A residential aged care home is for older people who can no longer live at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care.
Residential aged care homes are also called:
A residential aged care home can give you the services you need to have a good quality of life.
The government funds aged care homes across Australia. These homes supply services to people who need it and are eligible.
Each aged care home is different. They may provide different levels of care. Some provide basic accommodation; while others also provide continuous nursing care and healthcare services.
It's important to choose the right one for you.
You might consider a residential aged care home because you:
Australia's aged care homes are for people aged 65 years and over and Aboriginal people aged 50 and over.
A younger person with exceptional circumstances may also be eligible if their needs cannot be met through other specialist services. Contact the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and ask what help is available for Australians with a permanent or significant disability.
If you are between the ages of 9 and 65 years, check if you can apply for NDIS support by visiting Am I eligible (Opens in new tab).
To find out if you are eligible for subsidised aged care, there is a 2-part assessment process:
To check your eligibility, you can:
After your eligibility check, you may have an assessment. This is to better understand your needs.
The assessor will come to your house. The assessor will call ahead to arrange a time to visit.
There are 2 types of assessment:
Each aged care home sets their own prices. How much you need to pay depends on:
There are 3 types of costs associated with all aged care homes. These fees are:
The accommodation cost is the cost for your room. It depends on your income and assets. The Government may contribute to this.
The basic daily care fee is what you pay to help cover expenses such as:
The means-tested care fee is an extra contribution you pay, based on an assessment of your income and assets.
You can use the fee estimator (Opens in new tab) to get an idea of the costs you may have to pay. You can also call My Aged Care (Opens in new tab) on 1800 200 422.
Moving into residential aged care is often a challenging time.
It is an emotional decision for:
It might be time to consider an aged care home when your loved one has:
Even if moving to an aged care home is the best choice, you may feel unsettled.
There are many ways you can help care for your relative or friend living in an aged care home.
The My Aged Care website has a fact sheet about caring for someone in an aged care home (Opens in new tab).
For further information:
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Last reviewed: August 2024
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