Aged care is support and services provided to an older person who needs assistance with daily tasks due to age-related challenges. Aged care is mostly funded by the Australian Government and can include assistance with daily tasks, hygiene, health, transport and social connection. The goal is to enable older people to maintain independence and quality of life as they age.

Most older people want to remain living safely in their own homes for as long as possible, and aged care can be provided in their homes. Some older people need more care and support and will move into a Residential Aged Care Home either temporarily or permanently.

How can we help? COTA SA is delighted to be funded by Adelaide PHN to provide a care finder service to older people living in the Adelaide metropolitan area.

Older people living in metropolitan Adelaide can contact COTA SA and talk to one of our team of Aged Care Navigators who will be able to assist with information and support options. This is a free service developed to support vulnerable people – who have no one else who can support them – to interact with My Aged Care, access aged care services and access other relevant supports in the community.

The care finders program is there to help people who are not yet receiving aged care services and have no family or friends to help them, to understand and connect into My Aged Care, get assessed, and to choose and engage aged care providers. In the process of this support, the care finders can also refer people onto other community services and supports.

There are many organsations across South Australia and Australia that provide a care finder service. These are listed on My Aged Care

Contact us to talk to one of our Care Finders:

For those who don't require additional support, or who have family members to help them, continue to read below for extensive information on the aged care system and the how to navigate it. You can also begin the process by contacting:

• My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or go to myagedcare.gov.au

Where do I start my aged care journey?

Starting your aged care journey can feel daunting so a good first step is to consider the everyday things that are important to you, what you can and want to keep doing, and what you need support with.

What is My Aged Care?

My Aged Care www.myagedcare.gov.au is the starting point for people 65 and over (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torrens Islander people) wanting to access Government-funded aged care. My Aged Care is an information webpage, a register of all Aged Care Providers, a customer call centre and national central point of allocating and keeping records of aged care.

How do I contact My Aged Care?

You can contact My Aged Care by phone 1800 200 422 for information or to register for aged care. Your first phone call will take around 20 minutes or longer depending on your needs, so ensure you have the time and personal information before you call. You will need to have your Medicare Card with you before calling. If you want someone to call on your behalf you will need to be with them to give your consent.

Once you are registered with My Aged Care you will be provided your own aged care number which usually begins with the letters AC followed by a group of numbers.

The My Aged Care website has lots of good clear information about aged care

Getting assessed for aged care services – RAS and ACAT explained

Note, from December 2024, a Single Assessment System brought together the different types of assessments and will simplify and improve the assessment experience for older people as they enter and move through the aged care system. This means all assessment organisations can do both assessments that are now called home support assessments (for CHSP) and comprehensive assessments for home care packages, flexible care, and residential respite and permanent care. More information about this change is available here health.gov.au/our-work/single-assessment-system/about/workforce. We know that assessment organisations are working hard through this change to employ and train staff to do both assessments, and are also working on a backlog of assessments, so there may be delays in older people accessing assessments, and they may still be referred to as the previous names ‘RAS’ and ‘ACAT’ so the information below relates to assessments before the change. The My Aged Care website has the most current assessment information myagedcare.gov.au/assessment

Regional Assessment Service (RAS)

RAS assessments are for people with lower care needs who need basic government-funded in-home support under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). These services aim to help you maintain independence at home and in your community for longer.

The RAS Assessor will visit your home or telephone you to talk with you to do the assessment. They will ask you questions and then tell you what you are eligible for.

Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT)

An Aged Care Assessment or ‘ACAT’ is a longer assessment of your care needs. The ACAT assessor will visit you in your home, or talk with you on the telephone to assess your eligibility for a Home Care Package, permanent or temporary 24-hour care in a Residential Aged Care Home. Read on for information about these types of aged care.

What are differences between aged care services?

CHSP, Home Care Packages, Residential Aged Care and Respite explained

There are currently six types of aged care programs. The My Aged Care website gives good clear information about the different programs

Watch our webinar below to explore the most common ones.

Commonwealth Home Support Programme Services (CHSP)

Commonwealth Home Support Programme Services are the starting point for many older people who need support to continue living at home. The aim of this program is to maintain your independence and work with you, rather than doing things for you, and services can include domestic assistance, shopping assistance, meals, transport, garden and home maintenance, socialising, nursing and allied health.

You can get support through one or more aged care providers using a CHSP code that you are given by a RAS Assessor. There is likely to be a small fee for each service, but most of the service cost is funded by the Australian Government. For example many community social groups and community transport buses are funded by the CHSP program. CHSP services are in high demand and we know that many people find it difficult to find a CHSP provider with available services.

Home Care Package

For people assessed as having higher needs, a Home Care Package is a number of services managed and provided by one aged care provider. There are 4 levels of Home Care Package, starting from level 1 through to level 4. Within each level the Australian Government will provide an amount of funding to the aged care provider that you choose to provide your care.

There may be fees for you to pay. A Home Care Package provider can ask you to pay a Basic Daily Fee which is relevant to the level of Home Care Package you are on. Some Home Care Package providers will not charge this fee. Ask about this when you are comparing providers. An Income Tested Fee might be charged if you have income higher than the pension. This is worked out by Services Australia.

There can be waiting times in between being approved for a Package and being assigned a Package and once you are assigned a package you can shop around and choose a provider. Waiting times are listed on the My Aged Care website, and My Aged Care will post letters to you to advise when you have been approved for, and then assigned a Package.

Self managing your package

You may choose to self manage your Package. COTA Australia has some excellent guides to help you manage your package.

Residential Aged Care

Sometimes called a Nursing Home or Residential Aged Care Facility, an aged care home is for people who can no longer live independently at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care.

Visit My Aged Care for more information about residential aged care including eligibility and costs.

Respite

Respite care is short term temporary support for you and your carer.

There are a variety of ways to navigate the aged care system and find a provider:

My Aged Care Website

Visit and search for information on the My Aged Care website.

Use Find a Provider on the My Aged Care website by entering your location and type of services to give you a list of providers. Under “more options” click on “Show me only providers - with availability” to narrow down your list.

Aged Care Guide

Aged Care Guide is an online and hard copy guide to aged care in your area.

Services Australia Aged Care Line

For telephone support or to make an appointment for a video call or to visit an Aged Care Specialist Officer in a Services Australia branch to talk about aged care options and the costs of aged care, call the Aged Care Line 1800 227 475 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm or visit the Services Australia Website.

Care Finders

COTA SA is delighted to be funded by Adelaide PHN to provide a care finder service to older people living in the Adelaide metropolitan area. See the Care Finders section of this page for more information.

Other options for your aged care journey

You can choose to engage a private aged broker to help at you at your own cost that will help you find a room in a residential aged care facility or choose a home care package provider. Search online for terms like “aged care placement service” or “aged care navigation and placement service”.

Other supports available outside of the aged care system

There are waiting times for most government-subsidised aged care services, and there may be a lack of available services particularly in country areas. Those that are waiting, live in the country or are self-funded retirees may choose to seek support from family, friends, neighbours or private providers for services such as gardening or cleaning. Anyone can source and pay for services privately without the need to go through My Aged Care and the relevant assessments.

Managing your aged care

Build good relationships with your aged care workers and coordinators. Be open and honest, ask questions, express your preferences and raise concerns early. Discuss expectations and responsibilities with your provider.

What if I am not happy with my aged care service provider?

First, have a chat with your aged care service provider first if you are comfortable. All providers have a complaints process.

If you are not comfortable to talk with your aged care provider, contact Aged Rights Advocacy Service (ARAS) on 8232 5377. They can assist you to raise concerns and advocate on your behalf. Aged Rights Advocacy Service ARAS is part of the Older Persons Advocacy Network

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission protects and improves the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life for people receiving aged care services. If you have concerns or complaints visit their website or call 1800 951 822

For more information and support about navigating aged care and ageing well, please contact us to be connected to the right specialist who can assist with your enquiry. Click on the link below for all of our contact details.