To find out if you’re eligible for residential aged care funding from the Australian Government, you’ll need an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment. The ACAT is funded by the Australian Government and is not affiliated with any aged care service provider so they provide a completely independent (and free) service.

Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or via the web site www.myagedcare.gov.au to arrange an assessment.

During the assessment

You’re welcome to have a family member, friend or carer with you during the assessment, which will take place in your home (or in hospital, if that’s where you are). The ACAT assessor will ask about your day-to-day routine, your health, the type of assistance you need, as well as the kind of social activities and hobbies you’d like to continue doing.

If you’d like to nominate Bolton Clarke as your preferred residential aged care provider, it’s a good idea to let your ACAT assessor know that during your assessment.

After the Assessment

Once you’ve been assessed, you’ll receive a letter from My Aged Care confirming whether you’ve been approved to receive Australian Government subsidised aged care services. Please keep this letter and show it to us when you apply for Bolton Clarke residential aged care services.

If you have any questions or concerns about your assessment, you can contact My Aged Care.

The amount you can be asked to pay for your accommodation is based on your income and assets, and will be one of the following:

• No accommodation costs: if your income and assets are below a certain amount, the Australian Government will pay your accommodation costs.
• An 'accommodation contribution': if you need to pay for part of your accommodation, the Australian Government will pay the rest.
• An 'accommodation payment': if you need to pay for the full cost of your accommodation.

The Department of Human Services will advise which applies to you.

If you have been asked to make an accommodation contribution, the amount will be advised by the Department of Human Services and you can choose to pay:

• a lump-sum 'refundable accommodation contribution'
• rental-style payments called a 'daily accommodation contribution' or
• a combination of both.

If you are contributing towards your accommodation, you’ll have up to 28 days from your moving-in date to choose which payment option works best for you.