Rent-to-buy your electric bed — don't wait in pain for AT-HM funding

If you've been approved for assistive technology under the new Support at Home program and you're still waiting to actually access the funds, you're not alone — and the wait is longer than almost anyone expected. Families are now being told to plan for 12 months or more before AT-HM funding is available to spend.

That's simply too long to wait when you're struggling to get in and out of bed, not sleeping properly, or recovering from a fall or hospital stay. The good news: with our rent-to-buy arrangement, you don't have to.

The problem: a backlog that's worse than ever

Support at Home launched on 1 November 2025, replacing Home Care Packages. It arrived into a system that was already stretched thin — and the numbers have only gotten worse since.

• More than 130,000 older Australians are waiting for in-home aged care, up roughly 25,000 in just two months to the end of 2025

• Around 88,000 have been approved but are still waiting for funding to be allocated

• Another 120,000+ are waiting just to be assessed

• About 3,100 older people are stranded in hospital beds waiting for aged care placements

Behind all this is a simple demographic reality: Australia's population aged 65 and over is projected to grow from 4.31 million in 2021 to 6.66 million by 2041. Reform was needed — but a new system cannot by itself create more occupational therapists, more builders, or faster government processing.

Why AT-HM applications are taking so long

AT-HM is a two-stage process, which surprises a lot of families (and even some providers).

Stage 1 is the clinical recommendation — an occupational therapist assesses your needs and prescribes the equipment. Stage 2 is a completely separate step where your provider applies to the government for the AT-HM funds themselves. The OT's recommendation alone does not release any money. Only once the provider's application is approved and funding is allocated can the equipment actually be ordered.

The Department aims to process stage 2 within 14 calendar days. In reality, with the current backlog, many applications are taking far longer — and cases are emerging where funding has been approved but providers weren't clearly notified, so the process simply stopped.

Our solution: rent-to-buy, so you don't wait in pain

You don't have to put your life on hold while the paperwork catches up.

With our rent-to-buy arrangement, you can have your adjustable bed delivered and start using it straight away for a small weekly fee plus delivery costs. Every payment you make during the rental period is credited toward the final purchase price, so nothing is wasted. When your AT-HM funding finally comes through, you can settle the balance using your allocated funds — and the bed is yours.

It's a straightforward way to get the sleep, the pain relief, the easier transfers and the safer mornings you need right now, not 12 months from now.

Ready to stop waiting?

Get in touch with Therapist Choice today. We'll walk you through rent-to-buy, arrange an OT assessment if you need one (usually within 7 days), and coordinate directly with your Support at Home provider so your AT-HM application keeps moving in the background.

Call us on 02 7251 6726 or visit our website.