The Support at Home assessment: how to prepare for the home visit
Last updated 20 August 2026
The short version
- One assessment now covers everything: the Single Assessment System, using the Integrated Assessment Tool, usually during a visit to your home.
- The assessment decides your classification — which of eight funding levels you get — and your priority in the queue. It's the single most consequential conversation in the whole journey.
- The classic mistake: putting on a brave face. Describe your worst days, not your best ones.
- Have family present and bring GP notes or hospital paperwork — supporting evidence genuinely helps.
What the assessment is, and what's decided on the day
Since aged care assessments were unified under the Single Assessment System, one assessment covers the lot — Support at Home, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, short-term pathways and, if it's ever needed, residential care. You won't be bounced between different assessment bodies.
An assessor arranges a time and comes to your home. They work through the Integrated Assessment Tool — a structured set of questions about how you manage day to day: moving around, showering and dressing, cooking and eating, memory and thinking, your mood, your home's safety, and the support you get from family and friends. They'll also want to see a little of how you live — how you get to the door, the state of the garden path, whether there are rails in the bathroom.
From this one conversation flow three big outcomes:
- your classification — one of eight levels that sets your quarterly budget;
- your priority category — which determines how long you wait for funding; and
- any short-term pathways — assistive technology and home modifications funding, restorative care, or end-of-life support.
This is the mistake we hear about most. The assessor visits, you've had a decent morning, the kettle goes on, and you say you're "managing fine, mostly". A generation raised not to make a fuss is being under-classified for exactly that reason. The assessor can only fund the needs you describe. If showering is frightening three days a week, say so — even if it wasn't today.
How to prepare — a practical checklist
- Keep a one-week diary before the visit. Note everything you struggled with or avoided: the shower you skipped, the meal that became toast, the washing that stayed in the basket, the night-time toilet trips that felt risky.
- Describe your worst days. A useful phrase: "On a bad day, I can't…". Bad days are precisely what the funding is for.
- Have a family member or carer there. They can gently fill gaps — "Actually, Dad hasn't driven since March" — and take notes while you talk.
- Gather your paperwork. A medication list, a note from your GP summarising your conditions, any hospital discharge summaries, and specialist letters. Ask your GP for a summary letter before the visit — most are happy to help, and it grounds the assessment in evidence.
- Don't tidy away the truth. If the house shows that you're struggling, let it. You're not hosting; you're being assessed.
- Mention your carer's load. If a spouse or child is propping everything up, say what would happen if they couldn't. Carer strain affects priority.
Want to talk it through before the visit?
We can help you think about what to raise at your assessment, and what usually gets missed. Free, no obligation.
After the visit: the Notice of Decision
Once the assessment is finalised, you receive a Notice of Decision. Read it carefully — it contains:
- your classification (levels 1–8), which sets your quarterly budget;
- your priority category for the National Priority System;
- any short-term pathways you've been approved for, such as assistive technology and home modifications funding or restorative care; and
- information about what to do if you disagree with the decision.
If the classification doesn't reflect what you actually need — or your needs change while you wait — you're not stuck with it. See our guide to reviews and reassessment.
The assessment system is under real strain — the backlog reached about 98,600 earlier this year, and in August 2026 five peak bodies including COTA and OPAN publicly called for action on waits and on the assessment tool itself. None of that changes your part: prepare well, describe your needs fully, and put your evidence on the table.
Common questions
Does the assessment cost anything?
No. Assessment is free, and so is reassessment later if your needs change.
How long does the home visit take?
Allow a good part of the morning or afternoon — it's a thorough, structured conversation, not a quick form. Don't book anything close afterwards, and don't rush it: unhurried answers are fuller answers.
Can my daughter answer questions for me?
The assessor will want to hear mainly from you, but family are welcome and their input matters — especially about things you might downplay. Some assessors will also ask the carer some questions privately, which is normal and useful.
What if I'm not happy with the outcome?
Your Notice of Decision explains your options, and our reassessment guide walks through them — from a priority review to a full reassessment to a formal review of the decision.
I was assessed under the old system. Does that still count?
Yes. Existing approvals carried over when Support at Home began on 1 November 2025, and former Home Care Package holders were transitioned automatically with their funding protected. Your approval doesn't expire while you wait.
Approved and waiting?
Interim help can often start within weeks — you don't have to wait for your full budget with nothing.
Sources
- My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au — assessment and Single Assessment System pages, accessed 20 August 2026.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Single Assessment System and Integrated Assessment Tool information, accessed 20 August 2026.
- Support at Home Program Manual — classifications, priority categories and Notices of Decision.
- Joint statement by aged care peak bodies including COTA and OPAN, 18 August 2026 — on assessment and wait times.