Before your parent can receive government-funded aged care at home, they need an aged care assessment. For many families, this is the first real step into the aged care system, and it can feel daunting. This guide explains what happens, how to prepare, and what comes next.
How to request an assessment
You can apply online at myagedcare.gov.au or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. A GP or other health professional can also make a referral. A family member can apply on your parent’s behalf, with their consent.
Your parent can also register a family member or friend as a support person with My Aged Care, so that person can talk to My Aged Care and providers for them.
Who will contact you
After the application, an assessment organisation will call to book a time. Assessments are done in person, usually in your parent’s own home. If your parent is in hospital, ask the ward or discharge planner whether an assessment can be arranged there.
The assessor is a trained professional. They use a standard questionnaire called the Integrated Assessment Tool, so every person is assessed the same way.
What the assessor will ask about
Expect a relaxed conversation. The assessor will want to understand:
- Everyday tasks: showering, dressing, cooking, cleaning, shopping and getting around
- Health conditions, medications and any recent falls or hospital stays
- Memory and mood
- How safe the home is
- Who helps now, and how the family carer is coping
- Your parent’s goals, culture, language and what matters most to them
How to prepare
- Have someone there. A family member, friend or carer can sit in and add details your parent might leave out.
- Write down what’s hard. Many older people describe their best day, not a typical one. A short list of real examples (a near fall in the shower, skipped meals) gives a truer picture.
- Gather the basics. GP details, a list of medications and health conditions, and any letters from specialists or the hospital.
- Book an interpreter if needed. Call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to call My Aged Care.
- Prepare your questions. For example: What services could help my parent reach their goals? What support is there for me as a carer? Are there providers and staff who speak their language or understand their background?
What happens after the assessment
Your parent will receive a Notice of Decision and a support plan. If they are eligible for Support at Home, the assessment decides their classification (how much funding they receive) and their priority (how soon funding becomes available). The support plan can also be viewed in their My Aged Care online account.
Our plain-English guide, Support at Home explained, covers classifications, budgets and contributions in more detail.
Choosing who delivers the care
Once funding is available, your parent chooses who provides their services. Konex Care can deliver Support at Home services through our registered partner provider. We do not carry out assessments or approve funding. That is done through My Aged Care.
Need help before the assessment?
Waiting can take time, and needs don’t wait. Private in-home care can usually start within days, with help such as showering, meals, cleaning, respite and allied health visits. When funding is approved, services can move across.
The Aged Care Advocacy Line offers free, independent advice on 1800 700 600.
Talk to us
We visit families in the suburbs near our Murrumbeena office. See our in-home aged care services, or read how to arrange in-home aged care in Melbourne’s south-east.
Book a free consultation at home or at our Murrumbeena office, or call (03) 8524 7699. There is no cost and no obligation.
Source: My Aged Care, preparing for your assessment and how the assessment process works. Processes can change; check myagedcare.gov.au for the latest information.