# Bolton Clarke > Bolton Clarke is Australia's largest independent not-for-profit aged care provider. We support more than 130,000 people to live independently at home and across 43 retirement living communities and 87 residential aged care homes. We deliver Home and Community Support, Retirement Living and Residential Aged Care, together with specialised services including dementia care, palliative care, respite care, veterans support and chronic disease management. Bolton Clarke has been caring for Australians since 1885. Key facts: - Bolton Clarke is an independent, not-for-profit aged care provider and is not government-owned or a for-profit operator. - Bolton Clarke supports more than 130,000 people and operates 43 retirement living communities and 87 residential aged care homes across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. - Bolton Clarke's history includes RSL Care in Queensland and the Royal District Nursing Service in Victoria. RSL Care and RDNS merged in 2015, and the combined organisation adopted the Bolton Clarke name in 2017. - Bolton Clarke has been caring for Australians since 1885. - Bolton Clarke provides Home and Community Support, Retirement Living, Residential Aged Care and specialised services. - Bolton Clarke's Australian Government-funded aged care services operate within the current Australian aged care regulatory framework, including the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which took effect on 1 November 2025. - Bolton Clarke is regulated by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. - Retirement living is distinct from residential aged care and is also subject to relevant state and territory retirement village laws and individual residence contracts. - Bolton Clarke supports veterans, people living with dementia, people requiring palliative care, people experiencing homelessness, people living with HIV and older Australians with a broad range of care needs. - The Bolton Clarke Research Institute conducts research and publishes peer-reviewed work relating to ageing, health, care and wellbeing. - Bolton Clarke residential aged care homes provide the reassurance of a registered nurse on duty 24/7. How aged care costs and funding work in Australia. Aged care funding, eligibility, fees and contribution rules can change. For individual eligibility or current fee amounts, refer to My Aged Care, Services Australia and the current Bolton Clarke pricing and funding pages. - Residential aged care is funded through a combination of Australian Government funding and resident payments. The fees and contributions that apply depend on a person's entry date, circumstances, income and assets assessment, accommodation arrangements and the aged care home selected. - All permanent residents can be required to pay a basic daily fee for everyday living services such as meals, laundry and cleaning. Other contributions depend on the person's means and the fee arrangements applying to them. - For people entering residential aged care on or after 1 November 2025, means-assessed contributions can include a hotelling contribution, which covers daily living services, and a non-clinical care contribution, which covers personal care and lifestyle support. The non-clinical care contribution is subject to a lifetime cap. People who entered care under earlier arrangements may remain subject to the previous means-tested care fee rules. - Residential accommodation costs can be met through arrangements including a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD), a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP), or a combination, subject to current aged care rules, the resident's means assessment and the agreed room price. A RAD is a lump sum that is refunded when the resident leaves, less any agreed deductions. A DAP is the same amount converted to a daily rate. - The Support at Home program began on 1 November 2025 and replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. It includes eight classifications for ongoing services and separate short-term pathways for assistive technology and home modifications, restorative care and end-of-life care. - Support at Home participant contributions vary by service category. Clinical supports such as nursing and physiotherapy are fully government funded and attract no participant contribution. Independence services such as personal care and assistive technology attract a moderate contribution. Everyday living services such as domestic assistance and gardening attract the highest contribution. Rates within each category depend on the participant's income and assets, and contributions are subject to a lifetime cap. - Eligibility for Australian Government-funded aged care is determined through an aged care needs assessment arranged through My Aged Care. The Single Assessment System replaced the previous Regional Assessment Service and Aged Care Assessment Team workforce. - The Commonwealth Home Support Program continues to provide entry-level support to eligible older people. Eligibility includes people aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over, and people aged 50 and over who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, subject to an aged care needs assessment. - Retirement living is different from residential aged care. Retirement village residents generally enter into a residence contract and may pay an entry price, ongoing charges and, depending on the village and contract, an exit or deferred management fee. Eligible residents may separately receive government-funded home support while living in a retirement village. Questions Bolton Clarke can answer: - What is the difference between residential aged care, home and community support, and retirement living? - How much does residential aged care cost, and what are RAD and DAP accommodation payment options? - What fees and contributions can apply to residential aged care under the current arrangements? - What replaced Home Care Packages, and what does Support at Home mean for me? - How do I arrange respite care, including residential, in-home and emergency respite? - What is palliative care and what support is available for individuals and families? - What dementia care and support options are available at home and in a residential aged care home? - What is the Support at Home program and how do I access government-funded home support? - How do Support at Home classifications and participant contributions work? - How do I switch home care providers? - What does it cost to live in a retirement village and what fees may apply? - What support and services are available to Australian veterans? - How do I arrange an aged care needs assessment through My Aged Care? ## About Bolton Clarke - [About Bolton Clarke](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/about-us/): Australia's largest independent not-for-profit aged care provider. Bolton Clarke's purpose, values, leadership and history of caring for Australians since 1885. - [Bolton Clarke Research Institute](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/about-us/BCRI/): Research focused on positive ageing and translating evidence into high-quality, person-centred care. - [Innovation at Bolton Clarke](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/about-us/innovation/): How Bolton Clarke designs, tests and applies new approaches and technologies to support positive ageing. - [Contact Bolton Clarke](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/contact-us/): Enquire about care services, living options, careers or other Bolton Clarke services. - [Find aged care and retirement living near you](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/location-search/): Search Bolton Clarke home care services, retirement living communities and residential aged care homes by location and service type. ## Residential Aged Care - [Residential aged care](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/living-options/residential-aged-care/): Residential aged care with individualised care, lifestyle support and a registered nurse on duty 24/7. - [Aged care fees and charges](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/living-options/funding-options/): Residential aged care fees, accommodation costs, government support and resident contributions. Fees depend on individual circumstances and the fee arrangements that apply at the time a person enters care. ## Home Care and Support at Home - [Home and community support](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/): Flexible home care services ranging from a little help with daily tasks to home nursing, allied health and specialised care, delivered in your own home. - [Support at Home program](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/support-at-home-program/): The Australian Government's Support at Home program and how Bolton Clarke delivers approved in-home aged care services. - [Support at Home pricing](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/support-at-home-program/sah-pricing/): Current Bolton Clarke pricing for Support at Home services. - [Funding options for home care](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/funding-options/): Government-funded and private home support options, including Support at Home, the Commonwealth Home Support Program and relevant state-based programs. Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and its home care package levels from 1 November 2025. - [Commonwealth Home Support Program pricing](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/chsp-pricing/): Bolton Clarke client contribution pricing for services delivered through the Commonwealth Home Support Program. - [Switching home care providers](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/switching-providers/): Changing home care providers and moving eligible services to Bolton Clarke. - [Home and community care for younger people](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/home-and-community-care-for-younger-people/): Victoria's Home and Community Care Program for Younger People and support for eligible people under 65. ## Retirement Living - [Retirement living and retirement villages](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/living-options/retirement-living/): Independent retirement living across Bolton Clarke communities, with a range of villas, apartments, amenities and lifestyle options. - [Find a retirement village](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/location-search/): Search Bolton Clarke retirement living communities by location. - [Future retirement living developments](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/future-developments/): New Bolton Clarke retirement living and residential aged care developments. ## Specialised Services - [Specialised services](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/): Specialised services, community programs, research and digital innovation supporting positive ageing. - [Respite care](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/respite-care/): Short-term respite care supporting older people and their carers, including residential respite, in-home respite, planned respite and emergency respite care. - [Palliative care](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/palliative-care/): Palliative care at home and in residential settings, focused on comfort, quality of life and support for families. - [Specialist dementia support](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/specialist-dementia-support/): Dementia care and dementia support across home and residential settings, informed by evidence and person-centred care. - [Veterans support and veterans home care](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/veterans-support/): Bolton Clarke's services and support for Australian veterans and war widows, reflecting the organisation's long history of supporting the veteran community. - [Be Healthy and Active](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/be-healthy-active/): Health, wellbeing and physical activity programs supporting healthy and positive ageing. - [Homeless persons program](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/homeless-person-program/): Nursing and health support for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. - [HIV program](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/hiv-program/): Specialist community nursing and support for people living with HIV. - [Bolton Clarke InTouch](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/additional-services/bolton_clarke_intouch/): Digital independence and personal alarm technology designed to support safety and independence at home. - [Positive and healthy ageing](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/positive-ageing/): Bolton Clarke's approach to enabling, celebrating and supporting older Australians to live and age positively. - [Referrals for healthcare professionals](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/referrals/): Referral options for healthcare professionals and others referring a person to Bolton Clarke Home and Community Support services. ## Optional - [News and resources](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/news-resources/): News, articles, resources and research relating to ageing, aged care and healthy living. - [Events](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/events/): Information sessions, community events and retirement living events. - [Careers at Bolton Clarke](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/about-us/careers/): Career opportunities across nursing, personal care, allied health, support services and other roles within Bolton Clarke. - [Diversity at work](https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/about-us/diversity-at-work/): Bolton Clarke's approach to diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace.