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Getting started
If you or a loved one is looking into aged care services, My Aged Care is a great place to start. On this website you can find out more about help at home, the services you can be assessed for, or you can look into an aged care home. You can also find out if you’re eligible for aged care and how much it might cost.
A good starting place is our home page. Pick a card from the choices to tell us who you are. We’ll ask a few simple questions to guide you to the right place.
My Aged Care is your starting point to access Australian Government-funded aged care services. Whatever your situation, we can help you get the support you need, including:
- how aged care can help in your situation
- applying for an assessment which will determine what services you are eligible for
- applying to register a supporter
- setting up your services and understanding costs and fees
- managing your existing services.
Learn more about how aged care works.
To learn about the different types of Australian Government-funded aged care services, use the Help explorer to:
- read stories about people who have accessed aged care and what services helped them
- view a service list which explains the types of services and how they work
- learn about types of care available, including aged care programs, services and specialised care options.
Learn more about what aged care can help in your situation.
An aged care needs assessment will determine if you are eligible for Australian Government-funded aged care.
Before applying for an assessment, check if you meet the requirements for an assessment by using our online tool. The online Should I apply? tool will let you know if you should apply for an assessment.
If you’re not eligible for Australian Government-funded services, you may be able to access support through a provider that isn’t government-funded. You may also choose to access services privately.
This means you will need to pay the full cost of your care. If your circumstances change, you can be reassessed for support through My Aged Care.
Yes. There are a few ways to get the help you need. You can contact My Aged Care through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 for the cost of a local call.
You can also access some information from the My Aged Care website in 21 languages.
Learn more about these and other accessible contact options.
Yes, you can contact My Aged Care through the National Relay Service (NRS) in 2 easy steps:
- Select your preferred NRS call channels on the National Relay Service website.
- Provide the NRS with the My Aged Care number – 1800 200 422.
If you are d/Deaf, Deafblind or hard of hearing, you can also access interpreting or captioning services through Deaf Connect.
To make a booking, call 1300 773 803 or email interpreting@deafconnect.org.au well in advance to ensure an interpreter is available.
Learn more about accessible contact options.
It may also be helpful for a friend or family member to communicate for you with My Aged Care, including about any questions or decisions you have made. You can choose someone you trust to help you with this. If you want, you can apply to register them as a supporter.
Registered supporters can help you make and communicate your own aged care decisions. Becoming a registered supporter does not provide a person with decision-making authority for you.
Learn more about registering a supporter.
No, registering your details before you need services doesn’t help you receive services quicker in the future.
When you are ready to access aged care services, you can apply for an assessment and register then.
I need emergency aged care
If your circumstances have suddenly changed and you need immediate help, there is emergency care available. The care you can access depends on your situation.
Learn more about how to get urgent care in your situation.
If someone is injured, unwell, or needs other emergency assistance, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
If there’s an emergency, such as your primary carer passing away, or becoming very ill, you can call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. Carer Gateway will connect you to a local service provider that can help.
You may need to provide some information when you call to make sure the right type of care can be provided.
Learn more about emergency respite care.
If you need care after you leave hospital, there are a range of short-term care options. To organise short-term care, ask the hospital staff to arrange an assessment before you are discharged. You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
There are 3 options for you:
- For urgent medical care, contact their doctor or call emergency services on Triple Zero (000).
- For emergency respite care on their behalf, contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. For more information, go to the Carer Gateway website.
- For ongoing care (longer than respite can provide), call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to arrange an assessment and explain that the situation is urgent. If you want to speak on their behalf, you will need to become their registered supporter.
Learn more about urgent care situations.
Assessments and applying for aged care
Applying for an assessment is the first step to accessing Australian Government-funded aged care.
There are 3 ways you can apply for an assessment:
- Online
- By phone
- In person
Your health or aged care professional can also make an online request for an assessment on your behalf with your consent.
Once your application is complete, an assessment organisation will call you, your primary contact and/or your appointed decision-maker to discuss your needs. This may mean calling your registered supporter. Based on this discussion, the assessment organisation will advise a date for the assessment.
Learn more about applying for an assessment.
During the application, whether you call, or apply online or in person, you or the person applying for you will be asked about your current situation and the help you need. You’ll also have to provide details about yourself (you’ll need your Medicare card for this step).
The process should take around 15 to 20 minutes.
An assessment organisation will call you, your primary contact and/or your appointed decision-maker within 2 to 6 weeks to confirm your needs based on the information you have provided. This may mean calling your registered supporter. They will then arrange a time to complete your assessment.
Assessment organisations are responsible to carry out aged care assessments when you are looking for aged care services.
Aged care needs assessors are professionals who are qualified to conduct aged care assessments for home support and comprehensive assessments. They can be clinical or non-clinical assessors.
They assess the needs of older people for government-funded aged care services for different types of care both at home and in an aged care home.
Learn more about preparing for an assessment.
The assessor will normally visit you at home to talk with you about your situation, health, lifestyle and how you’re going with completing daily tasks around the home. This will help them recommend the right care and services for your needs.
You can choose to have someone present during your assessment to support you, like a family member, friend or registered supporter.
Sometimes assessments need to happen in other places (like a hospital or clinic) or by phone or video call, instead of your home depending on your situation.
Learn more about preparing for your assessment.
Things to ensure you have ready:
- ID proof – your Medicare card and one other form of ID such as DVA card, driver’s license, health care card or passport.
- Medical information – referrals, reports from doctors, contact details and support information.
- If you want someone present to support you – any support people you may want with you, such as a registered supporter, family member, a trusted friend or partner, or your appointed decision-maker.
- Enquiries – any questions or information you want to discuss about the care and services you may receive.
If you need a translator or interpreter, you should tell your assessment organisation before your assessment. They may be able to organise one for you or tell you if you need to do this yourself.
Learn more about what you need to have with you for your assessment.
No. The assessment is free of charge.
The hard-copy resources that your assessor gives you after the assessment includes overarching information about any fees and costs for aged care services, but not specific prices. The aged care provider you choose will tell you how much they charge and how you can pay your fees.
Learn more about fees and costs for services.
Your assessor may need some time to review the information. They will then make a recommendation to the assessment organisation who will decide on the outcome. You will receive a ‘Notice of Decision’ letter about the outcome of your assessment. If you have a registered supporter who is authorised to be given information about you, they will also receive a copy of this letter.
While you are waiting for your outcome, there are things you can do.
Learn more about receiving your assessment outcome.
After your assessment, you'll receive an assessment outcome. If you’re eligible for services, you'll get a support plan that outlines the services available to you.
Your next steps depend on the information you have received from your assessor and the type of services you are eligible for. You may have received your support plan with your assessment outcome, or you may get it separately.
You can give feedback, request a review or make a complaint if you’re not satisfied with your assessment outcome.
Learn more about connecting to services.
To access any government-funded services, you do need an assessment.
If you don't want to be assessed, you can choose an aged care provider that isn't government-funded, or access services privately. You will need to pay the full cost of your care for these services.
If you need urgent assistance for aged care support, call My Aged Care 1800 200 422 to discuss your specific situation.
Learn more about applying for an assessment.
Accessing my information
To set up an Online Account, you need to register with My Aged Care. Once registered, you will then need to link your myGov account to My Aged Care.
You can register with My Aged Care by:
- calling 1800 200 422
- using the online apply for an assessment form
- visiting selected Services Australia service centres.
Once you have set up your Online Account, you can access it by:
- signing in to MyGov
- selecting the My Aged Care service tile.
This will direct you to your My Aged Care Online Account.
Your Online Account can help you access and update information about your aged care services or the aged care services of someone you are registered to support.
You can use your Online Account to:
- find your Aged Care ID number
- view and update your personal information
- access referral codes
- upload documents to register a supporter
- and more.
Learn more about what you can do in your Online Account.
When you register with My Aged Care for the first time, you are given an Aged Care ID. This is an important number to have with you when you interact with My Aged Care. This number can be used to help prove your identity. This includes when you sign into your My Aged Care Online Account for the first time.
Your Aged Care ID begins with the letters AC, followed by 8 digits. For example, AC12345678. If you misplace it, you can find it by logging in to your Online Account. It appears right under your name on the homepage of your Online Account.
Yes. Check the progress of your My Aged Care application or assessment by logging into your My Aged Care Online Account using myGov. You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
You can find your referral code(s) in your My Aged Care Online Account.
After you sign in to your Online Account, select the ‘Services’ tile. Here, you will see the services you’re eligible for and your existing referral codes.
You can also reactivate referral codes by selecting ‘reactivate referral code' underneath each service if you want to move providers.
There may also be an option to generate a referral code for a service if you haven’t been issued a referral code.
Only certain registered supporters can use an Online Account to access the information of the older person they support. To do this, they will need to be registered as a supporter with either the older person’s consent to access their information, or evidence that they are also the older person’s active appointed decision-maker.
For these registered supporters to access information about the older person, they will need to sign into their own Online Account first. They can then access the older person’s records through their account. They can use their Online Account to review and update information for themselves and the older person they support.
For step-by-step instructions, see Your Online Account Guide: Support networks.
My Health Record contains important health information that you and your healthcare providers have added, all in one place. This may include clinical documents (such as allergies, medications, and test results) and Medicare information (including your Medicare claim history). Having all this information in one place helps both you and your healthcare providers make informed decisions about managing your health.
Your My Health Record is different to your My Aged Care record and the two are not linked.
If you have recently been assessed, you can ask your assessor or My Aged Care to store your support plan on your My Health Record to make it available to your healthcare providers. You can also view your support plan in your My Aged Care Online Account.
Getting help at home
Depending on your care needs, you can get services through the Commonwealth Home Support Program, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care program, the Multi-Purpose Service Program or the Support at Home program.
An aged care assessment determines if you are eligible to access services under one of these programs.
Learn more about how to apply for an assessment.
If you’re eligible to receive home support services, there are multiple programs that can help you live independently at home for longer.
These can include services to:
- help you prepare meals or shop for food
- help you with showering or dressing
- help manage medications
- help maintain your mobility
- keep you safe at home, like cleaning, home maintenance and mobility assistance
- connect with your community, like transport to appointments or activities, in-home social visits and group activities.
You will need to apply for an assessment through My Aged Care to find out which of these services and programs you’re eligible to receive.
Learn more about help at home.
The Support at Home program replaced the Home Care Package Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. It improves access to services, products, equipment and home modifications to help you live independently at home for longer.
Support at Home is an option if you need a coordinated approach to the delivery of your help at home, and if you need help with everyday tasks or have more complex care needs.
Learn more about the Support at Home program.
Yes. The Support at Home program, which was introduced on 1 November 2025, replaced the Home Care Package Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme.
The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) provides support for people with low level care needs. If you’re able to manage, but need support with a few tasks at home, you might be eligible for CHSP.
Support at Home is for people who have more complex needs, or need help with everyday tasks to live safely and independently.
CHSP will become part of the Support at Home program no earlier than 1 July 2027.
Costs and fees
The cost of aged care services varies from person to person. How much you pay depends on the type of care you are eligible for, the aged care provider you choose and your financial situation.
While the Australian Government may contribute to the cost of your care, you will also be asked to contribute if you can afford to.
Learn more about how aged care costs work.
Short-term care is available through multiple aged care programs, depending on your needs and availability. What you can be asked to contribute depends on the type of care and services you receive.
There are also multiple types of respite care depending on your eligibility, needs and the services available near you.
Learn more about short-term care costs and costs for respite care.
If you’ve been approved for the Support at Home program, your contributions will depend on your services, your income and assets. To find out how much you will contribute, you will need an income and assets assessment.
Learn more about income and assets assessments for Support at Home.
If you're moving into an aged care home (residential aged care), you may have to pay contributions based on your means (income and assets) for your accommodation costs.
You will need your means assessed to determine how much you might pay and how much the Australian Government will contribute. Arrangements may be different if you access care under a specialised aged care program.
Learn more about means assessments for residential aged care.
No. Means assessments are administered by Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), so this information is not available in your My Aged Care Online Account.
Learn more about income and means assessments on the Services Australia website, or the DVA website if you are a veteran or war widow/widower.
All government-funded aged care providers need to report information to the Australian Government about their operations and how they manage their money. You can use the Find a provider tool to see what some providers have reported spending on care, staffing, food and other expenses. This information is available in the ‘Finances and organisation’ section on aged care home and Support at Home providers’ profile pages.
You can use this information to help you learn more about a provider and decide if they are right for you. If you access aged care through a specialised service, not all operational and financial information may be available.
Learn more about understanding financial information on Find a provider.
On 1 November 2025, the way fees are worked out for aged care homes changed, and the Support at Home program replaced Home Care Packages. These changes were part of reforms to make the aged care system more sustainable and equitable.
The ‘no worse off principle’ means that if you were:
- already receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024, or
- in permanent residential care on or before 31 October 2025;
You can choose to either stay on your current fee arrangements or opt in to the new arrangements. Older people who are assessed as eligible for a Home Care Package before the start of the new Act will receive an equivalent amount of Support at Home funding to their assessed Home Care Package level.
Learn more about aged care costs if you entered care between 2014 and 2025.
If you’re worried that you may not be able to afford your care, you can ask to be considered for financial hardship assistance. You should talk to your provider about your options first.
Each case is assessed on an individual basis. If you are eligible, the Australian Government will pay some, or all, of your fees and charges – helping you to get the care you need.
Learn more about financial hardship assistance.
Financial hardship arrangements are different if you access care through the Commonwealth Home Support Program, the Multi-Purpose Service Program, or the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care program.
Aged care homes
An aged care home is a place where older people can live when they can no longer live independently at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care.
An aged care home provides:
- accommodation – a room with furniture and bedding
- care services – personal care and clinical care according to your needs
- hotel-type services – services to meet your daily needs, like meals, laundry, cleaning and social activities.
Learn more about aged care homes.
An aged care home, residential aged care and nursing home all describe the same service.
Retirement villages or independent living units are not the same as aged care homes. They are not subsidised or regulated by the Australian Government.
You might consider moving to an aged care home if you can no longer live safely and independently at home. Or perhaps you need more help with daily activities than your current carer, family or friends can provide.
The best way to find out if you may need to move into an aged care home is to apply for an assessment. If you are already getting services to help at home but your needs have changed, you can ask to be reassessed.
An aged care assessment will determine if you are eligible for permanent care in an aged care home.
If you already receive government-funded aged care services, including help at home, you might need to be reassessed first. You may be able to adjust or add to your existing services to meet your needs, or it may determine that an aged care home is a good fit for you.
Respite care and carers
As a carer, looking after your own health and wellbeing is important. If you’re caring for an older person, there are many services and resources available to support both of you. These include respite care, counselling, information and advocacy.
We have helpful information for carers that includes tips and links to resources, services and support groups to help you and the person you care for.
You can also visit Carer Gateway to learn more about the carer-specific support services that might be available to you.
There are different types of respite care available depending on your eligibility, needs, and the services in your area, including:
- emergency respite – if your carer is unexpectedly unable to provide care
- flexible respite – respite care in your home
- community and centre-based respite – a day in a club or community space
- cottage respite – overnight or weekend care in a centre or community location
- residential respite – in an aged care home.
Respite care may also be available through specialised aged care programs.
Learn more about respite care.
If you or the person you care for need respite care, the first step is to apply for an assessment through My Aged Care. The assessment will determine eligibility, and which type of respite care is the most suitable.
Learn more about respite care.
Setting up services
Your next steps depend on the information you have received from your assessor and the type of services you're eligible for. You may already have your support plan, or you may still be waiting for it.
Learn more about what to do after an assessment.
Location, available services, costs, quality of care and availability are the key things to research when looking for a provider.
You may also want to consider your changing needs over time. Not every provider will offer specific pathways or services you may want or need in the future, such as the Restorative Care Pathway or a specific type of therapy.
Use the Find a provider tool to search for and compare providers who fit your needs and preferences, including specialised care.
Yes. If you’ve been assessed and eligible for aged care, your assessor can send a referral to the relevant provider(s). The provider must offer the services you are seeking in your area to accept the referral.
You can also search for providers using the Find a provider tool.
You can search for services in your area using our Find a provider tool. It also allows you to filter your search results.
If you have specific care needs, such as wanting someone who understands your culture, identity, background or situation, you can use the filters in the tool to narrow your search.
Learn more about finding care that meets your specific needs.
If your assessment shows that you are eligible for aged care services, you will receive a referral code, which is your key to receiving those services. If you’re eligible for more than one service, you will get a separate referral code for each service.
When you choose a provider who is able to provide the services you want, you give them the referral code(s), which they use to accept the referral and start organising services for you. Your referral code is also available in your Online Account.
Learn more about what happens after your assessment.
If you can’t see services in your local area after using the Find a provider tool, there is an option to expand your search to include surrounding areas.
If you’re still not finding anything, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
You could also contact providers directly and talk with them about your situation. They may have travel or transportation options that can help.
It depends on the program. You should consider what services you need, including if this will change over time, when choosing a provider.
If you require more than one service through the Commonwealth Home Support Program, you can use a different provider for each service.
If you’re approved for the Support at Home program, you must use a single provider for all your services.
Learn more about arranging your services.
The wait time depends on what services you need, the program you’re eligible for, available providers and where you are.
Some programs use a priority system to make services available for people who need them most, while other times it depends on provider availability.
You can tell your assessor during your aged care assessment if you have urgent needs, or you can call My Aged Care to tell us if your needs have changed later.
If you need urgent services, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to work out more immediate options.
Learn more about receiving an assessment outcome.
Managing my care
If you want to see what services you – or someone you are a registered supporter for – is receiving, you can find this in your My Aged Care Online Account.
Here you can find your approved services, provider details, and interactions with My Aged Care, along with information about you, your assessments, and people you support or who support you.
It depends, as not all CHSP providers are also registered Support at Home providers. You should talk to your provider about how they can help and their availability.
If they offer both programs, you may be able to stop receiving CHSP services and begin accessing Support at Home without changing providers. You will need a reassessment to determine your eligibility to do this.
If your CHSP provider does not also offer Support at Home, and you are found eligible for Support at Home in the reassessment process, you will need to change providers to access these services.
If your situation or needs have changed, you may want to change:
- when you receive services
- the services you receive
- your aged care provider.
You may also wish to stop your services or take a break.
If you need to make changes to your service arrangements, there are different options depending on the type of care you receive.
Learn more about managing and changing your services.
Yes, it’s important that your support plan and services match your needs. Your provider can help adjust your services and organise a reassessment for you, if eligible.
You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to request a reassessment yourself.
Learn more about getting a support plan review or reassessment.
Yes, in many cases you can. Your provider must involve you in decisions about your care. This includes:
- when and where you receive services
- how your budget is managed
- which services you use.
How much you can manage your services may depend on the type of care you receive.
Find out more about managing your care.
Quality of care
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (the Commission) assesses all government-funded aged care homes against provider responsibilities to deliver safe and effective care services.
These responsibilities are set out in the new Aged Care Act and include the Aged Care Quality Standards.
Learn more about the Aged Care Quality Standards.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission also assesses and regulates government-funded aged care providers that deliver services in older people’s homes.
The responsibilities set out in the new Aged Care Act and the Aged Care Quality Standards applies to in-home aged care providers.
How often aged care homes are assessed depends on:
- the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of the residents
- the performance and service history of the aged care provider
- the expiry date of the home’s accreditation period.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission may also act on serious incidents or complaints.
Learn more about how aged care homes are assessed.
Star Ratings can help you compare the quality and safety of aged care homes and choose a service that is right for you.
Aged care homes have an Overall Star Rating and ratings against 4 sub-categories: Residents’ Experience, Compliance, Staffing and Quality Measures.
Star Ratings are not published for funded aged care services delivered under specialist programs such as the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care program services and Multi-Purpose Services or for aged care home support services, as all required data is not currently reported by these service types.
View Star Ratings by visiting the Find a provider tool on this website.
Learn more about Star Ratings.
Making a complaint does not automatically change an aged care home’s Compliance rating.
The Commission will assess your complaint and determine the best way to resolve your concerns. If needed, the Commission may make a regulatory decision, which could then impact the aged care home’s Compliance rating.
See the Commission’s website to learn more about the complaints process.
Learn more about the Star Ratings’ Compliance rating.
Reasons why the Residents’ Experience Survey results may not be available may include:
- the survey has not been completed because the aged care home is new or operating under new ownership
- it is a very small home and the results could not be published anonymously, but are still used to generate the Residents’ Experience rating
- the home was unable to participate due to a serious and unavoidable event such as a health outbreak or weather incident
- the home is a specialised aged care service and is not required to participate
- the home has chosen to not participate in the survey.
No, you can’t. The surveys are done by an independent third-party (on behalf of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing). Residents are randomly selected by the third-party surveyors on the day of the scheduled visit to the home. Everyone has an equal chance of being randomly chosen to participate.
Learn more about the Residents' Experience Surveys.
Getting support to navigate aged care
If you want support to navigate aged care, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, or talk to an Aged Care Specialist Officer at select Services Australia centres. You can have someone support you to do this, like a family member, friend or your appointed decision-maker. You can also involve your registered supporter, if you have one.
If you need intensive support to access aged care, and have no-one else who can support you, the care finder service may be able to help.
If you’re an older Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, the Elder Care Support Program can help you access and navigate aged care.
Learn more about getting support to navigate aged care.
Learn more about financial support and advice, or income and means assessments.
If you are seeking or receiving aged care services, you may want someone to help you make and communicate your own decisions about your aged care. You can choose someone to be your registered supporter.
A registered supporter can:
- request and receive information about you
- help you understand information and make your own decisions
- let people like My Aged Care, aged care providers and assessors know what those decisions are.
Becoming a registered supporter does not give someone decision-making authority for you. You can also have more than one registered supporter.
Learn more about becoming a registered supporter and what the role involves.
You can ask to register a supporter at any stage. There are a few ways to complete the registration. This can be in person, over the phone or through a written application. Some of these pathways might not be available to you, depending on your situation.
Learn more about setting up a registered supporter relationship.
Representative relationships in My Aged Care ended when the new Aged Care Act started.
Regular and authorised representatives who were active in My Aged Care on 31 October 2025 transitioned to registered supporters on 1 November 2025.
The key differences between a regular representative and a registered supporter are:
- More support: A registered supporter can help an older person make and communicate their own decisions across aged care. This includes speaking with aged care providers, assessors and My Aged Care. A regular representative could only talk to My Aged Care.
- Legal responsibilities: A registered supporter has legal duties to uphold, with consequences if they don’t. There are set processes to suspend or cancel a registered supporter’s registration if they do not fulfil their duties. and offences for abusing their position.
Please note: the role of a registered supporter does not include helping an older person with means testing. Means testing is carried out by Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. These agencies have separate roles and processes for supporting an older person.
Learn more about the supporter role.
Yes, you can ask to change or add another registered supporter at any time. It is possible to have more than one registered supporter.
You can see your registered supporter’s details in the ‘Support networks’ section of your Online Account. In this section, you can request to remove them or to register a new one.
You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to request the change.
If you have completed the registration form, you can provide it to My Aged Care by:
- Uploading a PDF version of your form to the My Aged Care Online Account. View Your Online Account Guide: Documents for step-by-step instructions.
- Uploading a PDF version of your form via the Healthdirect website.
- Visiting a Services Australia service centre for face-to-face help to upload your form.
- Asking your aged care needs assessor during your assessment to upload your form to My Aged Care.
- Mailing your form to: My Aged Care, PO Box 1237, Runaway Bay, Queensland 4216.
Only some registered supporters can use their My Aged Care Online Account to access the information of the older person they support. To do this, you will need to be registered as a supporter with:
- the older person’s consent to access their information or
- documentation that you are also the older person’s active appointed decision-maker.
For these registered supporters, you will need to sign into your own Online Account first. You can then access or update the information of the older person you support.
For step-by-step instructions, see Your Online Account Guide: Support networks.
An active appointed decision-maker is someone who has legal authority for an older person, either via guardianship, enduring power of attorney, or similar legal authority. They can make decisions on the older person’s behalf in line with their active legal authority.
If you are an appointed decision-maker for an older person, you can become a registered supporter without the older person’s consent. To do this, you must apply to become a registered supporter and provide documentation of your decision-making authority.
This can include:
- legal documentation showing that you have guardianship, enduring power of attorney, or similar legal authority for the older person
- medical evidence related to the older person’s decision-making capacity where this is required.
Learn more about documents that appointed decision-makers need.
If you’re seeking or receiving Australian Government-funded aged care services, it’s common to want or need some support to work out what’s best for your situation. If you do, you might find an aged care advocate can help.
An advocate is an impartial person who can support you in a variety of situations – from understanding aged care services or fees through to understanding your rights and managing your aged care.
Learn more about seeking support from an advocate.
Changes to aged care
The Aged Care Act 2024 is the new law for government-funded aged care. The new Act along with the new Support at Home program started on 1 November 2025.
The new Act aims to improve the way you receive services in:
- your home
- community settings
- approved residential aged care homes.
Learn more about the new Act.
The new Act includes a Statement of Rights. It outlines your rights and what you should expect when seeking or accessing government-funded aged care services.
You can watch a video to help explain your rights. The video is available in multiple languages and Auslan.
Learn more about your rights.
The Aged Care Act will transform your experience when accessing and receiving aged care services. It will:
- give you the right to make your own decisions about your own life
- let you choose if you want help making decisions, and also choose who will give you that help
- make it easier to access care through a more streamlined assessment process
- improve the level of information that’s out there about providers, so you can make an informed choice about who provides your care.
Learn more about the improvements to Australia’s aged care system.
What stays the same
- transition existing services into the new system so you continue to receive safe, quality care without interruption
- if you’re already receiving aged care then you won’t need a re-assessment – unless your needs have changed
- for new entrants to aged care, it’s easier than ever to get an assessment
- higher standards for people working in aged care and more nurses in aged care homes.
When accessing aged care, you should feel confident that the new Act will:
- outline your rights when seeking and accessing aged care services
- create a single entry point, with clear eligibility requirements
- include a fair, culturally safe single assessment framework
- support the delivery of aged care services
- establish new system oversight and accountability arrangements
- increase provider accountability through a new regulatory model, which will be enforced by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
- strengthen the aged care regulator.
Learn more about how the aged care changes help.