Thinking of Home Care? What NDIS Providers Need to Know First

Key Points:

• Diversifying into aged care can create growth opportunities and new revenue streams for NDIS providers.
• Aged care operates under a different regulatory framework – Aged Care Quality Standards – with strict governance, clinical, and financial requirements.
• The new aged care provider registration model requires providers to demonstrate capability across selected service categories.
• Engaging an aged care registration consultant can support a smoother homecare registration process and long-term compliance.

Summary:

Expanding into aged care presents a valuable opportunity for NDIS providers, particularly those looking to become a registered home care provider and diversify their services. While there are similarities between the sectors, aged care operates under a distinct regulatory framework that requires a strong governance, financial systems, and clinical oversight. Working with an experienced aged care registration consultant can help providers navigate homecare registration and build a compliant, sustainable service model.

Across the sector, many NDIS providers are beginning to look beyond disability services and consider expanding into aged care, particularly home care.

On the surface, the two sectors can appear similar. Both support people in their homes. Both rely on skilled support workers. And both aim to help people live independently and with dignity.

However, while there are overlaps, aged care is not simply an extension of the NDIS. It operates within a different regulatory environment, the Aged Care Quality Standards, with distinct expectations around governance, clinical oversight, financial management, and service delivery.

For organisations considering this step, it’s important to pause and look at the opportunity and the responsibility with clear eyes, and make sure you understand exactly what is involved.

The Benefits and Risks of Diversifying into Aged Care

Diversifying into aged care can offer significant opportunities for NDIS providers. But it also introduces new complexities.

Potential Benefits

Many providers see diversification as a natural next step in their organisational growth.

Possible benefits include:

• A broader service base, supporting people across different stages of life
• Additional revenue streams, reducing reliance on a single funding system
• Integrated supports, particularly for individuals who may transition between disability and aged care services
• Better workforce utilisation, with expanded opportunities for staff development and career pathways
• Long-term sustainability, as organisations build more resilient service models
• Opportunities for growth, particularly as demand for home-based care continues to rise

For some organisations, diversification aligns strongly with their mission to support people across the lifespan.

Potential Risks

At the same time, moving into aged care brings a different level of regulatory maturity and operational complexity.

Key challenges can include:

• Increased regulatory oversight, particularly under the strengthened aged care regulatory framework
• Different quality standards, with some overlap with NDIS requirements but important differences
• More complex financial requirements, including stronger billing, reporting and prudential obligations
• Greater clinical expectations, including the need for formal clinical governance systems, where clinical care is provided
• Cash flow pressures, particularly in the early stages of service delivery

These factors don’t mean diversification isn’t possible, but they do mean it requires careful planning.

What Diversifying Actually Means in Practice

When organisations move into aged care, the changes are rarely limited to service delivery alone. In most cases, diversification requires adjustments across several core parts of the organisation.

Governance

Boards and leadership teams must demonstrate stronger oversight of care quality and safety.

This often includes:

• Clear clinical accountability and decision-making structures
• Defined responsibility for quality and safety outcomes
• Stronger executive oversight and reporting mechanisms

Workforce

Workforce capability becomes particularly important.

Providers need to ensure:

• Staff have appropriate qualifications and scopes of practice
• Ongoing training and competency assurance systems are in place
• Staff receive adequate supervision and support when delivering care

Financial Systems

Financial systems must also be robust enough to support aged care funding and reporting requirements.

This typically includes:

• Demonstrating financial sustainability
• Implementing strong billing, reconciliation and financial controls
• Meeting increased financial reporting obligations

Understanding the New Aged Care Provider Registration Model

From November 2025, the aged care sector transitioned to a new provider registration model.

The new framework aims to streamline the application process while strengthening risk-based regulation and continuous improvement.

Under this system, providers must select the registration categories they wish to operate in when applying for registration. Each category reflects a different type of aged care service, and providers must demonstrate their capability to safely deliver services within those categories.

The six aged care provider registration categories include:

1. Home and Community Services
   Services that support older people to remain living independently in their homes and communities.
2. Assistive Technology and Home Modifications
   Provision of equipment, assistive technology, and home modifications that enable people to live safely and independently.
3. Advisory and Support Services
   Services such as care management, care planning, and coordination help older people navigate and manage their care.
4. Personal Care and Support in the Home or Community
   Direct support services including assistance with daily living activities, personal care, and social support.
5. Nursing and Transition Care
   Clinical services delivered by qualified health professionals, including nursing care and transitional care following hospitalisation.
6. Residential Care
   Accommodation-based aged care services provided in residential aged care facilities.

Providers can apply for one or multiple registration categories, depending on the services they intend to deliver.

As part of the registration process, providers must demonstrate how they will meet the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards relevant to those categories.

Asking the ‘Why’?

Before progressing further, it’s worth asking yourself a few strategic questions.

• What is driving our interest in aged care?
• Is this a proactive strategic decision or a response to funding uncertainty or market pressure?
• Are we prepared for more regulation, not just different regulation?
• What would success in aged care look like for our organisation in three years?

Diversification can be highly successful when organisations approach it with clarity and preparation.

But it’s important to acknowledge the reality:

Moving into aged care is not simply an extension of NDIS services. It represents a shift in operating maturity.ystems must be operating and generating evidence — and that evidence must be captured as systems are used.

Final Thoughts

For many organisations, expanding into home care represents an exciting opportunity.

Demand is growing, government investment is increasing, and many providers are well-positioned to bring their experience and commitment to quality into the aged care sector.

However, diversification requires careful preparation.

Understanding the regulatory environment, strengthening governance structures, and ensuring financial and workforce readiness are all essential steps of the homecare registration process.

For NDIS providers considering this move, the key is to approach diversification not simply as growth, but as a strategic transition into a different regulatory and operational landscape.

When approached thoughtfully, it can open the door to supporting people across more stages of life while building stronger, more sustainable organisations.