Seniors

Eligibility criteria

On this page:

The eligibility criteria
People not eligible for the rebate
Help from an interpreter or translator
Download the client information sheet and the application for rebate

The eligibility criteria

To be eligible for a rebate you must:

have a referral from a registered health professional
meet the following criteria.

You must:

be aged 75 years or older* and
have a Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card and
be a permanent resident of South Australia.

* From 8 April to 31 December 2011, priority will be given to those aged 85 years or older or, if of Aboriginal descent, 65 years or older. From 1 January 2012, the rebate scheme will be open to eligible applicants aged 75 years or older.

You must also:

Meet one or more of the following clinical criteria:

be at high risk of falls or
have experienced a fall in the last six months that required medical attention** or
suffer from a major medical or chronic condition that requires an immediate and urgent response in an emergency.

** The fall/s should have been investigated and the cause of the fall/s eliminated, where possible. A personal response system should only be considered if there is a continued risk of falls.

You must also:

Meet one or more of the following social criteria:

be living alone or
be alone for most of the day or night or
be living exclusively with someone who is unable to get to the phone in an emergency, or is unable to use the phone or
have a carer who is unable to get to the phone in an emergency, or is unable to use the phone.

You must also:

Meet the following functional criteria:

You should have sufficient physical and cognitive function to wear and operate the personal alert system.
You must be willing to wear the alert system 24 hours a day and to activate the system, if necessary.

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People not eligible for the rebate

Veterans or veterans’ widows or widowers who are eligible under the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ Rehabilitation Appliances Program.
People who live independently in a retirement village where a personal alert system, or similar service, is included in the residence contract.
People who live in supported accommodation, such as a Supported Residential Facility or residential aged care facility.

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