Frank, 85, has lived in the same weatherboard house for fifty-two years and intends to leave it "feet first, thanks very much". Lately, though, the bathroom step has become a nightly negotiation, and his physio has suggested a walker for the uneven front path. Frank held off asking about either — he assumed a rail and a walker would eat into the budget that pays for his cleaner and his physio sessions, and he wasn't prepared to trade one for the other.

Frank's story is an illustrative scenario, created to show how Support at Home works in practice. It is not a real client testimonial.

Here's the news that changed Frank's mind: under Support at Home, equipment and home modifications generally don't come out of your quarterly budget at all. They have their own funding stream — and knowing how it works means you don't put off the rail that keeps you safe.

The AT-HM Scheme: separate money for equipment and modifications

The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme is a distinct part of Support at Home. It funds equipment (assistive technology) and changes to your home, separately from the quarterly budget that pays for your ongoing services. In practical terms: Frank's bathroom rail doesn't compete with Frank's cleaner. Two different pockets, two different purposes.

What sort of things does it cover?

Broadly, the scheme covers two families of support:

  • Assistive technology — items that help you do daily tasks safely, such as walkers and other mobility aids.
  • Home modifications — changes to the home itself, such as grab rails in the bathroom, ramps over steps, and similar safety works.

What's funded for you depends on your assessed needs, so treat these as examples rather than a menu — and check with My Aged Care (1800 200 422) or ask your provider about your specific situation.

The pathway: assessment first, purchase second

AT-HM funding follows need, and need is established through assessment. The entry point is My Aged Care (myagedcare.gov.au, 1800 200 422) and the Single Assessment System. If you're already receiving Support at Home and something has changed — a few near-misses on the bathroom step, a physio recommending a walker — tell your provider and ask about a review. Don't do what Frank almost did, which was to quietly buy nothing and hope the step behaved itself.

Don't self-ration on safety. If you've been putting off asking about a rail, ramp or walker because you're protecting your quarterly budget, remember: AT-HM is separate funding. The right question isn't "can I afford it?" — it's "has my need been assessed?"

How your provider helps coordinate it

Once a need is identified, there's still coordination to do — quotes, suppliers, installers, claims. That's where your provider earns their keep. With Partner with Care's self-managed model, you keep a real say in which suppliers and tradespeople come into your home, while we handle the claiming and compliance as your registered provider — with same-day answers from a named contact and every payment visible in your live budget view. Frank got his rail, his walker, and kept every hour of his cleaner. The weatherboard house, he reports, will still be receiving him feet first — just a good deal later than the bathroom step had planned.