Aged Care Homes FAQs

Category: Aged Care Homes

What are supported residential services?

Supported Residential Services are private Aged Care Homes. Supported Residential Services don’t receive government subsidies.

Many people find they need help finding the right care options for their specific circumstances. If you need help CareAbout can help. Save yourself time and uncertainty by speaking to one of our Care Advisers and get expert help at ZERO cost. Simply give us a call on 13 13 00.

What to look for in an Aged Care Home?

There’s loads to consider in choosing an Aged Care Home. The area, the services, the price of the room! CareAbout can connect you with experts who can tour homes with you and help you to find the right match.

Read more on What to look for in an Aged Care Home here.

Fees for Aged Care Homes

Like Care at Home there’s different fees at different homes and different fees depending on your unique situation. It’s a bit confusing.

In short there’s three ways to pay for your room.

A Refundable Accommodation Payment or RAD – which is like a bond.
A Daily Accommodation Payment or DAP – which is an interest rate paid daily.
Or a combination of both a Refundable Accommodation Payment and a Daily Accommodation Payment.

Yes, it’s confusing. So if you’re unsure of how much you can afford or the best way to pay for an Aged Care Home speak to a professional. CareAbout can talk you through the options and connect your with an expert who can estimate your fees and even give you advice on how to structure your finances to make the most of government subsidies.

Read about the costs in our article Aged Care Costs.

How do I work out my means tested fee?

In addition to the bond or daily accommodation fee you also have to pay a Means Tested Fee. Centrelink works out how much you need to pay. You can access the means tested fee at Centrelink here.

Does my loved one have to go into an Aged Care Home?

It can be hard to know what the right decision is. And yes, everyone’s situation is unique. Many people find they need help to work out the best way to care for a loved one.

CareAbout has aged care experts who can help guide you through the maze of options and work out the right path for your mum and your family.

My Aged Care – where you need to start to access government subsidies

If you choose to access government subsidies you need to start by calling My Aged Care. My Aged Care will walk you through the steps you need to take, starting with a face – to – face assessment of your loved one’s needs.

My Aged Care will also guide you through the fees you will need to contribute to the costs of care. You can then choose how you want to spend the government subsidies – this may mean support to stay at home or moving into an Aged Care Home.

There is a delay of up to 8 weeks to access government subsidies. If you need help earlier you can pay for care directly.

If you need help now, CareAbout can talk you through the fees and services of our different partners so you can compare aged care value and service offerings.

What is a nursing and wellbeing assessment?

Sometimes you know you need help but you don’t where to start.

You can have a qualified nurse come to your home and complete a full nursing assessment. The nurse will review your physical and mental health, the medications that you’re taking and see if your home is set up for your needs.

Depending on the situation, the nurse may recommend some care to help you stay at home.