Home
Council services
Support services for older adults

Support services for older adults

Our services are here to support you to live at home longer and assist you with your day-to-day life.

Related information

Council support for older adults

Being connected with others and being a part of your community is important for your health and wellbeing. It can help reduce loneliness and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.

Living well and staying independent at home is also important, so you can keep control of your daily life and routines.

We’re here to support you with a range of council services, activities, and programs. Whether you want to join social groups, stay active, or get practical help with services, we have options for everyone.

Update of Council home care services

Following community engagement and a Council decision in February 2026, the City of Port Phillip is transitioning away from the delivery of Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) funded services.

From 1 July 2026, delivered meals and group social support CHSP-funded services will be delivered by Commonwealth approved providers. Clients currently receiving Commonwealth Home Support Programme services (Social Connection and delivered meals services) will transition across to these approved providers and continue to receive services through providers appointed by the Commonwealth. Council will share further updates with existing clients once provider arrangements are confirmed,

Council remains committed to supporting positive ageing in the City of Port Phillip. In line with this commitment Council will continue to deliver and support a range of programs and services for older residents through our libraries, community centres and open spaces, and has endorsed the following commitments to helping older residents remain socially connected, active, and engaged in their community:

establishment of a dedicated Positive Ageing team
continuation of the Community Connector Service
expansion of the Linking Neighbours program
continuation of the hop on hop off community bus.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact Council on 03 9209 6882.

Bolton Clarke Health and Wellbeing Information Sessions

Managing Sleep and Fatigue with Bolton Clarke

Bolton Clarke’s free Managing Sleep and Fatigue community information covers the signs and causes of fatigue as well as the stages of sleep and sleep architecture, which changes as we age. It will also provide you with tips to getting a better night’s sleep.

City of Port Phillip’s Community Connector Service will be available at each session to answer your questions about local aged care services.

This Free Be Healthy & Active initiative will be facilitated by Bolton Clarke in partnership with the City of Port Phillip and Hearing Australia. We have two sessions available at both St Kilda and Port Melbourne.

Please contact the Community Connector service for more info and for help to register for any of these sessions.

Phone: 03 9209 6882
Email: communityconnector@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Community events and information sessions

Bolton Clarke health and wellbeing information sessions

Each session runs from 11 am to 12 midday.

Date	Topic	Venue	Session Information
Monday 11 May 2026	Managing Sleep and Fatigue	St Kilda Library	Find out about the signs and causes of fatigue, the stages of sleep and sleep architecture - which changes as we age - and learn tips to get a better night’s sleep.
Tuesday 26 May 2026	Managing Sleep and Fatigue	Port Melbourne Library	Find out about the signs and causes of fatigue, the stages of sleep and sleep architecture - which changes as we age - and learn tips to get a better night’s sleep.

Community connector service pop ups

Location	Week of the month	Day	Time
St Kilda Library	1^stweek	Monday	10 am to 12 midday
Albert Park Library	2^ndweek	Tuesday	1.30 pm to 3.30 pm
Emerald Hill Library	3^rdweek	Wednesday	1 pm to 3 pm
Port Melbourne Library	4^thweek	Thursday	11 am to 1 pm

Aged Care Services offered by Council

Council invested in the establishment of a new service called the Community Connector Service, as well as continuing to deliver a range of community-based services. Here are the Community-based services Council provides:

Hop-on Hop-off free community bus

The Council proudly offers a free community bus transport service.

The service currently operates Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 3 pm. There are over 150 community transport bus stops between Caulfield Hospital, Elwood, South Melbourne Market, Alfred Hospital and St Kilda Library. No booking required.

For more information, visit our Community bus page.

Community Connector Service

Port Phillip’s new Community Connector service helps older residents, their carers and family members to access aged care services and explore all the support and services available to help keep residents happy, healthy and socially connected.

How can we help?

Finding services: We help you understand and use aged care services, carer support and other available resources
Local connections: We connect you to local services to help you stay independent and live at home longer
Social support: We can help you find community programs, social groups, and new activities to keep you active and connected
Council services: We provide information about council supported services like delivered meals and transport.

Contact information

Phone: 03 9209 6777 and request the Community Connector service
Email: communityconnector@portphillip.vic.gov.au

You can also contact the Council customer service team in person at St Kilda Town hall or Port Melbourne Town Hall Council offices who will pass on your request.

Accessing Australian Government-funded Aged Care Services

Whether you’re looking into aged care homes, or getting extra help around the house, My Aged Care is the starting point to access Australian Government-funded aged care services. These services can support you to live at home longer by assisting you with your day-to-day needs. Services may include personal care, help with cleaning or gardening, meals, social activities, transport and nursing and allied health care.
My Aged care is for people aged 65 or over, or for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over.
How it works:
- Eligibility: is based on your health and how well you can manage at home
- Have an assessment: this assessment is required to determine your care needs and access funded aged care services
- Referrals to services: if eligible, you’ll be referred to the services that suit your needs through My Aged Care.
There are two programs available to help you:
1. Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)
The CHSP provides entry level support services to help people live safely and independently at home. It may be available while you wait for a Home Care Package. For more information, visit Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) | My Aged Care.
1. Home Care Packages (HCP)
Home Care Packages (HCP) are a comprehensive service designed to support people who have higher care needs than that which can be provided through CHSP services. It provides a tailored service specific to your needs and requirements to help you live independently and comfortably at home. For more information, visit Home Care Packages | My Aged Care.
You can contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit the My Aged Care website.
Port Phillip’s Community Connector team can help you with navigating My Aged Care and registering for services, contact them via 03 9209 6777 and request the Community Connector service.
If you are aged under 65 years, or aged under 50 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, you should contact the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to see if you are eligible for services.
The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) has partners with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to provide help to people in the City of Port Phillip to navigate the NDIS.
How BSL can help:
- The BSL team can guide you through the process of gathering the necessary evidence and proving your eligibility
- If you’re not yet registered with the NDIS, it’s recommended to use BSL’s service for support with this process.
You can contact BSL on 1300 275 634 or BSL@ndis.gov.au
You can contact NDIS on 1800 800 110 or visit www.ndis.gov.au
The Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP) supports people under 65 who are not eligible for the NDIS to assist you with your day to day needs.
How it works:
- Eligibility: is based on your health, how well you can manage at home, and your support needs to remain living independently in your home
- Have an assessment: this assessment is required to access funded services through HACC PYP.
- Assessment Service – Bolton Clarke complete the assessments for HACC PYP services. Contact Bolton Clarke on 1300 22 11 22 and request a HACC PYP assessment
- Referrals to services: If eligible, you’ll be referred to the services that suit your needs following the HACC PYP assessment.
For more information, visit: HACC Program for Younger People
Carer Gateway
Carer Gateway is an Australian Government program that offers free support and services for carers. You can access these services in person, online, or by phone. They will help you figure out what you need and connect you to local services for support.
To speak with your local Carer Gateway provider, call 1800 422 737 Monday to Friday, between 8 am and 5 pm.
For more information, visit: carergateway.gov.au
Carer information hub
The Council's Carer Information Hub offers information and resources to help people in the role of a carer.

The Rainbow Tick is a national quality framework and accreditation program. The City of Port Phillip’s Aged Care services have been accredited since 2013. This accreditation show’s our commitment to safe, inclusive practice and service delivery for LGBTI+ people