When an older person needs help at home in Australia, most families assume the government will fund it. The government does have programs -- but the waitlist for the Support at Home program can be 6 to 18 months, and many families cannot wait that long. Private in-home aged care exists for exactly this reason.
The Support at Home program and its waitlist
The Support at Home program replaced the Home Care Packages system from 1 November 2025. It provides government-funded in-home care for eligible older Australians across 8 funding levels. To access it, a person must be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team, receive an approval, be assigned a funding level, and then be matched with a registered provider. Each of those steps takes time, and the total wait from initial referral to funded care starting can be 6 to 18 months.
What private in-home aged care costs in Australia
Private in-home aged care rates vary by provider. Major providers charge $85 to $115 per hour for a support worker. Nursing care is higher. HammondCare charges $130 per hour for private care management. Rates for registered nurses in private in-home settings run from $100 to $189 per hour depending on the provider and the complexity of care.
What Nest and Nurture Elder Care charges
Nest and Nurture Elder Care is a private in-home aged care service with no waitlist and no eligibility assessment. Families book directly, choose their carer from verified profiles, complete an online interview and pay a fixed rate. Support Worker care starts at $75 per hour -- less than most agencies charge. The worker earns $55 of that. Nest and Nurture keeps $20.
- Support Worker: $75 per hour (worker earns $55)
- Enrolled Nurse: $100 per hour (worker earns $80)
- Registered Nurse: $140 per hour (worker earns $120)
- Overnight care: $350 flat per shift (9pm to 7am)
Why private care has no waitlist
Private care has no waitlist because it is not funded by the government and therefore not constrained by assessment queues, funding allocations or provider registration requirements. A family decides they need help, finds a verified carer, completes an interview and books. That process takes days, not months.
Who uses private in-home aged care
Three groups use private care most commonly. Families bridging the wait for a government package and needing help now. Self-funded retirees who have assets and income and do not qualify for full subsidy. And families who have received a package but prefer the consistency and flexibility of a private arrangement over a registered government provider.
The honest alternative
The Support at Home program is worth applying for if your family member is eligible and you can plan ahead. Private in-home care through Nest and Nurture Elder Care is the alternative for families who need help now, prefer a consistent relationship over a bureaucratic system, or want to pay a fair rate to a worker who earns what they deserve.
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