Frequently Asked Questions

What is residential care?

Residential aged care is for older people who can no longer live at home. Reasons can include illness, disability, bereavement, an emergency, the needs of their carer, family or friends, or because it is no longer possible to manage at home without help. Australia’s aged care system aims to ensure that all older people receive support and quality care when they need it.

Aged care homes are owned and operated by people or organisations that have the approval of the government to care for you. Your aged care home will ensure that you have the care that you need, whether you just need help with day to day tasks, assistance with personal care, or 24-hour nursing care.

When it is time to choose your aged care home, you will need to know what types of aged care homes are available in your area, as this may affect the cost and the services that you will receive.

Residential aged care can be offered as either permanent or short-term care. Short-term care is called ‘respite care’. If you need less care than that offered by aged care homes you may wish to consider independent living units or retirement villages. These residential communities offer a range of services for independent older people, and are regulated by State and Territory Governments. Commonwealth Carelink Centres can provide you with information on the types of alternative accommodation in your region.

What types of aged care are available?

There are two broad types of aged care — low level and high level care.

Low level care homes (formerly known as hostels) generally provide accommodation and personal care, such as help with dressing and showering, together with occasional nursing care.
High level care homes (previously known as nursing homes) care for people with a greater degree of frailty, which often needs continuous nursing care.

What is residential respite care?

Residential respite care provides short-term care when you need it and if you intend to return to the community. Respite care can also be provided in your own home or in a respite care centre. Residential respite care may be used on a planned or emergency basis, for example if you are ill, or to help if your carer is absent for any reason such as illness or holidays.

What services do aged care homes provide?

All aged care homes must provide a specified range of care and services to residents. These requirements vary according to each resident’s care needs. For all residents, services should include such things as:

staff to provide help at all times, including in emergency situations;
assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, showering, dressing and mobility;
assistance with medications;
meals and refreshments, taking into account special dietary needs;
basic furnishings including carpets, curtains, chairs, beds and bed linen, bath towels, face washers, soap and toilet paper;
a laundry service, cleaning services and maintenance of buildings and grounds; and
social activities.

For residents with high level care needs, the services will also include such things as continence aids, basic medical and pharmaceutical supplies, nursing services and therapy services.

If you require specialised care for dementia, or if you have specific language, cultural or religious needs (for instance, if you want to be in a home where there are other people who speak a particular language or have similar spiritual beliefs), you should ask about that when you visit prospective homes.

What is ‘extra service’?

Some aged care homes provide what is called extra service. This means the home is able to provide you with a higher standard of accommodation and services, which will cost you more. As this amount varies from home to home, it is best to check costs directly with the aged care home.

However, extra service does not mean that you will be provided with a higher standard of care (such as nursing). This is because all aged care homes have to provide the same high quality care to their residents. If you pay for extra service, you may receive, for instance, a bigger room or wine with your meals.

Who provides the care in aged care homes?

All residential aged care homes are required to employ suitably skilled and qualified staff to provide assistance to residents. For example, all residents with high level care needs must have any nursing services carried out by a registered nurse. Additionally, all residents must be provided with assistance in obtaining services from their health practitioner such as their family doctor. While you may wish the aged care home to arrange visits to a health practitioner on your behalf, you can continue to see those practitioners you usually do.

How are care and services monitored in aged care homes?

The Australian Government has implemented a number of measures to monitor the quality of care and services provided in Australian Government funded aged care homes. All funded homes must meet required accreditation standards and demonstrate continuous improvement regarding the quality of care and services provided to residents.

The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency assesses aged care homes for accreditation and monitors homes to ensure their ongoing compliance with the accreditation standards. An aged care home will be able to provide you with information about its accreditation status. You may also access the Agency’s website at www.accreditation.org.au. It may be useful to look at the information provided by the Agency when you look for a suitable aged care home.

The Department of Health and Ageing may impose sanctions on aged care homes that have not met the requirements of the Aged Care Act 1997. In these cases, information is published on the Department’s website at www.health.gov.au.

Do I have to pay for residential aged care?

While the Australian Government provides substantial funding to residential aged care homes to assist with the costs associated with providing care, most residents will also pay a number of fees and charges to their residential aged care home.

The types of fees and charges payable are prescribed by the Government. These fall into two categories:

daily care fees; and
accommodation payments.

What if I can’t afford to pay?

The Australian Government has made arrangements to help residents of aged care homes who may experience difficulty in paying for their care. Hardship provisions exist to help residents who have genuine difficulty paying fees and charges.

If you can’t afford to pay, these provisions allow your fees and charges to be reduced or waived. In this case, the Government pays a subsidy to the aged care home, so that you can receive the same standard of care as everyone else in Australia’s aged care system, regardless of your capacity to pay.

What help is available for veterans and war widow(er)s?

Veterans and war widow(er)s are entitled to receive the same kind of residential aged care as all other Australians. However, they also have access to the Veterans’ Affairs Network, which can provide many kinds of help.

For information about the Veterans’ Affairs Network (VAN), telephone the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on 1300 551 918.

Will I need to move into another aged care home if my care needs change?

While some aged care homes specialise in either low level or high level care, many offer both low level and high level care, which allows you to stay in one location even if your care needs increase. This is often referred to as ageing in place. Each aged care home can advise you about the care and services it will provide, and whether you can remain at that home as your care needs change.

What aged care support is available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

All aged care homes are expected to provide culturally appropriate care for their residents. In addition, there is a number of homes specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There are also flexible aged care services, generally in very remote areas. For more information, please contact the Commonwealth Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222.

Do aged care homes provide care for specific cultural or linguistic groups?

To improve the quality of life and care for older people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, the Australian Government funds a number of aged care homes run by ethnic community organisations. The Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care program enables aged care homes and ethnic communities to work together to establish and maintain links between residents of aged care homes and their social, cultural and linguistic networks.

Also, clustering brings together residents who share similar cultural, language or religious backgrounds within one aged care home. There are many aged care homes around Australia that provide care on this basis. Other options include multicultural services and cultural, nationality or language-specific services. To find out what’s available in your area, telephone your nearest Commonwealth Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222.

What care options are available for people with dementia?

Care for people with dementia is available in many aged care homes. It may be provided in separate dementia-specific units or wings. Your Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment (refer to page 12) will determine whether you are eligible for this type of care.

For more information about any of the above, please download the Department of Health and Ageing’s “5 Steps to Entry into Residential Aged Care”

Can residents move from one aged facility to another without a new Aged Care Client Record?

Yes residents can move from one facility to another. For example a person can move from a low level (hostel) to another hostel without need for reassessment by an ACAT member. (Note the resident needs to move to their new facility on the same day that they are discharged from the old facility).

Residents who move to another aged care home - Special arrangements apply for residents who move to another aged care home (‘second home’) within 28 days of leaving a previous home (‘first home’). For Example: If the resident had paid an accommodation bond to the first home, then the maximum amount of accommodation bond which the resident can be charged in the second home is the accommodation bond balance from the first home. The accommodation bond balance is the amount of the original accommodation bond paid to the first service, minus retention amounts and any other agreed deductions, i.e. interest payable on the late payment of the original accommodation bond.

At home I have my routine of things I do each day. What will I do all day when I move to a home?

You may be able to continue many of your regular activities if you wish. Homes also have a range of activities that residents can take part in to improve their health or provide enjoyment. Many homes have resident-run committees to organise social events and aspects of running the home, so you can join those too if you wish. Talk to the home about what they offer and look at the aged care home finder for further information.

If I'm receiving transition care will I have to contribute to the daily cost?

A transition care provider may charge you a fee as a contribution to the cost of your care. The maximum fee is 85% of the basic daily rate of single pension for care delivered in the live-in setting or 17.5% of the basic single rate of pension for care delivered at home. Access to transition care is decided on a needs basis, not on your ability to pay fees.

Who makes the decision whether I could receive community care at home or need to go into an aged care home?

The Australian Government recognises that most people would like to stay in their own home and, if they are able to, there are services available to help. If you are fairly independent and need some help, this may be best served by Home and Community Care Services. If you have a strong wish to remain at home and are able to do so, for example if you have support or a carer at home and require fairly complex care or a range of services, Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) and Extended Aged Care in the Home, (EACH) may be more accessible and appropriate. An Aged Care Assessment and approval is required to access CACPs, EACH and residential aged care.

Once I go into an aged care home, do I have to stay there?

You do not have to stay in a home that you do not like. Your Resident Agreement should set out the obligations between you and the home and the circumstances under which you may leave.

Can I find a home that will cater for all of my care needs as I get older or need more assistance, so I don't need to move around?

It is possible in some aged care homes for you to receive either low-level or high-level care at the same home. This means you don't need to move as a result of changing care needs, and is called 'ageing in place'.

Will I receive nursing care if required in a retirement village?

Generally this is not the case. A retirement village is not an aged care home, it is important to obtain information from the operator of the village about ongoing care that may be available to you, if required.

How much furniture can I take into aged care?

This depends often on the size of a room but generally just a small TV with a suitable stand, plus chair (recliner is OK). Pictures can normally be hung oon walls after consultation with management.