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Australian family guide

Who pays for mobility equipment in aged care?

Before buying equipment for Mum or Dad, find out who needs to assess it, who can place the order and what your family may need to pay.

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.

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 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.

For a suitable person needing more time, our private senior rental is A$129 per week with a four-week minimum: A$516 for the initial term. Availability, service area, written terms, security arrangements and equipment checks apply. Rental payments are not automatically credited against purchase; confirm any arrangement in writing.

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.

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.

Prepare for the right conversation.

Our self-check helps you identify questions for your provider. It does not approve funding. You can also ask about a free eligible Sydney home visit to explore Exo Motion's fit and practical use.