The Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) can be negotiated, but you ultimately have little control over whether or not the Home accepts any offers you present. The same applies to many of the other fees, aside from means-tested fees that are determined by your income and assets.

For a one-time fee a CareAbout Advocate can work with you in finding a facility that matches your care needs and preferences, and your budget, along with assisting with the paperwork and negotiating all fees on your behalf.

The decision to move in an Aged Care Home isn’t always an easy one and using a CareAbout Advocate can make the entire process a little less stressful for you and your family. And can help save you money.

Yes.

You first need to register for an assessment with My Aged Care. This assessment is done by a local assessor from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT), and will look at what type of services are most suited to your needs.

To be assessed for an Aged Care Home government subsidy, you first need to register for an assessment with My Aged Care. This assessment is done by a local assessor from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT), and will look at what type of government-funded services are most suited to your needs, and that you might be eligible for.

Options include:

• a Home Care Package,
• residential care in an Aged Care Home,
• residential respite care,
• short-term restorative care,
• transition care, and/or
• other services that you need.

Unlike Home Care, the Australian Government does not offer an Aged Care Home Package. However, they do offer government subsidised care in Aged Care Homes if the Home has been accredited by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency. Applying for government subsidised care has to be done through the My Aged Care service.

This varies, so you would need to ask any Aged Care Home you are interested in about their policy about furniture. Many will already have all the furnishings you could need but will allow you to bring some personal belongings with, such as family photos and mementos.

The first thing to consider when assessing the quality of Aged Care Homes is whether they have been accredited by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency. This is a requirement for any Aged Care Homes you are considering if you have applied for Australian Government subsidised care. You can check the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency website for this, along with the latest reports for any Aged Care Homes you are considering.

Other factors to consider include:

• The location, and the condition and accessibility of the property as a whole.
• The services that are included as standard, and those that are available as extras. This includes special needs for any medical conditions.
• The facilities themselves: are the rooms comfortable, and do they afford a suitable amount of privacy and personal space; the common areas, and even outdoor space.
• The staff, and the other residents: do they all seem happy, comfortable, and appear to enjoy what they are doing. Watch how the staff treat and interact with the residents, but also how the residents interact with each other.
• Lifestyle interests, such as access to the internet, fitness facilities, organised social events and outings.

CareAbout can assist by helping to identify Aged Care Homes that meet your needs, and if you make use of the CareAbout Advocacy Service, you can expect someone to work with you personally through all the steps involved, including onsite visits of Aged Care Homes that meet your requirements.

CareAbout maintains an extensive database of Aged Care Homes throughout Australia, making it easy to compare fees, room rates, services and features.

Selling your home is not a pre-requisite for moving into an Aged Care Home. A better question to ask would be, “should I sell my home before moving into an Aged Care Home?”. There are a number of factors that need to be considered which would influence this decision, such as:

• The value of your financial and personal assets, including the assessable value of your home if you decide not to sell.
• Your total annual income, which would include your pension, income return on investments, and rental income on your home if you choose to keep it.
• The Aged Care Home costs, which are influenced in part by whether you choose to pay the Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) in full, or only partially with a higher Daily Accommodation Payable (DAP) fee applying.
• Whether you apply – and are approved – for Australian Government subsidised care in an Aged Care Home.

These are not easy decisions to make, and it is advisable for you and your family to discuss all the details with a professional Aged Care adviser and a financial adviser.

Sometimes things go wrong. There is a free government service that can address your complaints.

Call 13 13 00 or see the Aged Care Complaints website.

A Nursing Home is a Residential Aged Care Facility or an Aged Care Home. It’s just a different way some people talk about Aged Care Homes – somewhere where there’s help all the time.

If you need help finding the right Nursing Home or understanding their fees and Aged Care services give us a call on 13 13 00.