What is aged care?

Aged care is support provided to older people as you age. It could be support in your own home or it could be in a residential aged care home.

Aged care can mean different things depending on your needs. It might be help with everyday living, such as someone to help you cook or clean, or some help with personal care.

You might need aged care to help you stay connected to your community through transport or community services. If you have healthcare needs, aged care may mean round-the-clock nursing care.

The goal of aged care is to help you stay more independent for longer and the type of support you choose will depend on what you need and how you want to live.

There are three main types of aged care.

• Care in your home
• Care in an aged care residence
• Short term respite or after hospital care

Many of these services are government funded.

It can be overwhelming when you’re at the beginning of the aged care journey. Fortunately, there is plenty of support available to help you.

Reach out to your local GP for a consultation or feel free to chat to our Relationship Centre on 1300 294 391.

Home care is aged care that you receive in your own home. This is usually the first step in the aged care journey. If you think you’d like to stay in your own home, you could get help from:

• Services to keep your home liveable. This might include aids to help you stay independent, modifications to your home so it’s safer for you to move around, help with cleaning, garden maintenance and other chores.
• Services to keep you well. This might include help with personal hygiene and grooming, help with impairments or incontinence, meals and food preparation, nursing, allied health support to help your movement, such as podiatry or physiotherapy.
• Services for getting out and about. This might include social outings or transport to help you get to appointments.
• Services for getting some temporary help. This might include respite care or transition care when you’ve just left hospital.

There is government funding available for home based aged care. You can either apply for the entry level Commonwealth Home Support Program or a Home Care Package if you need more complex care.

Find out more about our home care division BodeWell Community Care.

If your needs are more complex and you can’t manage at home, you may consider a residential aged care home such as Arcare.

Also known as nursing homes or aged care homes, residential aged care provides you with around the clock care and support services.

When you move to an aged care home, you receive your own room and hotel like services including food, laundry and cleaning. You will get personal care if you need it, like showering or toileting and clinical care for your needs.

Aged Care homes also have events and outings programs to help you socialise and get out and about in the community.

There is government funding available for residential aged care. However, what you pay will depend on where you choose and an assessment of your means and assets. Read more about aged care financial information.

You may need some extra support because you’ve recently left hospital and need to improve your independence. Or your regular carer might be away and you need ongoing care while they have a break.

Short term care may involve extra support and services, or it may involve some time in a residential care home until you’re able to resume your regular care arrangements.

Find out more about residential respite care at Arcare

The government funding you receive will depend on whether you’re eligible and what your needs are. To access any aged care, you will need an assessment from My Aged Care.

Read more about Aged Care Eligibility