Frequently asked questions Aged Care

What is My Aged Care?

My Aged Care is the Australian Government’s central system and website for accessing publicly funded aged care services. It acts as the “front door” where you find information, get assessed, and connect to approved service providers.[1]

Who is eligible for aged care services?

General eligibility is determined by age, citizenship, and functional needs: [2, 3]

Age requirements: You must be 65 years or older (or 50 years and older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). [4]
Residency status: You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. [4]
Functional decline: You must show a clear need for help with everyday tasks due to age-related physical or cognitive decline. [4, 5]

How do I register with My Aged Care?

You can create a profile and apply for an assessment using three primary channels: [6, 7]

Online application: Complete the 15-minute form via the My Aged Care Apply Online Tool. [8]
Phone hotline: Call the national call centre at 1800 200 422 with your Medicare card ready. [1, 8]
In-person assistance: Book an appointment with an Aged Care Specialist Officer (ACSO) at a Services Australia service centre. [8, 9, 10, 11]

What is an ACAT assessment?

An Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment is a free evaluation conducted in your home by a visiting healthcare professional. [7, 12]

as detailed by CareAbout. Under the Single Assessment System, the assessor uses a structured tool to evaluate your functional capacity and assign you to a specific funding level. [13, 14]

What help can I receive at home?

Government-subsidised Support at Home funding covers a wide range of services broken down into distinct care tiers:[14, 15, 16, 17, 18]

Domestic assistance: General house cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping. [5]
Personal care: Independent help with showering, dressing, and hygiene. [7, 19]
Clinical care: Professional nursing, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. [13, 20]
Home modifications: Installation of safety ramps and grab rails.

What is residential aged care?

Residential aged care facilities—commonly called nursing homes—provide permanent 24/7 care and accommodationfor seniors who can no longer live safely at home. [14, 21, 22, 23, 24]

according to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. It covers meals, personal laundry, daily care, and continuous clinical oversight. [5, 7, 21, 25, 26]

How long do assessments take?

The timeline moves through several distinct processing stages:

Initial contact & triage: A standard screening phone call takes place within 2 weeks of registration.
Appointment booking: Your face-to-face home visit is typically scheduled 2 to 6 weeks later.
The evaluation visit: The in-home assessment conversation takes between 1 to 3 hours to complete.
Urgent pathways: If you are experiencing a crisis or hospital discharge, emergency evaluations occur within 24 to 72 hours. [27, 28]

Is aged care free?

No, the government subsidises the vast majority of the costs, but you are expected to make a financial contribution if you can afford it: [29, 30, 31]

Income-tested fee: Services Australia will review your finances to calculate your out-of-pocket costs.
Personal care changes: Out-of-pocket costs for daily personal care like showering and dressing are fully subsidised by the government.
Residential costs: If moving into an aged care home, you may pay an accommodation contribution based on an asset assessment. [13, 19, 32, 33]

What happens after my assessment?

Once your physical evaluation is processed, your outcome moves through a sequence of critical setup steps: [34]

Receive outcome letter: You get a Notice of Decision outlining your approved tier of care and specific referral codes.
National priority pool: Your name is added to a centralized waiting system until your specific funding package becomes available.
Lock in a provider: Once funded, you have 56 days to sign a formal service agreement with an approved care provider or your allocated package will expire. [12, 13, 15, 35, 36]

Where can I find official information?

Always use official government portals to avoid unverified information:

Visit the My Aged Care Main Website to search for services and read program manuals.
Access legal guidelines and program structures on the Department of Health and Aged Care portal.
Securely track your applications, support plans, and codes directly inside your linkable account dashboard via the myGov Portal. [1, 7, 37, 38, 39]

[1] https://cura.org.au

[2] https://www.myagedcare.gov.au

[3] https://mycarespace.com.au

[4] https://www.myguardian.com.au

[5] https://www.myagedcare.gov.au

[6] https://www.myagedcare.gov.au

[7] https://my.gov.au

[8] https://www.myagedcare.gov.au

[9] https://www.myagedcare.gov.au

[10] https://www.kandacare.com.au

[11] https://www.anglicare-tas.org.au

[12] https://www.careabout.com.au