Aged care initiatives and programs
2018–19 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR)
This ACAR closed for applications in August 2018. Find out how many applications we received and who was successful in receiving residential aged care places, short-term restorative care (STRC) places and capital grants. You can view the results by state and territory, region and SA3.
2020 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR)
The 2020 ACAR results have been announced. Find out who was successful in receiving new places and capital grant funding.
Advance Care Planning Australia
Advance Care Planning Australia is a national program that promotes advance care planning, including resources and national curriculum and learning.
Aged care assessment programs
The Australian Government funds Regional Assessment Services (RAS) and Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT) to provide aged care assessment services. As an assessor, view our guides and resources to help you conduct and manage assessments in My Aged Care.
Aged Care Capital Assistance Program
The Aged Care Capital Assistance Program (ACCAP) provides grants to build, extend, or upgrade aged care services or to build staff accommodation where older Australians have limited or no access.
Aged Care Diversity Framework initiative
This framework sets out how our aged care system can meet the diverse needs of all older Australians. It includes action plans for government, aged care providers and consumers. It also provides resources to help providers meet the goals of the framework.
Aged Care Financial Monitoring and Business Assistance
Aged Care Financial Monitoring and Business Assistance helps approved residential providers understand and address major financial risks. We are committed to working with providers to deliver safe, sustainable and high-quality residential care for senior Australians.
Aged care on-site pharmacist
We are providing $350 million to community pharmacies to employ on-site pharmacists in residential aged care homes.
Aged care reforms
Our vision is to make aged care at home and in residence a safe place, where people have the quality of life they deserve.
Aged Care Regional, Rural and Remote Infrastructure Grant (ACRRRIG)
This grant provided funding for aged care service providers in regional, rural and remote areas to help improve infrastructure. Grants of up to $500,000 per aged care service were available. This grant is now closed for applications. Find out the common reasons why applications were not successful.
Aged Care Registered Nurses’ Payment to reward clinical skills and leadership
The Australian Government is delivering a payment to registered nurses who work for the same aged care employer for 6 or 12 months.
Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA)
Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia is a new research centre funded to conduct research with aged care workers, providers, researchers and people who use aged care services. Findings will be used to create innovative solutions for the aged care sector to ensure best possible care.
Aged Care System Navigator Measure
These trials explored different ways of helping people understand and engage with the aged care system. Lessons from these trials have helped us decide the best way to support people to navigate aged care.
Aged Care Transition to Practice Program
The Aged Care Transition to Practice (ACTTP) program provides nurses with mentoring, training and support at the start of their career in aged care.
Aligning regulation across the care and support sectors
In the 2021–22 Budget the Australian Government committed to align regulation to improve quality and safety for participants and consumers and remove unnecessary duplication of obligations for service providers and workers to work more seamlessly across different types of care.
Australian National Aged Care Classification funding model
The Australian Government provides subsidies to approved residential aged care providers through the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model.
Business Advisory Service
Residential and home care service providers can apply for free, independent, confidential advice to help review operations and gain advice on business management and financial strategies.
Care finder program
The care finder program delivers a national, face-to-face network of care finders. It provides support for vulnerable older people to interact with My Aged Care, access aged care services and access other relevant supports in the community.
Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurses in residential aged care
The Australian Government is introducing mandatory care time responsibilities for approved providers of residential aged care services. Find information about care minutes targets and the 24/7 registered nurse responsibilities being introduced.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
The CHSP provides entry-level support for older people who need some help to stay at home. Service providers work with them to maintain their independence and keep them as well as possible. Find out what service providers need to know about this program.
Community Visitors Scheme (CVS)
The CVS arranges volunteer visits to older people to provide friendship and companionship. Visits are available to anyone receiving government-subsidised aged care services.
Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care measure
The Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care measure (the measure) aims to help older Australians living in residential aged care, nearing the end of their life.
Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS)
The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) provides a payment to help with some of the costs of your continence products.
Dementia and Aged Care Services (DACS) Fund
The DACS Fund helps the aged care sector to support senior Australians who are sick or living with medical conditions. Read about why the DACS Fund is important and what is funded under DACS.
Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS)
The Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) helps staff and carers to support people living with dementia experiencing changes to their behaviour by providing assessment, clinical support, care planning, mentoring, linking to current research and a 24-hour help line.
Dementia Carer Respite and Wellbeing Program
The Dementia Carer Respite and Wellbeing Program will deliver joint models of respite care for carers and people living with dementia.
Dementia Training Program
The Dementia Training Program offers a national approach to accredited education, upskilling, and professional development in dementia care.
Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission
The Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission is investing $185 million. It supports older Australians to maintain their health and quality of life as they age, live independently for longer, and access quality care when they need it.
Dementia-Friendly Communities
Dementia-Friendly Communities is an Australian Government-funded program to build understanding, awareness and acceptance of dementia in the community.
Developing a new model for regulating aged care
We’re working with older people in Australia, their families and carers, providers, and the aged care sector to develop a new model for regulating aged care. The new model is designed to drive cultural change across the sector, improve outcomes for older people, and restore trust in the system.
Digital transformation for the aged care sector
Our digital transformation agenda is working to create a better-connected aged care IT network that is consolidated, sustainable, automated and modern.
Disability Support for Older Australians (DSOA) Program
The DSOA program supports older people with disability who received specialist disability services from the Continuity of Support (CoS) Programme, but were not eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
End of Life Direction for Aged Care (ELDAC)
ELDAC provides information, guidance, and resources to health professionals and aged care workers on palliative care and advance care planning to improve the care of older Australians.
Government Provider Management System (GPMS)
The Government Provider Management System (GPMS) is a new IT system we’re building for aged care providers. In the future it will be a master source of information across the aged care system.
Home Care Packages Program
The Australian Government subsidises organisations to provide home care services to eligible older people. As an approved provider of Home Care Packages, make sure you understand how funding works, the fees you can charge, and what your responsibilities are.
Home Care Workforce Support Program
The Home Care Workforce Support Program is supporting the aged care sector to grow the home care workforce.
Infection prevention and control leads
All residential aged care home must have an ongoing dedicated infection prevention and control (IPC) lead nurse on site. Homes are required to have an IPC lead nurse to ensure they are prepared to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.
Innovative Care Programme
This program supports flexible ways of providing care where mainstream services cannot meet needs. It currently funds 7 innovative projects that focus on younger people with disabilities. The program stopped funding new projects in 2006.
Inspector-General of Aged Care
The Australian Government is establishing an Inspector-General of Aged Care to review, monitor and report on the administration and governance of the aged care system.
Medicare Benefits Schedule Better Access initiative – mental health support for aged care residents during the COVID-19 pandemic
The expanded eligibility for aged care residents under the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative, through GP referral, ceases on 31 December 2022.
Monthly Care Statements for residential aged care
We’re working with stakeholders across residential aged care services to develop and introduce Monthly Care Statements for residents. The statements will give residents a summary of the care they receive each month and any significant changes or events.
Multi-Purpose Services (MPS) Program
The Multi-Purpose Services Program combines funding for aged care services from the Australian Government with state and territory health services. This joint initiative means small regional and remote communities can offer flexible aged care services that meet the needs of their community.
My Aged Care
My Aged Care aims to make it easier for older people, their families, and carers to find information on ageing and aged care in Australia. We provide online information and trained call centre staff to help you get an older person’s needs assessed and to find and access services.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
We fund this program to provide culturally appropriate aged care to older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The service providers in this program deliver a mix of aged care services, mainly in rural and remote areas.
National Aged Care Advocacy Program (NACAP)
NACAP provides free and confidential advocacy support to older people and their carers. It also helps aged care service providers to understand their responsibilities and the consumer rights of the people they care for.
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program)
The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) collects quality indicator data from residential aged care services quarterly. This data provides an evidence base that can be used to improve the quality of services provided to care recipients.
National Dementia Action Plan consultation
Learn how the voices of people affected by dementia, including their loved ones, will be reflected in Australia’s priorities for action on dementia over the next 10 years.
National Dementia Support Program (NDSP)
The NDSP is an Australian Government initiative to fund information, education programs, services and resources.
Nursing and allied health scholarships
We fund a range of scholarship opportunities through the Australian College of Nursing including nursing, midwifery, aged care, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships. Preference is given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants.
palliAGED – palliative care aged care evidence
palliAGED is the palliative care evidence and practice information resource for the Australian aged care sector. It provides support for health and care practitioners as well as resource developers. The website also provides trustworthy information for older Australians, their families and friends.
Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC)
PICAC supports aged care service providers to deliver care that meets the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people. You can access their workshops, training, information sessions, fact sheets and guides.
Places to people – Embedding choice in residential aged care
Find out about changes that will allow residential care places to be allocated directly to older Australians.
Prevention – Outbreak Plan Improvement (POPI) program
The POPI program helps Victorian residential aged care facilities to identify and address any gaps in their COVID-19 outbreak management plans. The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre runs the program.
Providing aged care services to younger people
Aged care providers sometimes deliver services to younger people with a disability. Learn more about the NDIS and how it supports younger people to access services, and how to become an NDIS provider.
Rapid antigen testing for aged care
Learn about how we’re protecting the health of senior Australians by providing access to COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits for residential aged care homes.
Reablement care trial for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
We are trialling reablement care approaches among CHSP providers in selected regions. The trial will give us a better idea of how these approaches help senior Australians stay independent for longer. Find out how it affects CHSP providers.
Refundable Accommodation Deposit Support Loan Program
The Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) Support Loan Program provides zero interest loans to eligible residential aged care providers. Applications closed on 30 June 2022.
Remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Service Development Assistance Panel (SDAP)
SDAP provides free professional support to aged care service providers located in remote areas or who provide care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It aims to help providers in 3 main areas – provider capacity and support, sector development and infrastructure project management.
Residential aged care
Residential aged care is for senior Australians who can no longer live independently at home. The Australian Government funds residential aged care to make it more affordable and accessible.
Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is helping to reduce abuse and neglect in Australian Government-subsidised aged care. The SIRS builds the skills of providers, so they can better support older Australians receiving aged care services.
Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT)
Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT) provide specialist clinical support and advice to organisations and aged care staff caring for people living with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme
The STRC Programme provides services to older people for up to 8 weeks to help them delay or avoid long-term care. Read about the STRC Programme, including how it's managed, approved provider responsibilities, and how to deliver STRC services.
Sign language interpreting and captioning services for Australian Government–subsidised aged care services
If you provide Australian Government–subsidised aged care services, you can access free sign language interpreting and captioning services to support clients who are Deaf, Deafblind, or hard of hearing.
Specialist Dementia Care Program (SDCP)
The SDCP funds specialist dementia care units in residential aged care homes. The units provide specialised care to people with very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. They aim to reduce or stabilise symptoms so that people can transition into less intensive care settings.
Star Ratings for residential aged care
Star Ratings can help older Australians and their representatives make more informed choices about their aged care. We have developed a Star Ratings system for residential aged care across Australia.
Structural Adjustment Program
The Australian Government is working with the aged care sector to help providers transition to a more competitive market and improve the sector’s sustainability and capability.
The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) for aged care service providers
The Australian Government offers interpreting services to help people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds access and navigate the aged care system. Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) National is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at no cost to approved providers.
Transition Care Programme
This program helps older people get back on their feet after a hospital stay. It provides short-term care for up to 12 weeks, including social work, nursing support, personal care and allied health care.
Trusted Indigenous Facilitators
The Trusted Indigenous Facilitators program will build a workforce of facilitators to help First Nations elders, their families and carers, to access aged care services to meet their physical and cultural needs.
Wellness and reablement initiative
For your Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) service to remain eligible for government funding, you need to embed wellness and reablement services into your organisation. Join our community of practice and find resources to help you.
Workforce Advisory Service
Residential aged care and home care service providers can apply for free, independent and confidential advice to improve workforce planning.
Younger people in residential aged care
We are working to stop younger people under 65 going into residential aged care. We are helping younger people consider and access suitable accommodation and support.
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