Take a breath
If you are reading this at 2am after a hospital call, or between meetings while trying to hold it all together — you are not alone. Most families arrive here after a crisis. A fall. A diagnosis. A conversation with a doctor that changed everything. That is okay.
Right now your head is probably full of questions. What do I do first? How much does it cost? Will Mum be okay? Am I a terrible person for even thinking about this? Every single one of those questions is valid, and every single one has an answer. You do not need to find all the answers tonight.
This guide exists because the aged care system in Australia is genuinely confusing, and nobody hands you a roadmap when you need one most. We have broken the process down into clear, manageable steps. You can work through them at your own pace — there is no deadline, no wrong order, and no decision you need to make right this second.
Bookmark this page. You will probably come back to it more than once over the coming weeks. That is completely normal.
The 5 things to do first
When everything feels overwhelming, it helps to have a short list. These are the five most important things to do — roughly in order — when you first realise a parent or loved one may need aged care. You do not have to do all five today. Even completing the first step is meaningful progress.
- Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
My Aged Care is the government’s entry point for all aged care services in Australia. When you call, they will register your parent in the system and arrange an assessment. This assessment determines what level of care your parent is eligible for — it does not commit you to anything.
Phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm (AEST). You can also register online at myagedcare.gov.au, but calling is faster and lets you ask questions in real time.
If your parent is already in hospital, tell the operator — this can trigger a faster assessment timeline.
- Ask the hospital social worker (if your parent is in hospital)
Every public hospital in Australia has a social work team, and they deal with aged care transitions every single day. They can arrange an ACAT assessment at the bedside (often within days rather than weeks), help with discharge planning, and connect you to local services. You do not need a referral — ask any nurse on the ward to contact the social worker for you.
If your parent is in a private hospital, ask the nursing unit manager. Most private hospitals have similar support available or can refer you to the right people.
- Understand that you have time
This is the single most important thing families misunderstand. Even after your parent receives an ACAT assessment and is approved for residential aged care, you choose when and where they go. There is no government-imposed deadline. Nobody will force your parent into a home they have not chosen.
The approval is valid for 12 months and can be renewed. Many families take several weeks or even months to find the right provider. The system is designed to give you time to make a considered decision.
One exception: if your parent is in hospital and medically ready for discharge, the hospital may ask you to move to a decision within a reasonable timeframe. Even then, you still choose the provider. The hospital social worker can help negotiate timelines if you need more time.
- Start thinking about costs
Aged care costs are not as straightforward as a single price tag, but they are also not as scary as most people expect. The government subsidises the majority of residential aged care costs. What your parent pays depends on their income and assets, and there are caps to protect people from paying too much.
Our residential aged care cost calculator can give you a personalised estimate in about five minutes. It uses the same formulas the government uses, so the numbers are accurate. You do not need exact financial figures to get started — a rough estimate is enough for now.
- Start researching providers in your area
Not all aged care homes are the same. They differ in location, specialisations (dementia care, palliative care, culturally specific care), room types, fees, and overall quality. Starting your research early gives you more options and less pressure.
Use our provider search to compare aged care homes near you. You can filter by location, star rating, specialisation, and room type. Each listing includes government quality data so you can make informed comparisons.
Where are you right now?
Every family arrives at this point from a different direction. The steps you take next depend on your current situation. Find the scenario below that best matches where you are, and we will point you to the most useful resources.
Parent is in hospital
If your parent is currently in hospital — whether from a fall, a stroke, surgery, or another medical event — your first step is to speak to the hospital social worker. They can arrange an ACAT assessment at the bedside, which is significantly faster than the standard community pathway. In many hospitals, a bedside assessment can happen within a few days.
While the assessment is being arranged, ask the social worker about interim options. These might include transition care (a short-term program that bridges the gap between hospital and home or residential care) or respite care (a temporary stay in an aged care home, typically up to 63 days, that gives your family time to make longer-term decisions).
You do not need to have a permanent plan before your parent leaves hospital. The system has built-in options for exactly this situation.
Starting to think about the future
If there is no immediate crisis but you can see that your parent’s needs are increasing, you are in a strong position. You have time to learn how the system works, understand the costs, and research providers without the pressure of an urgent decision.
Start with our guides hub for a structured overview of the Australian aged care system. Key topics include how assessments work, what fees to expect, and what to look for in a provider. You may also want to explore home care packages first — many families find that professional support at home can delay or even prevent the need for residential care.
Need to understand the costs
Costs are usually the biggest source of anxiety for families. The good news is that the Australian government subsidises the majority of aged care, and there are annual and lifetime caps on what individuals pay. The bad news is that the fee structure is genuinely complex, with multiple fee types that depend on your parent’s financial situation.
Our aged care cost calculator breaks this down into a personalised estimate. It covers the basic daily fee, the means-tested care fee, accommodation costs, and additional service fees. For a deeper explanation of how each fee works, read our guide on how aged care fees work.
Comparing specific homes
If you already know your parent needs residential aged care and you are ready to compare specific providers, head to our provider search. You can search by suburb or postcode, filter by specialisation and star rating, and see government quality data for each home.
When comparing homes, pay attention to the star ratings (published by the government based on compliance, resident experience, and staffing), but also visit in person if you can. A home that looks average on paper might feel warm and welcoming when you walk through the door — and vice versa.
What you might be feeling
Arranging aged care for a parent is one of the most emotionally complex things a person can do. If you are experiencing any of the feelings below, know that they are universal. Almost every family we hear from describes the same emotions.
Guilt. This is the most common feeling families report. Guilt about considering residential care. Guilt about not being able to provide care yourself. Guilt about feeling relieved at the prospect of professional help. None of these feelings mean you are doing the wrong thing. Choosing professional care for your parent is not giving up on them — it is making sure they get the level of support they need.
Overwhelm. The aged care system involves government agencies, financial assessments, provider comparisons, legal documents, and medical terminology. It is a lot, especially when you are already dealing with the emotional weight of a parent’s declining health. Take it one step at a time. You do not need to understand everything today.
Grief. Even when your parent is still with you, navigating aged care can feel like a form of grief. You may be mourning the loss of independence — theirs and yours. You may be confronting, for the first time, the reality that your parent is ageing. These feelings are valid and they do not need to be resolved before you can make practical decisions.
Family disagreements. Siblings often have very different views about what a parent needs, who should take responsibility, and how to pay for care. These disagreements can surface old family dynamics and create real tension. If your family is struggling to agree, consider involving a neutral third party — a social worker, an aged care adviser, or even a family mediator. OPAN (1800 700 600) offers free advocacy that can help facilitate these conversations.
You are doing a good job. The fact that you are here, reading this, trying to understand the system and find the best path forward for your parent — that is an act of care in itself.
Free help available right now
You do not have to figure this out alone. The following services are free, government-funded, and staffed by people who understand exactly what you are going through. Do not hesitate to call — that is what they are there for.
| Service | Phone | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| My Aged Care | 1800 200 422 | The government’s central contact point for all aged care services. Call to register, arrange assessments, and get referrals to local services. Open Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 10am–2pm. |
| Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) | 1800 700 600 | Free, independent advocacy for older people and their families. They can help with complaints, explain your rights, support you in meetings with providers, and mediate family disagreements. Available nationally. |
| Aged Care Specialist Officers | 1800 227 422 | Specialists within Services Australia who help with the financial side of aged care. They can explain means testing, fee structures, and how Centrelink payments interact with aged care costs. |
| Carer Gateway | 1800 422 737 | Support specifically for carers — that includes you. They offer counselling, respite services, financial support, and practical advice for people looking after an older family member. |
All of these services are available to anyone in Australia, regardless of income, location, or visa status. If you are calling on behalf of your parent, let them know — they are used to speaking with family members.
What happens next
The aged care journey has a clear sequence of steps, even though it rarely feels that way when you are in the middle of it. Here is what the timeline typically looks like from start to finish.
- Registration and referral (Day 1)
You call My Aged Care or register online. They create a record for your parent and arrange a referral for an assessment. If the situation is urgent (for example, your parent is in hospital), tell them — this triggers a priority pathway.
- Assessment (1–4 weeks)
An Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessor visits your parent — either at home, in hospital, or at another agreed location. The assessment covers physical health, cognitive function, daily living activities, and social support. It typically takes 1–2 hours. The assessor will recommend the types of care your parent is eligible for.
- Approval letter (1–2 weeks after assessment)
My Aged Care sends a formal letter confirming your parent’s approved care level. For residential aged care, this is called “permanent residential care” approval. This letter is valid for 12 months and can be renewed if needed.
- Provider selection (your timeline)
With approval in hand, you choose which aged care home your parent will move to. Visit homes, ask questions, compare fees and services. There is no deadline imposed by the government. Use our provider search to find and compare homes in your area.
- Financial assessment (concurrent)
Services Australia conducts a separate assessment of your parent’s income and assets to determine their fee contributions. You can submit this at any time after receiving the approval letter. Our cost calculator gives you an estimate of what to expect before the official assessment comes through.
- Move-in
Once you have selected a provider and agreed to the terms, your parent moves in. Most homes have a settling-in period and a dedicated team to help with the transition. Remember that it is normal for the first few weeks to be an adjustment for everyone.
The whole process typically takes 4–12 weeks from first phone call to move-in, but it can be faster in urgent situations or slower if you want more time to research providers. You are in control of the pace.
You have already taken the hardest step — starting. The system is complex, but you do not need to navigate it alone, and you do not need to understand it all at once. Come back to this page whenever you need a reminder of what comes next.