Personal care is one of the most personal forms of support there is, so it should always come with warmth, respect and a steady focus on your dignity. Whether you need a hand once a week or daily support, personal care services help you feel clean, comfortable and confident in your own home.
What is personal care?
Personal care, sometimes called personal home care, is hands-on help with the everyday tasks of looking after your body and staying well presented. It covers the things most of us do without thinking, until age, illness, injury or disability makes them harder to manage alone.
In simple terms, the personal care definition is practical support with daily activities like washing, dressing, grooming and toileting, given in a way that protects a person's privacy and independence.
The personal care meaning is much the same whether you are looking at personal care in aged care or personal care for a person with disability. What changes is how it is funded and tailored. The goal is always the same: to support the person to do as much as they can for themselves, and to step in gently with the rest.
Personal care examples and everyday tasks
Personal care examples are easiest to picture as the regular tasks a Support Worker can help with. Personal care tasks can include:
- Showering, bathing and washing, at a pace that feels comfortable
- Help getting dressed and undressed, and choosing clothes for the day
- Personal hygiene and grooming, including hair, skin and nail care
- Oral care, such as brushing teeth and looking after dentures
- Support with toileting, continence and using continence aids
- Help moving safely, including getting in and out of bed or a chair
- Applying creams, lotions or prescribed skin care
Some people live with multiple or interrelated conditions and need complex or high intensity support. This can be built into a personal care plan and delivered by a team trained for that level of need.
Personal care or nursing care?
It is easy to mix up the two, so it helps to be clear. Personal care is non-clinical support with daily living, things like washing, dressing and grooming. Clinical tasks, such as wound care, medication management or health monitoring, are nursing care, provided separately by registered or enrolled nurses. Many people receive both, working side by side. Where clinical support is needed, it can be arranged through in-home nursing.
Why is support with personal hygiene important in aged care?
Good personal hygiene is about far more than appearances. As we age, skin becomes more fragile and the risk of infection, pressure injuries and discomfort rises, so regular, gentle hygiene support genuinely protects health.
It matters for wellbeing too. Feeling fresh and presentable lifts mood and confidence, and makes it easier to stay social and active. The need is widespread.
Nearly 2 in 5 older Australians living at home needed help with everyday activities such as self-care, mobility and health care.
(Source: ABS, 2022)
That is why support with personal hygiene is so important in aged care. It keeps people healthier, more comfortable and more connected to the life they want to live.
Dignity comes first, always.
Personal care is delivered discreetly and at your direction, so you stay in control of how, when and by whom you are supported.
Personal care for elderly Australians and people with disability
Personal care services for elderly Australians help people keep living well at home, rather than moving into residential care before they are ready. The same support helps people of any age living with disability.
So what is personal care in disability? It is the same practical, respectful help with daily living, shaped around a person's goals and the way they like things done. You can read more about personal care for people with disability, where the focus is on supporting independence and the things that matter most to each person.
How personal care fits into Support at Home
In the past, in-home aged care was funded through a Home Care Package. From 1 November 2025, Home Care Packages were replaced by Support at Home, the main government-subsidised program that helps older Australians stay independent at home. If you have been searching for a Home Care Package, or aged care packages for seniors, Support at Home is now the pathway you are looking for.
Personal care is a funded service type under Support at Home. From 1 October 2026, the Australian Government will fully fund personal care, which means no out-of-pocket cost for approved personal care services in your support plan.
If you are not yet eligible, are waiting for an assessment, or simply want to begin now, personal care can also be arranged privately. Private support is self-funded, flexible and available without a waitlist.
Related services
Personal care often works best alongside other in-home support:
- Domestic assistance helps with cleaning, laundry, and everyday household tasks
- Meal preparation support to plan, shop for, and prepare nourishing meals
- Overnight support, reassurance, and assistance through the night
- Respite for carers a planned break for the people who care for you
How to arrange personal care services
Personal care is never one routine for everyone. It is built around your preferences and reviewed as your needs change, so the plan keeps fitting your life. You can see how a plan comes together in our guide to personal care at home.
Getting started is simple. Think about the support that would help most, whether that is a hand getting ready in the morning, help at bath time, or a daily visit. From there:
- For Support at Home, an aged care assessment sets your eligibility. Register with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
- To begin privately, or to ask a question, your local Just Better Care office can help.
Personal care, with dignity at the centre
For two decades, the Just Better Care team has supported older Australians and people with disability to live well at home. Talk to us about personal care services tailored to you, delivered with respect, privacy and a familiar face.
Get startedPersonal care FAQs
What is personal care in aged care?
Personal care in aged care is non-clinical, hands-on help with everyday activities such as showering, dressing, grooming, oral care, and toileting. It helps older people stay clean, comfortable, and independent at home, with their privacy and dignity protected at every step.
Is personal care funded under Support at Home?
Yes. Personal care is a funded service type under Support at Home. From 1 October 2026, it moves into the clinical supports category and becomes fully funded, so if you have personal care approved in your support plan and have funding available, there is no out-of-pocket cost.
Do I need an aged care assessment to get personal care?
For government-funded personal care, yes. Register with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and complete an aged care assessment, which sets your eligibility and the services in your support plan. If you are not eligible yet, or you are waiting for an assessment, personal care can be arranged privately and can begin straight away.
What is the difference between personal care and domestic assistance?
Personal care is help with your body and daily routine, such as washing, dressing, and grooming. Domestic assistance is help around the house, such as cleaning, laundry, and changing the bed. Many people use both together, often within the same visit.
How often can I receive personal care at home?
As often as you need. Personal care can be a one-off before an event, a couple of visits a week, or daily support, including a hand in the morning and again in the evening. The pattern is set out in your care plan and can change as your needs change.
Who provides personal care, and can I keep the same person?
Personal care is provided by trained Support Workers. Just Better Care aims for consistency, so wherever possible, you see the same familiar faces who know your routine and preferences. Care is always delivered respectfully and in line with the Aged Care Quality Standards.
