Eligibility for Aged Care Services
Aged Care Assessment Teams
ACATS help older people and their carers work out what kind of care will best meet their needs when they are no longer able to manage at home without assistance. ACATs provide information on suitable care options and can help arrange access or referral to appropriate residential or community care services such as Home and Community Care (HACC). An ACAT assessment and approval is required before people can access residential aged care, Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs) or Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) Packages.
Recent illness, disability, bereavement or simply the passing of the years may make it harder to manage at home without help.
Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) can help you decide which services you need. They can help you to get residential care or a Community Aged Care Package (CACP), refer you to community care services, or help you arrange respite care in a residential setting.
It is best to talk to your own doctor first to see if you need to be referred to an ACAT. The ACAT is usually based at a hospital or community centre and may include a doctor, nurse, social worker, physiotherapist or occupational therapist.
Once you have made an appointment, a member of your local ACAT team will visit you in your home or in hospital to make an assessment of your needs.
The ACAT will talk with you about what services you may need and what is available in your area.
They will discuss the result of their assessment with you, and arrange referrals to community care services or a place in residential care, if this is appropriate.
Your doctor or local hospital can refer you to an ACAT.
You may contact them directly:
1800 200 422* (*mobile calls are charged at applicable rates) for contact details for your local ACAT.
Information Sheet 1 - Aged Care Assessment Teams
This factsheet explains the role of Aged Care Assessment Teams for older people, their families, friends and carers.
Residential Care Entry Pack
A simpler system for entering Aged Care Homes.
Aged Care Assessment Program Data Dictionary Version 2.0 2010
The Aged Care Assessment Program (ACAP) Data Dictionary Version 2 provides ACAP Program Managers, both Commonwealth, State and Territory, with definitions of data elements relevant to the ACAP, including those in the ACAP Minimum Data Set. The data is used for policy and program development, strategic planning and performance monitoring against agreed outcomes.
Aged Care Assessment and Approval Guidelines - September 2006
Guidelines for assessing applicants as care recipients and instructions on use of the Application and Approval Form<br>
Aged Care Assessment Program: Operational Guidelines 2002
The Commonwealth Aged Care Assessment Program Operational Guidelines outline the Commonwealth's policy and operational requirements for the Aged Care Assessment Program into the future.
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