Retirement and Ageing Directory, Australia

AGED CARE ACCOMMODATION

Aged Care Homes

Aged care homes provide accommodation and support for people who can no longer live at home without care and support and need to live in a supported care situation.

In low level (hostel) care a person can live independently, but get help with meals and laundry, and personal care like dressing and bathing. High level (nursing home) care includes ongoing nursing care, as well as meals, laundry, cleaning and personal care.

Take me to Aged Care Homes in the About Services section.

Community care services are an alternative to an aged care home and may be able to help an older person to stay in the community.

Take me to Community Care Services in the About Services section.

Applying to enter an Aged Care Home

Aged Care Assessment Teams/Services (ACAT) can assess you to determine if you are eligible for Commonwealth supported Residential Aged Care.

If you are recommended by an ACAT for residential aged care, the ACAT will provide you with a copy of the Entry Pack for residential aged care. The Entry Pack provides prospective residents, their carer, friends or family members with detailed information about the process of entering residential aged care, and includes a standard application form that can be used to apply for residential aged care (respite care or permanent entry). Take me to the Entry Pack

Cost of Residential Care

Residents may be asked to pay for services in an aged care home in several ways, depending on their income and assets.

Daily care fees contribute to your daily living costs, and include
- A basic daily care fee; and
- An additional income-tested fee
Extra service fees if you are in an 'extra service' place
Accommodation payments for their housing - either an accommodation bond or an accommodation charge

Take me to Costs of Residential Care in the About Services section

Basic Daily care fees

Basic daily care fees contribute to a resident's daily living costs The maximum basic daily care fee you can be asked to pay will depend on whether or not you receive a means tested Australian pension.

Take me to Daily Care Fees in the Aged Care: What does it cost brochure.

Income tested fees

Income tested fees contribute to resident's daily living costs. They can be asked to pay an additional income tested fee if they are not in receipt of a full means tested Australian pension.

Take me to Income Tested Fees in the Income tested fees for Residential Care information sheet.

Extra service fees

People in aged care homes can be asked to pay an extra service fee if they are in an extra service place. Extra service places offer residents a higher standard of accommodation, food and services at a higher charge.

Take me to Extra Service information in the What You Need to Know About Residential Care (Nursing Home and Hostel Care) information sheet.

Accommodation Bonds

If the person you care for enters low level (hostel) care or starts to receive care on an extra service basis, they may be asked to pay an accommodation bond. The maximum amount of the bond they can be asked to pay depends on their assets.

Take me to Accommodation Bonds in the Accommodation Bonds information sheet.

Accommodation Charges

When an older person enters high level (nursing home) care, they may be asked to pay an accommodation charge. The maximum amount they can be asked to pay depends on their assets.

Take me to Accommodation Charges in the The Accommodation Charge information sheet.

What happens to the family home?

If you have been living in the family home and caring for the person for more than two years, and you are receiving income support, the family home will not be included when the person's assets are calculated.

If the person's spouse or dependent child is still living in the family home or if a close family member has lived there for at least five years and is receiving income support, the family home will not be counted as an asset.

Take me to more information on the Family Home in the The Accommodation Charge information sheet.

Residential Care Standards

All aged care homes are required to maintain standards. To meet these standards, services homes must:

Provide a high quality of personal care to every resident
Have a safe building
Be committed to protecting their resident's rights

Service providers must also ensure that they have appropriately qualified staff with the right mix of skills to meet residents' needs.

Take me to Residential Care Standards in the About Services section.

Resident's rights

A person's personal, civil, legal and consumer rights in any aged care home are the same as those of any other Australian. Residents' rights include the right to personal privacy and to decide what happens to their belongings, the right to move or change the care they receive, the right to complain, and the right to vote and practice their own religion.

Take me to Your Rights in the About Services section.