Melbourne Guide

Elderly Care Services in Melbourne: A Complete Guide for Families (2026)

Every service, program, and resource available to help your ageing parent in Melbourne — from government-funded to private. Updated March 2026.

Government Services

Federally and state-funded programs are your first port of call. Most require an assessment before services begin.

Service	What It Provides	Contact	Eligibility
My Aged Care	National entry point for all government-funded aged care. Arranges assessments, connects to local services, manages Home Care Packages.	1800 200 422	65+ (50+ for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander)
Support at Home Program	Replacing CHSP from July 2025. Funds in-home services including personal care, domestic help, meals, transport, nursing, allied health, and assistive technology.	Via My Aged Care	Assessed by ACAT/ACAS as needing support
Victorian HACC-PYP	Home and Community Care Program for Younger People. Entry-level support for under-65s with functional limitations: domestic assistance, personal care, respite, home modifications.	1300 368 575 (DFFH)	Under 65 with disability or functional limitation
DVA Community Nursing	Department of Veterans' Affairs funds in-home nursing, personal care, domestic help, and community transport for eligible veterans and war widows/widowers.	1800 555 254	Veterans with Gold or White Card

Tip: Start with My Aged Care even if you're unsure of eligibility. They will arrange an assessment (ACAT or RAS) at no cost and connect your parent to available services in their area.

Hospital & Health Services

Melbourne's major hospitals have dedicated geriatric medicine departments. A GP referral is usually required.

Royal Melbourne Hospital — Aged Care

Parkville

Inpatient geriatric unit, Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM), falls prevention clinic, memory clinic, and Hospital in the Home for elderly patients. One of Victoria's largest aged care units.

Referral: GP referral to outpatient clinics. ED for acute presentations.

Phone: (03) 9342 7000

Alfred Hospital — Geriatric Medicine

Prahran

Specialist geriatric assessment, cognitive assessment clinic, Parkinson's disease clinic, orthogeriatrics (hip fracture care), and falls and balance clinic. Strong research programs.

Referral: GP referral required for outpatient services.

Phone: (03) 9076 2000

Austin Health — Aged Care Assessment (ACAS)

Heidelberg

Operates the Aged Care Assessment Service for north-east Melbourne. Comprehensive assessments for Home Care Packages, residential care, and respite. Also runs a sub-acute rehabilitation ward for elderly patients.

Referral: Via My Aged Care or GP.

Phone: (03) 9496 5000

Monash Health — CDAMS

Clayton / Dandenong

Cognitive, Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS) provides specialist assessment and diagnosis for dementia and memory disorders. Also operates aged care rehabilitation at Kingston Centre and Dandenong Hospital.

Referral: GP referral to CDAMS clinic.

Phone: (03) 9594 6666

Note: Most public hospital outpatient clinics have waitlists of 2–6 months. If the situation is urgent, ask the GP for a “Category 1 — Urgent” referral or present to the emergency department.

Community Programs by Region

Melbourne's councils deliver a wide range of aged care support. Services vary by municipality, so we've broken this down by region.

Inner Melbourne

City of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Yarra

City of Melbourne — Aged & Disability Services: Home care, delivered meals, social groups at senior centres (Kensington, Carlton, North Melbourne). Strong multicultural programs for Chinese, Italian, and Greek seniors.
Phone: (03) 9658 9658

Port Phillip Council — Positive Ageing: In-home support, social connections program, Lively (strength and balance classes), and Linking Neighbours volunteer visiting program for isolated seniors.
Phone: (03) 9209 6777

Yarra City Council — Aged Care: In-home support, community transport, social support groups. Operates Richmond and Collingwood Neighbourhood Houses with weekly seniors' programs.
Phone: (03) 9205 5555

Local feature: Inner Melbourne has the highest density of Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria, many running free weekly seniors' morning teas and gentle exercise classes.

Eastern Melbourne

Boroondara, Whitehorse, Monash

Boroondara Council — Ageing Well: One of Melbourne's largest council aged care programs. Home support, community bus service, 10+ senior citizens centres, dementia-friendly community initiative, and carer support groups.
Phone: (03) 9831 1555

Whitehorse Council — Active & Healthy Ageing: In-home support, Meals on Wheels, social support, community transport. Runs the Whitehorse Seniors Festival annually and Age-Friendly Whitehorse plan with strong volunteer visiting programs.
Phone: (03) 9262 6333

Monash Council — Aged & Disability Support: Personal care, domestic assistance, home maintenance, delivered meals, planned activity groups at Clayton and Glen Waverley, and social support for CALD communities.
Phone: (03) 9518 3555

Local feature: Eastern Melbourne has Melbourne's largest over-75 population. Boroondara alone has 18,000+ residents over 70, resulting in extensive services and shorter waiting lists for some programs.

Western Melbourne

Brimbank, Wyndham, Maribyrnong

Brimbank Council — Aged & Disability Services: Strong multicultural focus with bilingual staff for Vietnamese, Maltese, Italian, Macedonian, and South Sudanese communities. In-home support, social groups, and Meals on Wheels with culturally appropriate menus.
Phone: (03) 9249 4000

Wyndham Council — Aged Services: One of Australia's fastest-growing municipalities. In-home support, planned activity groups, and the Wyndham Active Ageing Strategy. New community hubs in Point Cook and Tarneit include senior social spaces.
Phone: (03) 9742 0777

IPC Health (Western Community Health): Provides free allied health services (podiatry, physio, dietetics) for eligible older adults across Wyndham, Maribyrnong, and Brimbank. Walk-in clinics at Deer Park and St Albans.
Phone: (03) 9365 9900

Local feature: Western Melbourne has the most culturally diverse older population in Victoria. Many services offer bilingual support workers and culturally appropriate meals — always ask your council about language-specific programs.

Northern Melbourne

Darebin, Merri-bek, Hume

Darebin Council — Aged & Disability: In-home support, community transport, social support groups, home maintenance. Operates the Darebin Seniors Festival and Reservoir Leisure Centre seniors' swim sessions.
Phone: (03) 8470 8888

Merri Health (Community Health): Free or low-cost allied health, chronic disease management, carer support, and social groups for older adults. Clinics in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner, and Craigieburn.
Phone: (03) 9355 9900

Hume Council — Aged Care: In-home support, Meals on Wheels, planned activity groups at Broadmeadows and Sunbury. Growing demand in new suburbs (Craigieburn, Mickleham) — services expanding.
Phone: (03) 9205 2200

Local feature: Northern Melbourne has strong community health centre networks. Merri Health and DPV Health provide free chronic disease programs specifically designed for older adults — particularly useful for diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis management.

South-Eastern Melbourne

Casey, Greater Dandenong, Cardinia

City of Casey — Aged & Disability: In-home support, community transport, social programs. Casey is one of Melbourne's largest municipalities by population with a rapidly ageing demographic in established suburbs like Berwick, Narre Warren, and Cranbourne.
Phone: (03) 9705 5200

Greater Dandenong Council — Aged Services: Australia's most multicultural municipality. Aged care services with interpreters available in 15+ languages. Planned activity groups, in-home support, and carer respite. Strong Afghan, Sri Lankan, and Indian elder programs.
Phone: (03) 8571 1000

Enliven (formerly Villa Maria Catholic Homes): Major aged care provider across south-east Melbourne. In-home care, residential aged care, and community programs. Strong presence in Dandenong, Berwick, and Pakenham corridors.
Phone: 1800 032 966

Local feature: South-Eastern Melbourne is the fastest-growing corridor in Victoria. New aged care facilities are opening in Clyde, Officer, and Pakenham. Council waitlists can be longer here — register early via My Aged Care.

Technology & Monitoring Services

Technology-based options available to Melbourne seniors. Many can be funded through Home Care Packages or the Support at Home program.

Service	Type	Cost	Melbourne Notes
MePACS	Personal alarm pendant with 24/7 response centre	$30–50/mo + pendant	Operated by St John Ambulance Victoria. Fastest response times in metro Melbourne. GPS-enabled pendant option. Phone: 1800 685 329
VitalCALL	Personal alarm with fall detection	$25–45/mo + pendant	Tunstall Healthcare — Australia's largest connected care provider. Automatic fall detection available. Melbourne service centre. Phone: 1800 100 333
Smart Home Monitoring	Motion sensors, door sensors, activity tracking	$50–150 setup + $20–40/mo	Providers include IntelliCare and CareAlert. Passive monitoring — sensors detect if usual routines change (e.g., kettle not boiled, bedroom door not opened). Good for early dementia.
Konnekt Videophone	Simplified video calling device	$150–250 one-off (NDIS/HCP fundable)	Australian-designed. Large one-touch buttons for video calls to family. No internet knowledge needed. Can be funded through Home Care Package. Melbourne support team. Phone: (03) 9300 1910
Kindly Call	AI daily companion phone calls with family reporting	From $1/week	Melbourne-based. Daily conversational calls (3–10 min) with mood monitoring, health trend tracking, and emergency detection. Family dashboard with call summaries. Works on any phone — no equipment needed. Phone: (03) 9999 7351

Funding tip: Assistive technology including personal alarms and monitoring services can be funded through Home Care Packages (Levels 1–4) and the new Support at Home program. Ask your aged care provider or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

Transport for Elderly in Melbourne

Transport is often the biggest barrier to accessing services and maintaining independence. Melbourne has several options specifically for older and disabled residents.

Multi Purpose Taxi Program (MPTP)

Victorian Government program providing a 50% subsidy on taxi fares (capped per trip). Covers conventional taxis and wheelchair-accessible taxis across all of Melbourne.

Eligibility: Severe and permanent disability affecting mobility. Apply through your council or GP.

How to apply: 1800 638 802 (CPVV) or your local council.

PTV Seniors myki

Free travel on weekends, public holidays, and off-peak weekdays (after 9:30am) on all Metro trains, trams, and buses. Available to all Victorian Seniors Card holders.

Eligibility: Victorian Seniors Card holders (60+ and working 35 hrs/week or less, or retired).

How to get: Apply for Seniors Card at 1300 797 210, then register myki at ptv.vic.gov.au.

Council Community Transport

Most Melbourne councils operate community buses for medical appointments, shopping trips, and social outings. Usually door-to-door with volunteer drivers. Small fee ($2–10 per trip) or free for assessed clients.

Eligibility: Residents assessed through My Aged Care or HACC. Some councils accept self-referrals.

How to access: Contact your parent's local council aged care services team directly.

NDIS Transport Funding

NDIS participants under 65 can receive transport funding in their plan for travel to appointments, work, education, and community activities. Can fund taxis, rideshare, or modified vehicle costs.

Eligibility: NDIS participants with transport in their plan. Under 65 only.

Contact: 1800 800 110 (NDIS)

Emergency Contacts for Melbourne

Keep these numbers accessible. Consider printing this section and placing it near your parent's phone.

000

Emergency (Police, Fire, Ambulance)

Life-threatening emergencies. Free from any phone including mobiles without credit.

NURSE-ON-CALL

1300 60 60 24

Free health advice from registered nurses, 24 hours, 7 days. Interpreter service available. Ideal for “should we go to hospital?” questions.

Elder Abuse Helpline

1800 353 374

Free, confidential support for older people experiencing abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Also for concerned family members or neighbours.

Carer Gateway

1800 422 737

Support for carers including counselling, respite, peer support, and emergency carer support packages. If you're caring for a parent, this service is for you.

Lifeline

13 11 14

24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention. For anyone in emotional distress — seniors or their carers.

Seniors Information Line

1800 551 800

Information about Australian Government services for older Australians. Free, weekdays 8am–6pm.

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