Support at Home | What Occupational Therapy Can Offer
Support at Home is Australia's new in-home aged care program. Learn how occupational therapy fits in and what support is available.
Owen Clark
1/18/20272 min read
Support at Home: What Occupational Therapy Can Offer
Support at Home is the funding program supporting older Australians to remain living safely and independently in their own homes. Occupational therapy has an important role to play within this program, particularly for older adults managing the effects of injury, illness, or age-related functional decline.
What Is Support at Home?
Support at Home provides funded services to help eligible older Australians manage daily tasks and remain in their own home for longer, rather than moving into residential aged care before it's genuinely necessary. Services funded under the program span a wide range of support types, including allied health services like occupational therapy.
How Occupational Therapy Fits In
Within Support at Home, occupational therapy commonly addresses:
Functional assessment — understanding current abilities and identifying specific areas where support would help maintain independence
Home safety and falls prevention — assessing the home environment and recommending modifications or equipment to reduce fall risk
Equipment prescription — mobility aids, bathroom equipment, and other aids that support safe, independent function
Home modifications — from minor changes like grab rails to more significant modifications supporting long-term independence
Cognitive support — where relevant, strategies to support memory, routine, and safety for older adults managing cognitive changes
The Value of Early Intervention
Occupational therapy input earlier in the ageing process rather than only after a fall or significant decline can help identify and address risks before they result in injury or a more significant loss of independence. A proactive falls prevention assessment, for example, is often far more effective than reactive support following a fall that's already occurred.
Supporting Independence, Not Just Safety
While safety is a central focus, effective occupational therapy support under Support at Home also considers broader quality of life helping people continue to participate in activities that matter to them, whether that's gardening, hobbies or maintaining social connections, not just managing basic physical safety.
Working with Family and Support Networks
For many older adults, family members play a significant role in day-to-day support. Occupational therapy input often includes working with family and any paid support workers to ensure recommended strategies, equipment and modifications are understood and consistently applied.
Navigating the Support at Home System
Like other funding schemes, accessing OT support through Support at Home involves its own eligibility and assessment processes. If you're unsure where to start, it's worth discussing your situation with your GP or an aged care assessment service to understand your options.
Onward Health provides occupational therapy services under Support at Home for older adults across the Sunshine Coast and surrounding region. Get in touch to discuss a referral.
