Eligibility for aged care services
Under the Aged Care Act, access to Australian Government-funded aged care services is limited to people with care needs who are either:
- aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and aged 50 years or over
- homeless or at risk of homelessness and aged 50 years or over
- already living in an aged care home or accessing aged care services.
If you are under 65, before you access aged care, you must be provided an opportunity to consider alternative services that may be available to meet your care needs.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports NDIS participants under 65 years to live in the community and use housing, care and services that suit you.
Applying for access to the NDIS
To be eligible for the NDIS, you must:
- be an Australian resident (or equivalent)
- be aged under 65 years
- have a disability that is permanent and affects daily life activities.
To start the process, you can either:
You, your nominee, family member or carer can help progress your NDIS application by providing:
- evidence of your disability
- copies of key documents such as
- accommodation agreement
- residential care agreement
- letters on aged care fees from Services Australia
- statement from the aged care home detailing your means-tested care fee and accommodation payments (if available).
If you are eligible
If you are eligible for the NDIS, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will set up a planning meeting with an NDIS planner.
In this meeting, you can discuss your accommodation and support goals and explore suitable accommodation options.
If you want to stay in your current aged care home, you will continue to:
- receive care and services through the aged care provider
- pay existing aged care fees and payments.
The NDIS will determine what supports it funds and will include these in your NDIS plan.
The NDIS guidelines for younger people in residential aged care explains how decisions are made.
If you are not eligible
If you are living in the community
If you are not eligible for the NDIS or are yet to test your eligibility, other support options are available.
If you are not eligible for aged care services, are not an NDIS participant, and have complex care needs, the AFA YPIRAC System Coordinator Program can assist you.
System Coordinators can help you explore services and supports across the health, community, disability and housing sectors to find options that best meet your needs. This may include assisting you to check your eligibility and, if appropriate, apply for the NDIS.
If you are living in an aged care home
If you are not eligible for the NDIS and want to move out of an aged care home, the AFA YPIRAC System Coordinator Program can help you to:
- navigate the disability, housing, health and aged care systems
- find alternative accommodation and support services that best meets your needs
- move from your aged care home if you want to.
You can contact Ability First Australia to find out how to receive support.
Other support
You can also access the Younger people in residential aged care (YPIRAC) toolkit to help understand your housing and support options.
State and territory governments have a responsibility to help younger people find alternative accommodation and other supports (such as personal care or domestic assistance) where they are:
- not eligible for the NDIS
- not eligible for NDIS-funded home and living supports.
For more information on what housing options may be available, please contact the relevant authority in your state or territory.
Review of existing support plan
You can get a support service reassessment if:
- you have had an aged care needs assessment
- you already receive government-funded aged care services
- your circumstances have changed.
Contact My Aged Care to be referred to an assessment organisation.
The assessment organisation will decide if a reassessment is needed. You will need evidence of:
- what NDIS or other support services you have considered
- why these supports were not appropriate for your needs.
Your NDIS support coordinator, or NDIS planner will help you to explore these options.
Support at Home program
The Support at Home program helps older people with complex care needs to live in their own homes.
If you are aged under 65 years, have a disability and currently access the Support at Home program, you can check your eligibility for NDIS support and services with the Am I eligible checklist.
Residential aged care fees and payments
If you live in an aged care home, you may need to contribute to:
- accommodation costs
- living expenses
- care services that are not NDIS-funded.
Find out more about the residential aged care fees and payments.
Contact
Ability First Australia
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) contact
