Step 1: Are you eligible?

If you are considering moving into an aged care home, you will first need an assessment with a member of an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT, or ACAS in Victoria). A member of an ACAT will talk to you about your current situation and help you work out what your options are.

ACATs cover all of Australia and are based in hospitals or in the local community. To find your local ACAT or for more information about ACAT assessments, call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au.

Once you have completed the ACAT assessment, you will receive a letter to let you know if you have been approved as eligible for Australian Government subsidised aged care services. Your letter will tell you what type of services you are eligible for and approved to receive, as well as the reasons why.

You should keep a copy of your letter because you will need to show this record to organisations to confirm that you are eligible to receive Australian Government subsidised aged care services.

Step 2: Contact us and arrange for a tour

Deciding which aged care home is best suited to you is very important. Each home is different, so you are most welcome to come and visit us at Outlook Gardens Aged Care. You will be able to see what the accommodation is like, and what types of care, services and activities we offer. Please bring your ACAT assessment with you.

You can call us on (03) 9795 7566 to arrange a tour and we will go through our information pack with you and explain the fees and charges.

Step 3: What do you need to pay?

When moving into Outlook Gardens you may be asked to pay towards your care, accommodation and daily living costs.

How much you pay depends on your financial situation. The Australian Government sets the maximum fees for care and daily living expenses, and there are also rules about how much you can be asked to pay for your accommodation.

If you are required to pay an accommodation contribution or an accommodation payment, you will have 28 days from the day you entered an aged care home to decide on your payment method. You can choose to pay your accommodation costs by a lump-sum, rental-type payments, or a combination of both.
What you will pay will, be set out in a Resident Agreement between you and Outlook Gardens Aged Care.

You may be asked to pay one or more of the following in residential care.

  • A basic daily fee. This covers living costs such as meals, power, and laundry. For some people, this is the only fee they are required to pay.
  • A means-tested care fee. This is an additional contribution to the cost of care that some people may be required to pay. The Department of Human Services (Centrelink) or Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) will work out if you are required to pay this fee based on an assessment of your income and assets, and will advise you of the amount.
  • An accommodation payment. This is for your accommodation in the home. Some people will have their accommodation costs met in full or part by the Australian Government, while others will need to pay the accommodation price agreed with the aged care home. Centrelink will advise you which applies to you based on an assessment of your income and assets.

There are annual and lifetime caps in place to limit the amount of the means-tested care fee you will need to pay.

Step 4: How do you apply for entry into Outlook Gardens Aged Care?

You will be required to provide the following information when applying for a place in our home.

Financial information

In order to have your fees and charges subsidised by the Australian Government you will need to fill out the Permanent Residential Aged Care – Request for a Combined Assets and Income Assessment form (SA457) and submit it to Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) (this only applies if you are receiving an income support payment through DVA).

You should apply for your income or asset assessment as soon as possible and provide a copy to Outlook Gardens as soon as you receive your copy. This will help ensure easier and timelier access to entering residential aged care.

Further information on fees and charges can be found by phoning My Aged Care on 1800 200 422* or by visiting myagedcare.gov.au.

Step 5: Moving in to Outlook Gardens Aged Care

There will be new routines, new surroundings and new people all living together under one roof. You may have help with many of the day-to-day tasks that you’ve been used to doing for yourself, and there will be plenty of social activities going on in your new home.

You’ll get to decide what you want to do each day and have control over your personal matters. Staff at the home will respect your privacy, and your friends and family will be able to visit at any time. And as long as your health allows, you’ll be able to go on holidays, visit friends and come and go as you wish.

You won’t lose the right to vote, or any other rights you enjoy as a citizen. You also won’t lose the right to control your own financial affairs and possessions.
As a resident of the home, you will be able to have a say in your living arrangements or those of the home in general.

You will be expected to respect the rights and needs of other people in the home, as they will be expected to respect yours.

On moving in, Outlook Gardens will offer you a Resident Agreement covering things like services, fees, rights and responsibilities, and when you could be asked to leave. It’s a legal agreement between you and your aged care home.

Since the Resident Agreement is a legally binding document, it’s important you understand everything in the document before you sign. If you have any questions, you should ask us.

For further information call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au.