It’s important you have access to care that meets your needs. If you are finding it harder to live independently at home, you might be thinking about moving into an aged care home.
Aged care homes provide 24-hour care and services supporting your health, wellbeing, social life and safety. As well as clinical care, many aged care homes also provide specialised care for specific needs, such as dementia. They also help with everyday tasks, living arrangements and personal care.
You can expect to live in a comfortable, supportive environment with a range of services and lifestyle options to meet your day-to-day needs.
This page looks at the type of accommodation, services and care you should expect from an aged care home.
On this page
Accommodation
Aged care homes provide you with a room you can personalise, and communal spaces you can use for relaxing and socialising.
Everyday living services
Aged care homes provide services that meet your day-to-day needs.
Care and support services
Ages care homes provide services that meet your personal and clinical care needs.
This includes an average amount of care time that the aged care home must deliver to residents across the home by a mix of registered nurses, enrolled nurses, personal care workers or assistants in nursing. Learn more about Nursing and personal care in aged care homes.
Personalise services with higher everyday living fees
All aged care homes must meet specified care standards. This ensures that you receive the appropriate level of care to meet your needs.
In addition, some aged care homes offer a range of services you can purchase. These include everyday living and care service upgrades that go beyond the standard required by law. If you choose to receive these higher quality services, you will need to pay extra.
Aged care homes may provide these services through a higher everyday living agreement, which will clearly outline the type and cost of each service you have chosen.
The type of services offered will vary from place to place. They may be charged in a pay-as-you-use system, where you choose the services you wish to pay for, or as part of a bundle.
Services can include things like an on-site hairdresser, delivery of a newspaper, television streaming services in your room, or wine with dinner. Fees can also be charged for some outing costs, like transport, entry fees and purchased food. The fees will vary depending on which service or bundle of services you choose.
You cannot be asked to pay for something that you have not previously agreed to, or for something that you will not benefit from or cannot use.