The City of Port Phillip provides a range of community care services to help older residents and people with disabilities maintain their independence and quality of life.

Eligibility for services

Eligibility for community care services is restricted to frail older people, people with disabilities and their carers. Services are provided in circumstances where a person is unable to undertake tasks such as cleaning or meal preparation themselves due to illness, frailty or disability.

Cost of services

The cost of community care services is based on the income of the applicant and their ability to pay. This is discussed at the time of assessment.

Download a summary of our community care services

Large print Community Care Brochure (Adobe Acrobat format) 
Large print Community Care Brochure (MS Word format)
Community Care Brochure (Adobe Acrobat Format) normal print

General home care provides practical assistance with household duties to maintain a clean and healthy living environment. A range of household tasks can be undertaken including vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom and toilet.  Assistance can also be given with shopping, banking and paying bills. General Home Care is provided on weekdays during normal working hours.

General home care in Chinese     General home care in Greek

General home care in Italian        General home care in Polish

General home care in Russian

Assistance with the tasks of daily living can be provided in circumstances where a person is unable to undertake these tasks themselves.

Assistance can be given with a range of tasks such as showering, bathing, dressing, shaving or grooming. Assistance can also be offered with meal preparation.  Personal Care and Respite Care are provided on weekdays during normal working hours but there is some limited capacity for these services to be provided after-hours for clients who have high needs or who are at risk.

Personal care services in Chinese     Personal care services in Greek

Personal care services in Italian     Personal care services in Polish

Personal care services in Russian

Respite care provides an opportunity for a carer to take a break from their caring responsibilities while a personal care worker comes into the home and assumes this role. Respite Care is provided on weekdays during normal working hours but there is some limited capacity for these services to be provided after-hours for clients who have high needs or who are at risk.

Respite care in Chinese     Respite care in Greek     Respite care in Italian

Respite care in Polish     Respite care in Russian

The home and property maintenance service provides assistance in maintaining a safe, secure and healthy home environment. General tasks are undertaken, such as replacing light globes, installing grab rails and ramps, replacing smoke detector batteries and other minor tasks in the home which do not require the skills of a tradesman. Home and Property Maintenance is provided on weekdays during normal working hours.

Property maintenance in Chinese     Property maintenance in Greek

Property maintenance in Italian     Property maintenance in Polish

Property maintenance in Russian

The delivered meals service assists people who are unable to prepare their own meals and are nutritionally at risk. A nourishing three course meal comprising soup, main meal and dessert is delivered to a person's home. Meals can be delivered hot or chilled and are available over seven days a week with deliveries made on weekdays during normal working hours.

Delivered meals in Chinese     Delivered meals in Greek

Delivered meals in Italian     Delivered meals in Polish

Delivered meals in Russian

A referral is the first point of contact to initiate any community care service offered by the City of Port Phillip. A referral for a service can be made by:

• The person requiring a service
• A relative or friend
• A general practitioner
• Other service providers

At the time of referral some basic information is gathered over the telephone and the referral is passed on to a council officer for follow-up. The officer will make contact with the person requesting services to make a time to visit the resident at home.

During the home visit an assessment of the applicant's functional ability and need for services is identified. All options for assistance are explored including the ability of the applicant to undertake all or part of the tasks on their own and assistance given by family members or other service providers.

Information and referral to other service providers can also be given at this time.

Home Library Services

Regular delivery of library items such as books to those unable to visit the library due to ill-health, frailty or disability. See the Home Library Services page for details.

South Port Day Links (SPDL)

SPDL is a community-based not-for-profit organisation that is managed by an elected Committee of Management. Utilising the skills and enthusiasm of volunteers, SPDL provides a number of services aimed at keeping people in touch with the community and enhancing their quality of life. Their target group is frail elderly people, people with a disability, and those that care for them.

Visit their website for full details of the services they provide: www.spdl.org.au/index.html

Your smoke alarm battery should be changed twice a year, once when daylight savings starts and again when it ends.

In the month following the start and end of daylight savings time older residents who already receive property maintenance services from the City of Port PHillip can have their smoke alarm batteries changed as part of their regular service, with a small charge applying to the labour and the cost of the batteries (or smoke alarms).

Older or disabled residents who don't receive property maintenance services can also receive this service, by contacting the council.

Older or disabled Port Phillip residents wanting their smoke alarm batteries changed can use eServices to request the battery change service. Or phone ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for Community Care.

Older or disabled residents who don't already hava a smoke alarm can purchase them beforehand either from a shop or via the council's property maintenance service. The subsidised hourly rate is $8.30 per hour.

For information about centre-based support activities see Older People Community & Recreation Groups.

For information about children with additional needs see Children with Additional Needs.

Department of Human Services Aged Care - For information about the range of services available to Older Victorians, including Seniors Card, see:  www.health.vic.gov.au/agedcare/

Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer phone ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for Community Care.