Additional support for senior Australians to live independently

The Australian Government is ensuring senior Australians can live at home for longer thanks to additional assistance under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP).
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said allowing older Australians to choose how and where they lived is a priority.
“The choice to live safely and independently in their community has increasingly become a strong preference for senior Australians,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Government continues to invest in measures to make this possible no matter where people live.”
The Commonwealth Government will provide up to $124.4m in additional grants across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years.
This will include an additional $32.2m per year over two years starting in financial year 2020-21 and a separate allocation of up to $60m in additional funding in 2021-22.“This funding will expand access to entry-level services to more senior Australians right across Australia, now and into the future,” Minister Colbeck said.
Eligible providers of aged care and disability services are invited to apply for the funding to deliver home support services under the CHSP.
The CHSP is an entry-level aged care program for frail people aged 65 years and over (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) who need some help with daily tasks.
As part of its commitment to supporting the entry level care needs of older Australians, the Government has committed a total of $5.94b across 2020-21 and 2021-22 to fund the delivery of services through the CHSP.
Nationally, more than 1,400 organisations are funded to deliver CHSP home support services to around 840,000 seniors.
“Maximising independence and autonomy is a key objective of the CHSP, to help people live their best lives as they get older,” Minister Colbeck said.
Services provided under the CHSP include domestic assistance such as help with cleaning, washing and shopping, transport, allied health services, nursing care and social support, assistance with food preparation in the home and delivery of meals, support for carers including respite services and home maintenance.
The grant opportunity GO3632 is now open and will close on 5 February 2021.
Information for eligible providers and how to apply is available on Grant Connect.