The journey to residential aged care is often described as a linear process:
- Eligibility – this is a health assessment to determine your eligibility for residential aged care and is performed by a member of the ‘Aged Care Assessment Team’ known as ACAT and known as ACASS in Victoria
- Choose an aged care facility – meet with the Resident Manager to organise a tour of a facility. It may be in your local suburb or a suburb close to family and friends.
- Seek financial advice – How much will you pay? How will you pay any upfront costs? How will you pay the ongoing fees?
- Apply to your chosen aged care facility via application forms and complete the appropriate Centrelink/DVA Assessment for Residential Aged Care forms.
- Move in – sign a Resident’s Agreement and move into your chosen facility.
Lucy Harrison has noted “in my experience the need for residential aged care is not a neat progression through four or five steps… it is often unplanned and can be in response to a crisis situation or things have just moved quicker than expected. We work as a team with families. Harrison Lew will look after the financial planning, negotiation with the aged care facility and the Centrelink/DVA assessment forms, while the aged care resident and family are choosing an aged care facility and helping with the move”.