# Home Support Services ## Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora — info.health.nz **Source:** [https://info.health.nz/services-support/support-services/older-people/home-support-services](https://info.health.nz/services-support/support-services/older-people/home-support-services) **Capture Date:** 2026-06-07 --- ## Overview Home support services help older people (and younger people with disabilities) to continue living safely and independently in their own homes for as long as possible. Services range from help with personal care through to household tasks, equipment, and carer support. These services are publicly funded for those who meet eligibility criteria, and can also be arranged privately. --- ## Types of Home Support Services ### 1. Personal Care Assistance with intimate daily activities that a person cannot manage independently. **Includes:** - **Bathing and showering:** help getting in/out, washing, drying - **Dressing and undressing:** help with buttons, zips, compression stockings - **Toileting and continence care:** help using the toilet, changing continence products - **Mobility assistance:** help getting in/out of bed, chair, or moving around the home - **Eating and feeding:** assistance with meals if unable to feed independently - **Grooming:** help with shaving, brushing hair, oral hygiene - **Medication prompts:** reminders to take medication (not administering — that requires a nurse) **Who provides it:** Support workers employed by home support agencies contracted by Health NZ. ### 2. Home Help (Household Assistance) Practical help with household tasks that the person cannot manage due to age, illness, or disability. **Includes:** - Light housework (vacuuming, dusting, mopping) - Laundry and ironing - Meal preparation (cooking meals, meal planning for dietary needs) - Grocery shopping - Cleaning the kitchen and bathroom **Note:** Home help focuses on tasks essential for maintaining a safe and hygienic living environment. Heavy cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance are typically not covered. ### 3. Carer Support A subsidy for people who provide ongoing care for someone living at home who would otherwise require residential care. **Key features:** - Provides a set number of "respite days" or hours per year to give the carer a break. - The carer can use the hours flexibly — e.g., a few hours a week, or block it into a short holiday. - Can be used to pay for replacement care (e.g., a support worker) or for the cared-for person to stay in a residential care facility temporarily (respite care). - The number of hours depends on the level of need assessed by NASC. **Eligibility:** - The carer must be an unpaid family/whānau member or friend providing regular care. - The person being cared for must have been assessed as needing support. ### 4. Equipment and Modifications - **Walking aids:** walkers, walking sticks, wheelchairs - **Bathroom aids:** shower chairs, commodes, handrails, grab rails - **Bed equipment:** hospital beds, pressure-relieving mattresses - **Home modifications:** ramps, bathroom modifications (wet-room showers), stairlifts (limited) - **Continence products:** pads, catheters, urinary sheaths **How to access:** An occupational therapist (OT) assessment is usually required for equipment and home modifications. Some basic items (e.g., walking sticks) are available directly from Enable New Zealand or local suppliers. ### 5. Meals Services - Delivered meals (Meals on Wheels) — hot meals delivered at lunchtime - Frozen meal options - Special diets available (diabetic, low-salt, pureed, soft) - **Cost:** Typically subsidised; a small co-payment applies ### 6. Social and Day Programmes - Day activity centres offering social interaction, activities, and supervision - Provides respite for carers during the day - May include transport to and from the centre - Some are dementia-specific --- ## How to Access Home Support Services ### Step 1: Contact NASC Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) services coordinate home support. Contact your local NASC (via your local Health New Zealand district or GP). ### Step 2: Needs Assessment A trained assessor (nurse, OT, or social worker) visits the person at home to evaluate: - **Personal care needs:** what help is needed with bathing, dressing, toileting, etc. - **Household management:** ability to prepare meals, clean, shop - **Mobility and safety:** risk of falls, ability to move around - **Carer situation:** who provides support, carer stress/wellbeing - **Goals:** what does the person want to achieve (e.g., staying at home, regaining skills) ### Step 3: Care Plan The assessor develops a care plan specifying: - Types and hours of support funded - Frequency of visits (e.g., daily personal care, weekly housework) - Any equipment or home modifications needed - Carer support hours ### Step 4: Provider Arrangement - Health NZ contracts with local home support agencies. - The care plan is sent to a provider, and a support worker is assigned. - The schedule of visits is agreed with the person and their family. ### Step 5: Review - Care plans are reviewed regularly (usually every 6–12 months) or when circumstances change. - The person can request a reassessment if their needs increase or decrease. --- ## Funding ### Publicly Funded (Government Subsidised) - Home support services are funded by Health New Zealand. - There is **no income or asset test** for home support services (unlike residential care). - Eligibility is based on **need** as determined by the NASC assessment. - Some services require a co-payment (e.g., Meals on Wheels). ### Private (Self-Funded) - Anyone can arrange and pay for home support privately. - Many home support agencies offer private services in addition to their publicly funded contracts. - Rates vary by region and provider (typically $25–$40 per hour for support work). - Private clients can choose their own schedule, support worker, and services. ### Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) - ACC may fund home support if the need arises from an accident (e.g., a fall or car accident). - ACC funds personal care, household help, and child care while the injured person recovers. ### Ministry of Social Development (MSD) - Some home help assistance is available through Work and Income (e.g., Temporary Additional Support, Disability Allowance). - These are income-tested and typically provide a small contribution toward costs. --- ## What Is Not Covered by Public Funding Publicly funded home support does **not** cover: - Gardening, lawn mowing, home maintenance (handyman services) - Heavy cleaning (e.g., windows, curtains, carpets) - Pet care - Transport (except to day programmes in some cases) - Companion/security checks (just checking someone is OK) - 24-hour care — home support is typically provided in blocks of time --- ## Key Considerations - **Continuity of care:** Most agencies aim to assign the same support worker(s) for consistency. - **Changing needs:** If health declines, contact NASC for a reassessment as soon as possible. - **Carer wellbeing:** Carer support is available; don't wait until burnout to ask for help. - **Complaints:** If service quality is poor, first raise it with the provider, then with Health NZ or the Health and Disability Commissioner. - **Cultural needs:** You can request a support worker who speaks your language or understands your cultural background. --- ## Related Services | Service | Description | | ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **District nursing** | Wound care, catheter care, injections — arranged through GP or hospital | | **Podiatry** | Foot care — some publicly funded, some private | | **Physiotherapy / OT** | Rehabilitation, mobility, equipment — via GP referral | | **Social work** | Counselling, advocacy, financial assistance — via NASC or GP | | **Palliative care** | End-of-life support at home — via GP or hospital | --- ## Summary of Key Facts | Topic | Detail | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Services available** | Personal care, home help, carer support, equipment, meals, day programmes | | **Access** | Via NASC needs assessment (free, need-based, no income test) | | **Funding** | Publicly funded (Health NZ), private, ACC, MSD | | **Personal care** | Bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, eating, medication prompts | | **Home help** | Housework, laundry, meals, shopping | | **Carer support** | Respite hours for unpaid carers — needs-based allocation | | **Equipment** | OT assessment needed; basic items via Enable NZ | | **Co-payment** | Some services (e.g., Meals on Wheels) have a small charge |