Application Process

My Aged Care &
ACAT Assessment

Once you have decided to move into residential aged care (for permanent care, residential respite or dementia aged care), you will need to register with My Aged Care and be assessed by the Australian Government’s Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). ACAT will:

• Ask questions about your day-to-day living activities and if you need help with them
• Talk to you about your general state of health and specific health conditions. This will help them work out what type of help you need, and how much
• Get an understanding of whether you need more support so you can keep living in your own home, or if they think you might be better supported in an aged care home
• Give you information about nursing homes in your area
• Provide information about residential respite care if it’s relevant to your needs
• Answer any questions you have about different types of aged care accommodation

After your assessment, you will receive a letter with the outcome of your assessment, including the services you are approved to receive and the reasons why.

If you are unhappy with the result, you can ask ACAT to review their decision. The letter will include instructions on how to do this.

ACAT assessments are free, and are available all over Australia. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to register and find your local ACAT.

Aged Care Calculation of
Your Cost of Care

Use the Aged Care Calculation of Your Cost of Care to provide Services Australia with your income and asset details. Services Australia will use these details to tell you how much you need to pay for aged care.

Please be assured that you will never be denied care because you can’t afford it.  The government also sets maximum amounts on what aged care providers can charge.

Once you have received your letter of approval from ACAT, you can start to look for a suitable aged care home. Just as you would when buying or renting a house, you can view a range of aged care accommodation and get a feel for the atmosphere, rooms, and services by taking a tour.

It’s a good idea to take your ACAT letter with you so the aged care provider can understand the services you will need. They will be able to tell you whether they have any aged care vacancies or how many people are on the waiting list.

Single rooms are the most popular and sometimes have longer waiting lists than shared rooms. If you need to move in urgently, it’s sometimes possible for you to take a shared room and move into a single room when one becomes available.

Some questions that you might like to ask on your tour include:

• What rooms do you have available and what are the waiting times? Is it possible to move into a shared room and move to a single room when one becomes available?
• Can I see your activities calendar?
• When can I receive visitors? Can they stay overnight if needed?
• What training do care staff have?
• Can you meet any special needs that I have? (eg. religious observances or complex nursing needs)
• What are the meal arrangements? Can I see a sample menu?
• How many staff provide care overnight?
• What transport can I access to visit local shops?
• What other services do you have available, such as physiotherapists? Are there any additional charges for these services?

The cost of your room and care will depend on the room that you choose, as well as the result of your assets and income assessment. Read more about fees and charges for residential aged care.

When you have a short list of aged care facilities that you would like to move into, you can start applying to them.

Aged care organisations will have their own application process, but they will be very similar. You will be asked to provide your personal details, care needs, medical details, and financial information, usually by filling out a form.

Once you have submitted your form, the aged care home will review your application and ensure they are able to provide the care you need. You will be contacted once the room you have chosen becomes available and you can then make plans to move in.

Your care provider will send you a pre-admission pack with your client agreement, items to bring, and forms to fill in before your first day. Read more about what to expect when moving into residential aged care.

Further Reading

You can find out more about moving into an aged care home by visiting My Aged Care.