Thinking About Aged Care

Before you start the process of looking for aged care services, it can be helpful to think about and make notes about your needs. Talk to a family member or friend about what you are thinking and what you are looking for.

Common types of aged care needs include help with everyday living, equipment needs, home modifications, personal care, health care and accommodation.

The Commonwealth Government provides three main types of aged care services.

Help at home means you can continue to live independently in your own home for as long as possible. The types of help include meals and food services, personal care services, nursing care and allied health services, assistance with domestic tasks, home maintenance and modifications, transport services and social support. This includes the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and the Support at Home program ongoing services.

Short-term care provides care and support services for a set period of time. Transition care helps older people recover and regain independence after a stay in hospital. Care aims to help you with day-to-day tasks and either restore or maintain your independence. Respite care gives the older person and/or their carer a break for a short period of time. The Support at Home program includes three short-term pathways to support older people to remain at home for longer. These include the Restorative Care Pathway, Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme, and End-of-Life Pathway. The End-of-Life Pathway provides higher levels of funding for in-home aged care services to help people with 3 months or less to live to remain at home.

An aged care home (sometimes known as a nursing home or residential aged care facility) is for older people who can no longer live at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care.

There are charges associated with aged care services. You will need to gather some information about your and your partner’s financial situation. You will need to be able to provide information on your combined income, assets and debts. How much you pay for aged care support depends on the type of help you need, the provider you choose, your financial situation, and the services you receive.

If you are eligible for Commonwealth Home Support Programme services you will be expected to pay your provider for the services you receive at a subsidised rate, if you can afford to.

If you are eligible for a Support at Home Package, you may have to pay contributions for independence and everyday living services based on your income and assets.

If you are eligible for short-term care, you may have to pay a daily fee. The costs you may be asked to pay will vary depending on the type of short-term care you receive.

Costs for an aged care home involve a basic daily fee, or a basic daily fee and accommodation costs, or a basic daily fee and a means-tested care fee and accommodation cost.

Costs seem complicated so don’t be afraid to ask questions. It can be helpful to have a family member or friend help you with these discussions.

Once you have decided that you do need support and services, you will need to apply and be assessed. The first step to access government-funded aged care services is to check your eligibility for a face-to-face assessment. You can contact centre staff to talk about your needs on 1800 200 422 or you can apply online. If you are eligible, a face to face assessment will be organised.

After your face-to-face assessment, you will find out if you’re eligible for government-funded services and which ones you’re eligible for.

You can use the MyAgedCare website to find a provider near you. Each aged care provider delivers their services differently and charges different costs.

So it’s important to look around and compare providers before deciding who to get your services from.

When you start with an aged care services provider, they will work with you on a package of care that is right for you. There may also be times when you need to make some changes to your services. For example, you might be going on holidays and not need services for a couple of weeks, or your needs may have changed.

Remember that you have the right to talk about your services if you are not happy or feel they are not meeting your needs.

This information was drawn from the following resources:

• IPSOS. Research Paper 5 – They look after you, you look after them: Community attitudes to ageing and aged care [Internet]. Canberra: Royal Commission into Safety and Quality in Aged Care; 2020 [cited 2021 Jun 13].
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). GEN fact sheet 2022-23 People using aged care [Internet] (1.10MB pdf). Canberra: AIHW; 2023 [cited 2024 Jan 29].
• Royal Commission into Safety and Quality in Aged Care. Background Paper 6 – Carers of older Australians [Internet]. Canberra: Royal Commission into Safety and Quality in Aged Care; 2020 [cited 2021 Jun 13].