How Can Families Make Home Safer for Someone with Dementia or Poor Balance Under Australia's New Aged Care Laws?

Direct Answer

Falls are the leading cause of injury hospitalisation among older Australians, and dementia roughly doubles that risk. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) falls data, falls account for the largest share of injury hospitalisations in older age groups. The new Aged Care Act 2024 — which took effect in July 2025 — and the accompanying Support at Home program shift the framework toward rights-based, home-first care. In practical terms, this means funding pathways now explicitly support the kind of room-by-room modifications and mobility equipment that keep a person with dementia or unstable ankles living safely at home for longer.

What the New Aged Care Act Changes for Home Safety

The Aged Care Act 2024 replaces the previous provider-centred framework with one built around individual rights — including the right to safe, dignified care in the setting of the person's choice. Under Support at Home, which replaces the Home Care Packages program, participants receive a more flexible budget allocation across categories including independence and equipment.

For families, the relevant shift is that assessors — accessed via My Aged Care — are expected to consider safety risks such as falls and dementia-related wandering as primary drivers of equipment and modification funding, not secondary considerations.

Room-by-Room: Practical Changes That Reduce Fall Risk

Bathroom — This is where a high proportion of home falls occur, particularly in wet areas (AIHW falls data). Non-slip mats, grab rails positioned at transfer height beside the toilet and shower, and a shower commode or bath board reduce both fall risk and carer strain. Contrasting rail colours (dark rail against a light wall) are especially important for someone with dementia, as changes in vision and perception linked to dementia can affect depth perception and colour recognition.

Bedroom — Bed sticks and bed rails allow someone with weak ankles or poor balance to reposition and stand more safely. A recliner chair with a powered stand-assist function removes one of the most hazardous daily movements — rising from seated — for both the older person and the person assisting them.

Hallways and thresholds — Threshold ramps eliminate low-profile trip hazards between rooms. Sensor-activated night lights along the path to the bathroom help address the increased risk of disorientation and falls at night, which is well recognised in dementia care guidance (Dementia Australia).

Stairs — Where stairs cannot be avoided, a stairlift or a second grab rail on the open side of the staircase are primary interventions. In more advanced dementia, restricting unsupervised stair access may be necessary to reduce risk.

Supporting the Carer, Not Just the Patient

Caregiver injury — particularly back injury from manual handling — is a serious and underreported problem. Safe techniques and equipment such as transfer belts, slide sheets, and mobile shower commodes align with Safe Work Australia guidance on hazardous manual tasks, which highlights the risks of lifting and assisting people without proper aids. These supports are not optional extras; they are critical to sustaining home care safely over time.

What Support at Home Is Likely to Fund

Under Support at Home, mobility aids and home modifications are assessed against safety need and functional impact. Equipment such as walkers, bed sticks, over-toilet frames, and portable ramps generally falls within the independence and equipment category. Larger modifications — such as grab rail installation or ramp construction — may require an occupational therapist assessment, which can itself be funded through the program. The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme provides further structure around how these supports are approved and delivered.

Working with experienced providers can make this process clearer. For example, organisations such as Auswaycare can help families align equipment choices with funding categories, while specialist installers like Mobility Access Modifications deliver practical upgrades — grab rails, ramps, and bathroom safety changes — that directly reduce fall risk and make day-to-day care more manageable.