Home Care Glossary
Aged care funding comes with its own vocabulary, and it's easy to get lost in the acronyms. Here are the terms we use most often, explained simply. For a step-by-step look at how these fit together, see our guide to Support at Home vs. Home Care Package or our FAQ page.
Support at Home
The Australian Government's current in-home aged care program, which replaced Home Care Packages from November 2025. It's accessed through My Aged Care and provides a quarterly budget based on your assessed funding classification, which your provider or coordinator manages on your behalf.
Home Care Package
The previous Australian Government in-home care funding system, built around four package levels. It's being phased out in favour of Support at Home, and existing package holders transition across gradually rather than all at once.
My Aged Care
The Australian Government's aged care information, assessment and referral service. It's the starting point for almost everything — requesting an assessment, finding a provider, and managing an existing Support at Home budget or Home Care Package.
Aged care assessment
An assessment of your day-to-day needs, carried out on behalf of My Aged Care, used to decide what level of Support at Home funding (or, previously, what Home Care Package level) you're approved for. This process is sometimes still referred to by its older name, ACAT assessment. See our step-by-step guide to what happens at your assessment for the full picture.
Care plan
A document setting out the services and actions your assessor has recommended based on your assessed needs. It isn't fixed forever — you can ask your provider to revisit it if your situation changes.
Service agreement
An agreement between you and your chosen provider that sets out exactly what services you'll receive, how often, what they cost against your budget, and how to raise concerns or request changes. A good provider will walk you through this before anything starts.
Home care provider
An organisation registered to deliver aged care services — personal care, domestic assistance, nursing, allied health and so on — funded through your Support at Home budget or Home Care Package. You can compare and shortlist providers through My Aged Care's Find a Provider tool.
Care coordinator
A person, often within your provider organisation, who helps manage your care plan, budget and day-to-day services on an ongoing basis. "Provider" and "coordinator" are sometimes used interchangeably, but a coordinator is specifically the person handling the ongoing management side.
CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme)
A separate, entry-level Australian Government program for people with lower-level home support needs. It's distinct from Support at Home and Home Care Packages, and Elvana Care does not currently provide CHSP-funded services.
Funding classification
Under Support at Home, one of eight funding levels you're assigned based on your assessed care needs. Your classification determines the size of your quarterly budget.
Service categories (clinical support, independence, everyday living)
The three groupings Support at Home services fall into, which decide whether you pay a contribution. Clinical support (nursing, allied health and, from 1 October 2026, personal care) is fully government-funded. Independence services (like mobility support) and everyday living services (like cleaning and gardening) both have a means-tested contribution, with everyday living generally attracting a higher rate. See our guide to how these categories work.
Priority category
A rating — urgent, high, medium or standard — assigned alongside your Support at Home approval. It affects how long you wait before your funding becomes available to use, and depends on your individual approval date and circumstances.
Ageing in place
The idea of supporting someone to keep living safely and independently in their own home for as long as possible, rather than moving into residential aged care. It's the underlying principle behind most home care services, including Elvana Care's.