Aged and community support
Helping older people stay active, involved and doing as much for themselves as possible, is proven to help independence and wellbeing.
Monash Council provides a number of services and programs to help older people in their home:
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
If you're aged 65 and over (or over 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and living independently at home, you and your carer may be eligible to access support through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
Monash Council is funded by the Australian Government to provide entry-level services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.
These services include:
- Personal care: provides support to safely maintain personal hygiene, including showering and grooming.
- Meals: provides access to pre-made meals and informal health monitoring.
- Domestic assistance: provides support with basic chores around the house, including vacuuming, mopping and cleaning bathrooms.
- Home maintenance: includes annual gutter and spring cleans, changing smoke alarm batteries and small home repairs, for example, fixing door hinges and locks.
- Home modifications: helps make changes to the home to improve safety and access, for example, installing ramps, handrails and smoke alarms.
- Occupational therapy: aims to improve client safety and independence at home through prescribed equipment, minor home modifications and alternative ways of performing daily tasks.
- Respite care: provides in-home support to allow the carer to take a break.
- Social support group: offers structured activities in a group environment, designed to support social interaction and independent living.
Monash Meals on Wheels
Monash volunteers deliver food to your home. The client can nominate the number of meals they would like for a week and can have these delivered when required.
Delivery days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
These meals are provided by Lite n’ Easy and are delivered frozen.
CHSP Eligibility
All CHSP services and programs are subject to eligibility screening, assessment and availability as supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit the My Aged Care website to check if you’re eligible.
How to apply – My Aged Care
To access programs offered through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), individuals aged 65 or over can start by registering with My Aged Care.
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit the My Aged Care website to begin your journey.
After registering, My Aged Care will guide you through a series of questions to assess your specific needs. Subsequently, a referral will be forwarded to the Regional Assessment Service (RAS).
RAS will schedule a visit with a Home Support Assessor. During this visit, you'll have the opportunity to discuss your requirements and the services that best cater to your needs.
All services require an occupational health and safety check of your home. Services are subsidised but a fee does apply.
Be Well at Home
The wellness approach, which we call “Be Well at Home”, encourages clients and care workers to work together. Care workers are trained to work with the client’s goals and to maintain the client’s independence. The phrase “use it or lose it” is a strong theme here as we want all clients to maintain their independence and be as active as possible.
To find out more, please read the newsletters below:
Be Well News - April 2024(PDF, 3MB)
Be Well News - December 2023(PDF, 3MB)
Be Well News - August 2023(PDF, 2MB)
Be Well News - April 2023(PDF, 2MB)
Be Well News - December 2022(PDF, 4MB)
Be Well News - August 2022(PDF, 3MB)
BeWell News - April 2022(PDF, 5MB)
BeWell News - December 2021(PDF, 4MB)
Acknowledgement
Supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Disclaimer
Although funding for this Commonwealth Home Support Programme has been provided by the Australian Government, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Australian Government.
FAQs for CHSP services provided through Monash
What if I need to cancel a service?
To cancel a service, you must give 24 hours’ notice. If you’re feeling unwell or unable to have a service attend, phone 9518 3553 to discuss your situation. Monash Council reserves the right to charge clients for any services cancelled within 24 hours of an appointment.
How do I find out the time of my next appointment/ service?
Phone us on 9518 3553.
Do services still run on a public holiday?
Showering support is provided on public holidays except Christmas Day and Easter Saturday. All other regular services don't run on public holidays. Monash Meals clients will be notified when their meals will be delivered.
What products or equipment are used for domestic assistance?
We require clients to have approved, non-hazardous cleaning products and a lightweight mop and bucket prior to starting this service. This is discussed with the client on the first visit and a list is supplied in the welcome pack. If you need a replacement list, please phone 9518 3553.
More Information
For more information on aged-care rights, advocacy and privacy, go to Aged and Community Support information
Activities for Older People
Monash Council also provides the Positive Ageing Lifestyle Program (PALS), which offers free or low-cost activities for people aged over 60. For more information, see Positive Ageing Lifestyle Services PALS.
If you need help with accessibility or support services for someone with a disability, visit Disability Services.