Short answer: yes, in most cases. But which aged care program you're on changes how you actually access it. "Aged care" isn't one single scheme. It covers a few different programs, each with its own rules for allied health. This guide breaks down where physiotherapy fits under each one. Support at Home Support at Home …
Short answer: yes, in most cases. But which aged care program you’re on changes how you actually access it. “Aged care” isn’t one single scheme. It covers a few different programs, each with its own rules for allied health. This guide breaks down where physiotherapy fits under each one.
Support at Home
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025, and it’s now the main program for older Australians with more complex care needs at home.
Physiotherapy is a clinical support under Support at Home, so there’s no client contribution for it, whether you’re a full pensioner or self-funded.
Your registered Support at Home provider arranges your services and pays for them from your quarterly budget, and you can ask them to use the physio you’d prefer.
If you’re still using the older term, our home care package physiotherapy page explains how it works now and how to get started.
Read more: How Self-Managed Support at Home Clients Can Access Physiotherapy
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
CHSP provides entry-level support for older Australians who need some help to live independently, but not the more comprehensive support of Support at Home. Allied health and therapy services, including physiotherapy, are a covered category under CHSP.
The key difference from Support at Home is that CHSP services must be delivered by a registered CHSP provider. This is a separate arrangement from supporting Support at Home clients, so not every mobile physiotherapy provider is set up to deliver CHSP-funded sessions directly, and Bayside Mobile Physio isn’t at the time of writing. If you’re on CHSP and want to check your options, your My Aged Care assessment or CHSP provider can confirm which allied health providers are available in your area.
Restorative Care Pathway
If you’ve had a setback such as an illness, a fall or a hospital stay, or your mobility has started to decline, you may be assessed for the Restorative Care Pathway. It’s a short-term stream within Support at Home that replaced the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025.
It provides goal-focused allied health and nursing support for up to 16 weeks to help you regain function and independence, rather than ongoing long-term care. You’ll need an aged care assessment to access it. Physiotherapy is a central part of this pathway, given its focus on mobility and function.
Residential Aged Care
If you live in an aged care home, physiotherapy and other clinical therapy services are generally arranged or provided directly by the facility, rather than through an external mobile provider. Bayside Mobile Physio is a home-visit service for people living in their own home, so this guide is mainly relevant if you’re receiving care at home.
Private Physiotherapy
Private physiotherapy is always an option, whichever program applies to you. It’s useful if you want treatment sooner than a funded pathway allows, or if a service falls outside what your current funding covers.
Which Pathway Applies to You?
- Higher-level or complex care needs? Support at Home, arranged through your provider
- Recovering after a setback or hospital stay? Restorative Care Pathway, via Support at Home
- Entry-level support needs? CHSP, via a registered CHSP provider
- Living in an aged care home? Arranged directly through your facility
- Want treatment without waiting on an assessment? Private
How Bayside Mobile Physio Fits In
Bayside Mobile Physio provides home-visit physiotherapy across Greater Sydney for Support at Home clients, including those on the Restorative Care Pathway. We work with your Support at Home provider and invoice them directly.
See how our Support at Home physiotherapy service works with your provider across Sydney.
If you’re unsure which pathway applies to you, get in touch and we’ll help you work out where physiotherapy fits into your aged care funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my Home Care Package for physiotherapy?
Yes. Home Care Packages moved to Support at Home on 1 November 2025, and physiotherapy is a clinical support with no client contribution. Your provider arranges it from your budget. See our home care package physiotherapy page for details.
Do I need a referral for physiotherapy under aged care funding?
You don’t usually need a GP referral. Under Support at Home, including the Restorative Care Pathway, your provider arranges physiotherapy as part of your care plan. For CHSP, access depends on your registered provider’s process.
Can I move between aged care programs?
Yes. For example, someone on CHSP may later be assessed for Support at Home as their needs change, or a Support at Home client may be offered the Restorative Care Pathway to regain strength and independence. My Aged Care manages these transitions based on your assessed needs.
What if I’m not sure which program I’m on?
My Aged Care can confirm your current program and assessment status if you’re uncertain.
Get in Touch
If you’d like help understanding how physiotherapy fits into your aged care funding, we’re happy to talk it through.
Bayside Mobile Physio
Phone: 0468 079 075
Email: [email protected]
Web: baysidemobilephysio.com.au
This article is general information only and doesn’t take the place of advice from My Aged Care or your registered provider. Program rules can change, so please confirm current details before making decisions about your care.
Daniel Chong, BPhty (Australian Catholic University), is an AHPRA-registered physiotherapist and the founder of Bayside Mobile Physio.
