Medical Alarm Funding in Australia: My Aged Care, State Schemes and DVA

The monthly fee is what stops a lot of people. A medical alarm itself is reassuring, but paying a monitoring cost every month, on a fixed income, feels like one more bill. What many families don’t realise is that a personal alarm counts as low-cost assistive technology, and there are several ways the cost can be reduced or covered. You often don’t have to pay the full sticker price at all.

The main door for older Australians is My Aged Care. Depending on your situation, a state scheme or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs may help instead. Here’s how each one works, who can get it, and the simplest way to start.

The main door: My Aged Care

For most older Australians, help with a medical alarm starts with My Aged Care, the government’s front door to aged care support. A personal alarm is treated as low-cost assistive technology, so it can be included in the support you’re assessed for. You don’t buy first and claim back; instead you’re assessed, and funded support is arranged from there.

Support at Home

Support at Home is the program that replaced Home Care Packages from November 2025. It funds services and equipment that help someone stay living safely at home, and a personal alarm can be covered under its assistive technology support. If a parent already had a Home Care Package, they moved across to Support at Home and can use that support towards an alarm. For higher needs, it offers more than the entry-level programme below.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme, usually shortened to CHSP, is the entry-level option for people who need a little help rather than a full package. It’s generally for people aged 65 and over, or 50 and over for First Nations people. A monitored personal alarm is a common thing it helps with. You may be asked to make a small contribution towards the cost, in line with the programme’s usual fee arrangements.

State schemes, such as Personal Alert Victoria

Some states run their own personal alarm schemes on top of the national ones. The best known is Personal Alert Victoria, which provides a free 24-hour monitored alarm to eligible frail, isolated older Victorians and people with a disability. To qualify, a person generally needs to live alone or be alone for much of the day, be willing to wear the pendant, and have a health reason such as a recent fall, a chronic condition, or taking six or more prescribed medications.

Other states and territories handle this differently, so it’s worth asking what’s available where your parent lives. My Aged Care can point you in the right direction, and in Victoria you can also contact the Personal Alert Victoria service provider directly.

Veterans: the Department of Veterans’ Affairs

If your parent served, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs may cover a personal alarm through its Rehabilitation Appliances Program. This is aimed at eligible Gold Card holders, and some White Card holders where the need is linked to an accepted condition. A DVA assessment sorts out what’s provided. If this could apply, mention their service history and ask DVA or the treating health professional to point you the right way.

Which route is likely yours

Your situation	Likely funding route
Aged 65 or over, need a little help at home	My Aged Care, through CHSP or Support at Home
Already on a Home Care Package or Support at Home	Use that existing support towards the alarm
Frail and isolated, living in a state with a scheme	A state scheme like Personal Alert Victoria
A veteran with a DVA card	The DVA Rehabilitation Appliances Program

What you’ll need to get started

How to arrange it, step by step

Call My Aged Care for an assessment

Ring My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, or ask a family member to help make the call. They’ll ask some questions and usually arrange a free assessment to work out what support fits. Mention the medical alarm early, so it’s part of the conversation. There’s no cost to be assessed.

Choose an alarm and provider

Once support is approved, you choose an alarm that suits the home and the person. Providers deal with funded customers every day and can explain how the paperwork works on their end. If you’re weighing up which device, our guides can help you compare before you commit.

Keep a copy of everything

Take a photo or a photocopy of any forms and reference numbers. If a question comes back later, you’ll be glad to have it. If forms feel like heavy going, this is a good job for an adult son or daughter to help with at the kitchen table. There’s no shame in getting a hand with paperwork.

Working out the real cost

Once funding is in the picture, an alarm often costs far less out of pocket than the sticker price suggests. If you’re still deciding on a device, start with the best medical alarms in Australia, and if a parent is reluctant, our advice on how to talk to a parent about getting a medical alarm may help. It’s also worth understanding the difference between monitored and unmonitored alarms, since funding usually applies to the monitored kind.