1) Register with My Aged Care
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or use their website to register and book an assessment. This starts the process for government support programs that can cover a personal alarm.
2) Attend the Assessment
An assessor will check your parent’s needs (mobility, safety, falls risk, daily tasks). Tell them you need a personal alarm included in your support plan so funding can be allocated.
3) See Which Funding Route Applies
After assessment, your parent may be eligible for one of the following:
National programs via My Aged Care
• Support at Home (SaH) or Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) – helps seniors with basic support including alarms, such as the Safe-Life Pendant.
• Assistive Technology funding under SaH/AT-HM – covers the device itself.
Other government funding
• NDIS – funds assistive tech like alarms for eligible people under 65 with disability support needs.
• State schemes – such as Personal Alert Victoria (PAV) (free alarm + monitoring if eligible) or Personal Alert Assistance SA (PAASA).
• DVA (veterans) – provides personal alarms through the Rehabilitation Appliances Program for eligible veterans.
4) Get Approval & Funding Code
Once your parent is found eligible, you’ll receive a referral or funding plan/code that shows what the government will pay for.
5) Choose a Supplier & Set Up the Alarm
Give the referral/funding code to an approved alarm supplier. They’ll organise the pendant and usually setup the 24/7 monitoring service.
6) Review & Renew as Needed
Some programs review support regularly. Stay in contact with your case manager so funded monitoring and equipment stay active.
What Each Funding Option Does
| Program | Pays for Alarm Device | Pays for Monitoring | Who It Helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support at Home / CHSP | Yes (device) | Maybe (depends on plan) | Older Australians with basic home support needs |
| AT-HM (Assistive Tech) | Yes (device) | No (but monitoring may be funded through overall support plan) | Seniors approved under Support at Home |
| NDIS | Yes (if in plan) | Yes (if in plan) | Under-65s with significant disability |
| Personal Alert Victoria (PAV) | Yes | Yes | Eligible Victorian seniors/disabled people |
| Personal Alert Assistance SA (PAASA) | Yes | Yes | Eligible South Australians |
| DVA (Veterans) | Yes | Yes | Veterans & eligible dependants |
Quick Tips
• Always start with My Aged Care – it’s the central entry point to federal support programs.
• If your parent lives in Victoria, check Personal Alert Victoria for possibly free monitoring and device.
• If they have a disability under 65, see if the NDIS assistive technology funding can include an alarm.
