Australian Government Directory of Services for Older People 2012-2013
Residential Aged Care
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Accessing residential aged care
Residential aged care places are funded by the Australian Government to assist with the cost of care and accommodation services for eligible people who can no longer live at home because of the effects of ageing, illness or disability.Two levels of residential care are provided across Australia: high care and low care. High-level care provides continuing 24-hour nursing care, meals, laundry, cleaning and personal care. Low-level care lets you live independently while receiving assistance with meals, laundry, personal and nursing care.
To be eligible for entry to a government subsidised aged care facility you first need to be assessed and approved by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT, known as an Aged Care Assessment Service in Victoria). An ACAT may include a doctor, nurse, social worker or occupational therapist. The team will provide information about suitable care options and arrange appropriate referrals to aged care service providers.
The special needs of care recipients are taken into account when arranging referrals to residential aged care facilities. These include the special needs of veterans, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people in rural and remote areas.
For more details about ACATs, call Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Accommodation bond
If your assets exceed 2.25 times the current annual basic single Age Pension when you enter low level care or an extra service home, you may be asked to pay a bond. The bond is an amount agreed between you and the aged care home. There is no fixed amount or formula for determining the bond, but you cannot be charged a bond which would leave you with assets less than 2.25 times the annual basic single Age Pension.Since 1 July 2005, a lump sum accommodation bond paid by an older Australian moving into residential aged care is exempt from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) pension assets test, until the bond is refunded to the person (if they leave the home) or to their estate.
For aged care residents who pay all or part of an accommodation bond through periodic payments and retain their former home and rent it out, the former home and any rental payments are exempt under the Department of Human Services and DVA pension income and assets tests. The rental income received does not affect the resident’s aged care fees. For more information on the exemption, visit the Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
While the aged care home and the resident negotiate the accommodation bond amount, the Australian Government sets requirements around the use and governance of accommodation bonds to protect residents’ savings.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
1800 227 475 (Centrelink services)
13 32 54 (veterans—capital city)
1800 555 254 (veterans—regional)
Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au
Department of Human Services at www.humanservices.gov.au
Department of Veteran' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
Accommodation Bond Guarantee Scheme
The Accommodation Bond Guarantee Scheme (Guarantee Scheme) ensures that care recipients’ accommodation bonds will be refunded if their approved provider becomes insolvent or bankrupt and is unable to repay outstanding bonds.Along with the Guarantee Scheme, the Australian Government requires approved providers to comply with a range of prudential requirements.
Collectively, these requirements:
- reduce the likelihood of approved providers failing to refund bonds
- ensure that bonds are used for residential care infrastructure, for prudent financial investments and for refunding bonds
- make information available so that residents and prospective residents can make informed choices about their approved provider and the safety of their accommodation bonds.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Email: Department of Health and Ageing
Website: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au
Postal: Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
CANBERRA ACT 2601
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Accommodation charge
If your assets exceed 2.25 times the current annual basic single Age Pension when you enter high level care, you may be asked to pay an accommodation charge.Residents cannot be asked to pay an accommodation charge if they have assets of less than 2.25 times the current single basic Age Pension at the time they enter care.
Money raised by accommodation charges is used to improve accommodation and services.
For aged care residents who pay an accommodation charge and retain their former home and rent it out, the former home and any rental payments are exempt under the Department of Human Services and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) pension income and assets tests. The rental income received does not affect the resident’s aged care fees. For more information on the exemption, contact the Department of Human Services or DVA.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
1800 227 475 (Centrelink services)
13 32 54 (veterans—capital city)
1800 555 254 (veterans—regional)
Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au
Department of Human Services at www.humanservices.gov.au
Department of Veteran' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
Accreditation of residential aged care
To be eligible for continued Australian Government funding, residential aged care homes are assessed against the 44 expected outcomes of the four Accreditation Standards. The Accreditation Standards are:- management systems, staffing and organisational development
- health and personal care
- resident lifestyle
- physical environment and safe systems.
In between accreditation site audits, residential aged care homes receive ongoing monitoring. Every home receives at least one unannounced visit each year. When auditing an aged care home, assessors from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd will interview residents and their relatives about their experiences with the quality of care and service provided by the home.
To find out more about the accreditation process or the status of a residential aged care home, ask the home, or contact the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd.
Phone: 1800 288 025 (Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd)
Website: Accreditation Agency at www.accreditation.org.au
Postal: Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd
PO Box 773
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124
Concessional, assisted and supported residents
A resident who first entered care before 20 March 2008, and has not re-entered care after a break of more than 28 days since that date, may be eligible to be a concessional resident if they cannot afford an accommodation bond or charge because, among other reasons, they have assets of less than 2.25 times the annual single basic Age Pension.A resident who first entered care before 20 March 2008, and has not re-entered care after a break of more than 28 days since that date, may be eligible to be an assisted resident if they cannot afford an accommodation bond or charge because—among other reasons—they have assets between 2.25 and 3.61 times the annual single basic Age Pension.
A resident who first entered care on or after 20 March 2008, and has assets less than the maximum assets threshold, is eligible to be a supported resident.
The Australian Government pays a supplement to the residential care provider on behalf of concessional, assisted and supported residents.
Depending on the region you live in, between 16 and 40 per cent of residential aged care places are reserved for concessional, assisted and supported residents.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
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Daily fee
All residents in aged care, including respite residents, can be asked to pay a basic daily fee as a contribution towards accommodation costs and living expenses like meals, cleaning, laundry, heating and cooling.The maximum basic daily fee for most permanent residents who enter an aged care home on or after 20 September 2009 is 84 per cent of the annual single basic Age Pension. This is also the maximum fee for all respite residents, excluding those receiving respite care on an extra service basis.
Note: The Department of Veterans’ Affairs pays the basic daily fee on behalf of Australian ex-prisoners of war.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
1800 227 475 (Centrelink services)
13 32 54 (veterans—capital city)
1800 555 254 (veterans—regional)
Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au
Department of Human Services at www.humanservices.gov.au
Department of Veteran' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
Extra service
Some residential aged care facilities may offer you a higher standard of accommodation, food and services for an additional daily fee. They may also charge an accommodation bond for extra services provided to residents in either low or high care places. Extra services offer you more flexibility and choice.Residential aged care homes are approved to offer extra services only if the Department of Health and Ageing is satisfied that access to aged care in the relevant area will not be unreasonably restricted for people who would have difficulty affording an extra service amount.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au/ess
Financial hardship
The Australian Government has set in place 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 daily fees and/or accommodation payments. Please note that, except in exceptional circumstances, financial hardship assistance will not be granted where gifting has occurred or where assets are set aside for inheritance purposes. You can obtain more information about the hardship provisions from the Department of Health and Ageing.Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au/feesandcharges
Income-tested fee
Residents in permanent aged care may be asked to pay an income-tested fee in addition to the basic daily fee. The amount they pay depends on their income and the level of care they need. This fee is paid directly to the aged care provider as part of their overall fees. Residents are exempt from the income-tested fee if they are an Australian ex-prisoner of war; were receiving permanent residential aged care prior to 1 March 1998, have a dependent child; and/or are receiving a full means-tested pension.Residents (other than respite residents) may be asked to pay an income-tested fee, depending on their income and the level of care they need. This fee is paid directly to the aged care home. No resident will pay more than they can afford, and no resident will pay more than the cost of their care. The Australian Government sets out the maximum amount a resident can be asked to pay to the aged care provider.
Phone: 1800 200 422 (National number for information on aged care)
1800 227 475 (Centrelink services)
13 32 54 (veterans—capital city)
1800 555 254 (veterans—regional)
Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au/feesandcharges
Department of Veteran' Affairs at www.dva.gov.au
Residential Medication Management Reviews
If you live in an Australian Government-funded aged care home, you may be able to receive a Residential Medication Management Review. Residential Medication Management Reviews help people manage their medicines better. The review involves your aged care home organising for a general practitioner to provide a referral to a pharmacist to review all the medicines you take, including prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines. The pharmacist should prepare a written report for your aged care home and your doctor. Your doctor may use this report to develop or review your medication management plan.Websites: Department of Health and Ageing at www.health.gov.au
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