The short answer
There is no single payer for every older Australian. Families may pay privately or explore an assessed funding pathway with their provider. A pension, an aged-care package or a supplier quote alone does not establish that a particular device will be funded.
Start with the person, not a shopping cart
Write down the everyday activity that has become difficult. Is your parent taking more breaks on the way to the letterbox, avoiding a familiar outing, or finding equipment hard to manage? Note their current aids and what they want to keep doing. That gives a care manager or clinician something more useful than a product advertisement.
A new difficulty walking deserves appropriate health advice before a purchase. Exo Motion's family walking-support guide explains the product discussion, but it is not a diagnosis or a recommendation to replace an existing aid. The best solution may be different from the one the family initially had in mind.
NDIS or Support at Home: which walking-aid funding pathway?
Start with the person's current support arrangements. NDIS and aged-care AT-HM are different schemes. A walking difficulty or product quote does not establish eligibility for either.
| Your situation | Next conversation |
|---|---|
| Already an NDIS participant | Ask your plan team about the proposed support and equipment budget. Read the NDIS exoskeleton funding guide. |
| Receiving Support at Home | Ask your provider to check assessed AT-HM needs, prescription requirements and contributions. Use the AT-HM walking-aid guide. |
| Not assessed or unsure where to start | Discuss changed walking ability with a health professional. Ask My Aged Care or an NDIS contact which assessment pathway applies; a supplier cannot make that decision. |
Can someone aged 65 or older use NDIS funding?
New NDIS applicants must be younger than 65 when they apply. Existing participants do not automatically lose NDIS access at 65; they can choose to remain in the scheme or move to aged-care supports, subject to the transition rules. Do not assume both schemes can pay for the same equipment. Check the official NDIS age and transition guidance before changing arrangements.
For an AT-HM request, an aged-care assessment records approved support in the person's decision letter and support plan. The provider coordinates the equipment pathway. My Aged Care explains the assessment process.
Prepare an AT-HM supplier quote or check NDIS payment arrangements. This comparison is general guidance, not a decision about a person's entitlement.
If your parent receives Support at Home
My Aged Care explains that AT-HM funding follows an aged-care assessment and is separate from other Support at Home services. Ask the provider to check the support plan and whether further assessment or a prescription is needed for the proposed equipment. An existing relationship with a provider is a place to start, not a guarantee of approval.
Take a short list of questions to that conversation: Who is coordinating the request? Which documents are missing? Should the supplier address its quotation to the provider? Who will tell the family when it is reasonable to proceed? Keep those answers together so different relatives do not place duplicate requests or orders.
Ask what the family will actually pay
A funded item is not necessarily a free item. Support at Home contribution rules depend on the person's circumstances and the support involved. Ask the provider for a written explanation of any contribution before accepting an order. Do not calculate a promised refund by subtracting an advertised funding tier from a retail price.
Check the complete arrangement, not only the device price: the exact model, fitting and training, delivery, ongoing support, any separately charged services and who handles a fault. Ask who receives the invoice and whether the quoted amount is the final amount your family is expected to pay.
If you are paying privately
Private payment does not remove the need to check suitability. Exo Motion Pro is A$2,499 plus A$80 delivery (A$2,579 total) for selected adults who already walk independently. An eligible free Sydney home visit includes product consultation, personal fitting, a short guided trial and training, without a purchase obligation. This is a supplier demonstration, not a clinical assessment.
Take the time needed to discuss suitability and funding with your family, clinician or provider. The purchase price is A$2,499. There is no obligation to buy during a free eligible Sydney home demonstration.
If your parent lives in residential aged care or is leaving hospital
Ask the responsible care team which equipment arrangements apply in that setting before relying on a home-care funding guide. Explain where the device will be used and who will help with fitting, charging and supervision. Do not assume that an AT-HM home pathway describes a residential facility's obligations or a hospital's discharge arrangements.
What Exo Motion can take off your family's list
With written consent, we can contact the nominated care manager, provide a quote, specifications and fitting notes, answer supplier questions and follow up. The person or authorised representative still reviews and signs required forms. Clinical assessment and funding decisions remain independent. Our professional information page describes the documentation available.
Ask us for a clear next step even if the answer is to obtain clinical advice first. A useful enquiry identifies the person, suburb, intended activity and whether a provider is already involved; it does not require your family to know the word exoskeleton.
Questions families ask
Does being a pensioner make Exo Motion free?
No. Pension status alone does not establish product suitability or funding approval. Ask the assessor and provider about the individual pathway and any contribution.
Can I buy first and assume the provider will refund me?
No. Get written instructions and approval from the relevant provider before ordering if you are relying on funding. Exo Motion cannot promise retrospective reimbursement.
Can Exo Motion talk to my parent's care manager?
Yes, with appropriate written consent. We can coordinate supplier documents and follow-up; the provider and qualified professionals retain assessment and approval responsibilities.
Can my parent apply for NDIS equipment funding after turning 65?
A new NDIS application must be made before age 65. Existing participants can have different options after 65. Check the official transition rules with the NDIS; for aged-care equipment, ask My Aged Care about assessment and Support at Home AT-HM.
Sources and review
Official sources checked on 12 September 2026. Program rules can change; ask your assessor and provider to confirm the current requirements for your circumstances.
This guide describes Exo Motion's supplier process and general questions to ask. Exo Motion does not conduct aged-care assessments, prescribe equipment or approve AT-HM funding.
Funding purchase guidance reviewed . Check current requirements with your plan team or provider.