east or west.
• How much of your budget goes to actual care, versus administration fees? This varies significantly between providers.
• Can you keep the same familiar support team over time? Continuity of care matters more than most people expect.
• How do they handle changing needs? A good provider should be able to request a reassessment and adjust services without unnecessary delay.

If you or a family member also has an NDIS plan, look for a provider who runs both aged care and NDIS support Melbourne-wide under one roof; it simplifies things considerably when one team understands your full picture rather than juggling two separate providers.

Getting Started

The practical steps are the same regardless of which provider you choose:

1. Register with My Aged Care (myagedcare.gov.au or 1800 200 422)
2. Complete an ACAT assessment, usually done in your home
3. Receive your Support at Home classification and Support Plan
4. Nominate your provider and build your Care Plan together

If you need support sooner than an assessment or funding allows, private in-home care can bridge the gap or run alongside government-funded services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Home Care Packages?
Home Care Packages were replaced by the Support at Home program on 1 November 2025. Existing recipients transitioned automatically, and funding is now structured into eight classifications rather than four package levels.

What is Support at Home?
Australia’s government-funded in-home aged care program, which helps older Australians access services like personal care, nursing, domestic help, and allied health while remaining at home.

How do I choose a home care provider in Melbourne?
Compare suburb coverage, how much of your budget goes to admin versus care, and whether you can keep a consistent Support Worker.

How much does Support at Home cost?
Contributions depend on your classification, income, and the type of service (clinical care generally has no co-contribution). My Aged Care’s fee estimator can give you a figure specific to your circumstances.

Can I change my Support at Home provider?
Yes — you can change providers at any time, and your classification and funding move with you.

Whether you’re just starting to explore in-home care options, or you’re ready to switch providers because your current one isn’t delivering, the right conversation early on makes the whole process easier. Just Better Care local team members are across Melbourne’s suburbs and can talk through what support would look like for your specific situation — no pressure, just clear answers.