What is a Self-Managed Home Care Package — and Why It’s Changing Lives

A self-managed Home Care Package is, at its core, a funding model that lets older Australians direct how their care is delivered. Instead of having a provider make all the decisions, you’re the one who selects your carers, organises your services, and sets the rhythm of your support. You get to choose who enters your home, when they come, and how they help. It’s about shifting the power back to where it always belonged—with you.

But this isn’t just about logistics—it’s about freedom. About being heard and valued. For many, traditional aged care models feel restrictive. A self-managed package removes layers of red tape and brings clarity, flexibility, and a sense of ownership that can’t be underestimated.

And yet, behind the scenes, we are still right there. We handle the formal compliance as your NDIS-approved provider, ensure your funds are tracked with accuracy, and step in whenever guidance is needed. Our presence is steady but subtle, empowering without interfering.

The emotional benefits are just as powerful as the practical ones:

• Choice – You decide who provides your care and how often.
• Independence – You’re no longer waiting for someone else to decide what’s best.
• Flexibility – Your plan evolves with you, not against you.
• Better value – With fewer administration fees, more of your package goes directly into care hours.

In Launceston, more and more people are turning toward this model because it aligns with a simple, human truth: care should never feel like control. And with the right silent partner in your corner, it never will.

Freedom to Choose the Right Carers for Your Life

When care is no longer a distant need but a daily reality, the question that arises isn’t simply who will help me?—it becomes who will truly understand me?

In Launceston, where community ties and personal values run deep, the answer is rarely found in standardised services or distant providers. It’s found in a quieter, more meaningful choice: the freedom to choose carers who honour your life story, who respect your preferences, and who support you in a way that feels both natural and personal.

That is the real power behind a self-managed Home Care Package. It hands the reins back to you—where they should have been all along.

When we are standing in the background—managing your funding, ensuring compliance with NDIS standards, and stepping in only when needed—you are given the space to decide who walks through your door. You choose not just a service, but a person. Someone who understands your routine, your culture, your pace, and your needs with quiet competence and care.

Below is a closer look at the types of support available through our self-managed model. Each one reflects a different layer of life, and within each, you are free to select a carer who aligns with how you want to live.

Home Care

Home is not just a place—it’s an extension of self. Every corner carries meaning, every item tells a story. Home care, then, must be more than practical—it must be relational. You may choose a carer who understands how to support you without disrupting the natural flow of your space. Whether it’s preparing meals, making the bed just how you like it, or helping you sit by the garden in the afternoon, the care is quiet but meaningful.

Daily Living

The daily tasks many take for granted—bathing, dressing, preparing food—can become deeply personal when help is needed. With self-management, you select a carer who understands how to approach these moments with both skill and sensitivity. Someone who respects your pace, your boundaries, and your sense of independence, allowing you to move through the day with dignity intact.

Domestic Assistance

The state of a home often reflects the state of the heart. When you have control over your domestic support, you can maintain a space that feels clean, ordered, and peaceful. You might bring in someone you trust to help with laundry, dishes, errands, and dusting—not just for cleanliness, but for emotional clarity. It’s not just about a clean house. It’s about being able to rest and breathe in your own space.

24 Hour Care

For those requiring round-the-clock support, the continuity of care becomes vital. Choosing your own carers for 24-hour care allows you to build a consistent team—people who know your preferences, your medical needs, and your routines. There’s a deep comfort in being supported by familiar faces, especially in vulnerable hours. It means being seen, even in silence.

Personal Care

This type of support enters some of the most private corners of life—personal hygiene, grooming, toileting. With self-management, you decide who provides that care. You select someone who brings not just professionalism, but warmth and understanding. A carer who knows how to help without diminishing your sense of self, someone who preserves your dignity every step of the way.

Overnight Care

The night can be unsettling when you’re alone and in need. Having a carer nearby through those hours can make a world of difference. You get to choose someone who brings calm, reliability, and gentleness—someone who offers quiet presence, not just physical assistance. They remain available through the night, offering both safety and peace of mind, so you can rest without worry.

Disability Care

When living with a disability, the type of support required often extends beyond physical tasks. Emotional understanding, patience, and familiarity with specific conditions become essential. With a self-managed plan, you can choose carers who genuinely grasp your abilities and your goals—people who lift you up rather than work around you. Whether it's with mobility, communication, or simply navigating the day, your chosen support reflects your own priorities.

Disability Support

Beyond daily care, disability support may mean help with planning, accessing the community, and building confidence. Some days it’s practical—support for appointments, transportation, or errands. Other times, it’s simply having a carer who listens and empowers. You choose someone who doesn’t see disability as a limitation, but as part of a broader story—your story.

Complex Care

Health needs can be layered and often involve multiple conditions or specialised treatment. In these moments, the care must be precise—but never cold. With self-management, you bring on carers who are trained in complex care yet grounded in human warmth. They manage the clinical demands without letting empathy fall away. Their presence can bring structure, stability, and reassurance to each day.

High Care

For those with high care requirements, such as advanced illness or progressive conditions, consistency and sensitivity are essential. You might select carers who know how to anticipate needs, communicate with medical teams, and offer nuanced, attentive care—without making you feel like a patient. They know when to step in and when to simply sit beside you. It’s a quiet kind of strength.

Social and Community Participation

Engagement with the community is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. With the right support, you can attend events, reconnect with friends, or enjoy simple pleasures like a walk in the park or a visit to the library. You’re free to choose someone who shares your interests or brings a bright energy to your day. They’re more than a helper—they’re a companion in reclaiming joy.

Behaviour Support

Behavioural support requires a steady hand and a deep well of patience. With self-management, you can select support workers who are trained in managing complex behavioural needs with structure, compassion, and respect. They take time to understand what triggers distress and how to de-escalate without judgment. It’s not about controlling behaviour—it’s about supporting the person beneath it.

Dedicated Support for Every Health Condition and Need

There’s no such thing as ‘standard’ when it comes to health. Every condition tells its own story. Every person lives it differently. We’ve built our self-managed care framework around that simple truth—offering you not just help, but the right kind of help.

When you self-manage your Home Care Package, you decide who supports you based on the lived reality of your health—not on generic roles or checklists. We offer condition-specific carers who bring real understanding to complex needs. Their approach isn’t just professional—it’s informed, measured, and deeply respectful of what each person is facing.

Below, we share a closer look at how our support adapts to a range of specific health conditions. If you or your loved one live with any of these, know that you are not alone—and you don’t need to compromise on the care you receive.

Arthritis Care

Living with arthritis can turn once-simple movements into daily hurdles. Stiff mornings, joint pain, and limited mobility don’t just impact the body—they affect mood, independence, and confidence. Our carers are trained to assist with mobility safely and gently, while also understanding that sometimes, just being patient matters most. You choose someone who respects your pace and helps reduce the strain of everyday tasks, without making you feel dependent.

Autism Care

Autism is not a problem to be fixed. It’s a unique way of seeing the world. Our autism care is built around sensory awareness, routine stability, and communication respect. Whether the person receiving care is a child, young adult, or older individual, our self-managed approach allows you to select a support worker who aligns with your preferences—someone who doesn’t overwhelm, but understands. That relationship can make all the difference in how calm and structured each day feels.

Cancer Care

Cancer changes everything—your energy, your routines, your sense of time. The care needed during this journey must be sensitive, quiet, and responsive. With self-managed care, you can choose someone who knows how to be present without pressing, who brings a sense of peace into your home and can assist with medication routines, transport to treatment, or simply providing companionship on difficult days. Our role is not to rush, but to support with grace.

Epilepsy Care

Epilepsy requires calm awareness and consistent monitoring. With us, you can select carers trained to handle seizures with composure, while also respecting the individual’s independence. Beyond safety, it’s about choosing someone who understands triggers, knows what to do when a seizure happens, and helps the person living with epilepsy feel less fearful and more in control.

Heart Disease Care

Managing heart conditions often involves medication adherence, dietary routines, and fatigue management. But it also requires reassurance—especially when anxiety rises around flare-ups or symptoms. Our carers offer both practical and emotional support, helping you stay on track with your care plan while giving space to rest, breathe, and feel cared for in the moments that feel hardest.

Huntington's Disease Care

As Huntington’s disease progresses, the type of care required changes. Physical movements may become less controlled, cognitive functions can fluctuate, and moods shift unexpectedly. Through self-managed care, families can choose carers who bring calmness, adaptability, and deep knowledge of the condition—people who understand that support must evolve over time, with both grace and structure.

Mental Health

Mental health support is not about doing—it’s about being. Being available. Being consistent. Being calm in moments of crisis and steady through periods of recovery. Whether for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other conditions, our self-managed care allows you to choose support workers who genuinely understand mental health—not just academically, but from lived or trained experience. The right person can create a space where healing feels possible.

Motor Neurone Disease Care

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) presents both emotional and physical challenges, often at once. With gradual loss of movement, speech, and independence, it becomes vital to have carers who offer not only technical care but deep emotional presence. The carers you choose through Support Network will be those who honour every stage of the journey, adjusting gently to changing needs without letting compassion fade.

Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy often calls for strength-based support—mobility transfers, physical positioning, breathing assistance—but always with delicacy. You deserve a carer who understands the condition deeply and approaches it with both safety and respect. Someone who won’t overstep, but will be there when needed. That continuity can make everyday life feel a little more grounded.

Out of Hospital Care

Coming home from hospital can be a relief—but it also comes with uncertainty. Do you have what you need? Will you cope with mobility, medications, meals? Our out-of-hospital care bridges the gap between discharge and normal life, supporting recovery with both technical and emotional care. You’re in control of who helps you settle back in—so the return home can feel like a comfort, not a challenge.

Parkinson’s Disease Care

The rhythm of life with Parkinson’s can be unpredictable. Tremors, stiffness, slowed movement, and speech changes all call for a carer who is not only trained, but patient. You may need help one moment and none the next. Choosing someone who recognises that balance—who gives space where needed and steps in gently—can restore a sense of control and dignity to daily living.

Palliative Care

When a loved one is nearing end-of-life, care becomes something more sacred. It’s about presence. Soft voices. Gentle hands. You should have the ability to choose carers who make these final weeks or months calm, pain-managed, and full of peace. We connect you with professionals trained in palliative support, yet you remain the one who decides who is allowed into this tender chapter.

Dementia Care

Dementia care calls for more than assistance—it calls for remembrance. Of who the person was, who they still are, and what brings them comfort. Carers must understand disorientation, agitation, and memory loss, while preserving identity. Through self-management, you can select someone who’s not just trained—but who has the emotional depth to walk with you in moments of confusion and offer calm, grounded care.

Support Network’s Platform: Making Self-Management Simple

For many people, the idea of self-managing a Home Care Package can feel both exciting and intimidating. Taking back control is powerful—but it also comes with new responsibilities. That’s why we’ve built a platform that takes the complexity out of the process and replaces it with simplicity, clarity, and confidence.

This platform is not just software—it’s a tool created for real people with real lives. Whether you're navigating aged care for yourself or helping a family member manage their care, our system helps you stay on top of things without the stress.

You can post jobs quickly and clearly

If you need a personal carer, someone to help with cleaning, or support for complex health needs, posting a job takes just minutes. You decide what you need, when, and who fits best. There's no long process—just a clear way to find the right support.

Invoices are easy to track

No more chasing paperwork. When services are provided, invoices can be uploaded straight to the platform. You’ll be able to check everything at a glance—what’s been billed, what’s pending, and what’s already covered.

Timesheets don’t get lost

When your carers finish their shifts, they submit timesheets directly through the system. You receive a simple notification. One click, and it’s done. You’ll always know what hours were worked, and nothing goes unpaid or unverified.

Budgets are easy to understand

Every dollar matters. That’s why your dashboard shows exactly how your funds are being used. You can see what’s been spent, what’s left, and how to plan ahead. There’s no guesswork—just a clear view of your care.

Most importantly, the entire platform is built around you—not around us. It doesn’t flood you with features or jargon. It gives you the right tools, at the right time, so you can manage care with confidence. And if you ever need support along the way, our team is just a call away—ready to help, without taking control away from you.

The Benefits of Self-Managing Your Home Care Package

There’s a quiet strength that comes from making your own choices—especially when those choices shape how you live each day. Self-managing a Home Care Package isn’t about taking on more. It’s about getting closer to what matters, and finding care that feels like it belongs to you—not something handed over by a system.

For many people we work with across Launceston, this approach feels more personal. Less about ticking boxes, and more about doing things in a way that suits their life. The difference is not in the number of services—it’s in the way those services fit.

Here are some of the ways people feel that difference:

• You decide who steps into your homeWhether it’s help with showering or sharing a walk in the afternoon, it matters who you trust. Self-managing gives you that say. You choose someone you’re comfortable with—someone who respects your space, your personality, and the way you like to do things.
• You know exactly where your funds are goingNothing is tucked away behind admin fees or unexplained costs. You see your budget clearly, and you guide how it’s used. That financial clarity gives people peace of mind—not just control, but confidence in how their care is managed.
• There’s more room to breatheBecause self-managed packages tend to have fewer overhead costs, more of your funding is freed up for actual care. That might mean longer visits, extra support when you need it, or more hours with the carer you trust most.
• It adapts when life doesYou’re not locked into rigid routines. If something changes—your health, your preferences, your availability—you’re able to shift your care without starting from scratch or waiting for approvals.
• Support is always nearby, never overbearingEven while you take the lead, we stay quietly involved. Our team ensures compliance, manages payments, and is here when questions come up. It’s your journey—but you’re never left to figure it out alone.

In the end, it’s not just about managing a package. It’s about shaping a care experience that feels steady, familiar, and right for you.

Contact Us

If you’re thinking about taking a more personal approach to aged care—and want the freedom to choose your own care team—Support Network is here to walk with you. We’re not just a service provider; we’re a steady support behind your decisions. Whether you’re exploring package levels, comparing care providers, or simply want to understand how personalised care might improve quality of life at home, we’re ready to listen.

Give us a call or reach out online to speak with a care advisor who understands the journey. We’ll take time to answer your questions, talk through options, and help you make a confident choice—without pressure. With friendly staff and real knowledge of care services across Launceston, we’re here to make things clearer, not more complicated.