Commonwealth Home Support Programme

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is an entry level home help program administered and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. The introduction of the CHSP is one of the changes the Australian Government has introduced to help older people stay independent and in their homes and communities for longer. A fundamental objective of the CHSP is to increase participants’ independence and to emphasise a focus on maximising participant wellness, reablement and restorative care.

A wellness approach involves assessment, planning and delivery of supports that build on the strengths, capacity and goals of individuals, and encourages actions that promote a level of independence in daily living tasks, as well as reducing risks affecting the ability to live safely at home. It avoids ‘doing for’ when a ‘doing with’ approach can assist individuals to undertake a task or activity themselves, or with less assistance, and to increase satisfaction with any gains made.

For further information on a wellness approach our service can provide a copy of the ‘Living well at home: CHSP Good Practice Guide’. 

Services provided include:

• Personal care and support
• Light housework
• Meal preparation
• Shopping
• Transport
• Medication support
• Home Maintenance (Lawn mowing services)
• Home Modification

 

To be eligible to receive services under the CHSP Participants must be:

• Aged 65 years or older, or 50 years or older and identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
• Still living at home.
• Needing help at home to continue living independently.

 

Receiving services:

• In order to receive services under the CHSP participants need to register with ‘My Aged Care’ who may arrange a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) to conduct a home support assessment to discuss their needs.
• For further information visit the ‘My Aged Care’ site.
• A home visit will be conducted as part of the assessment process for new CHSP Service Users. Face-to-face assessments may take up to an hour or longer, per person.
• Reviews (sometimes called ‘reassessments’) are carried out at least every year to see if your need for services has changed.
• You are encouraged to have an advocate or other person of importance to you present when assessments are undertaken. This is particularly important where you do not feel confident enough to represent your own interests or if you are worried about being able to remember or understand information including being able to consent to decisions about services, money or privacy.
• If you are deemed eligible for assistance or services we will also carry out a Work Health and Safety (WH&S) assessment of areas of your home in which staff members may be required to work. You can expect to be provided with any recommendations from the WH&S assessment and information on privacy, rights and responsibilities, confidentiality, grievance procedures and other services that may also meet your needs.