Aged care homes

The next step

After being approved by an ACAT for Government funded residential care, you may begin looking for your future home. You can do this yourself or you can hire a placement consultant who can make the job much easier for you.

It is important to know and understand the types of homes available in your area as this may affect the cost and services you receive.

It is also recommended that you visit as many homes as possible, just as you would when buying or renting a house. This will enable you to gauge the feel and culture of the home.

Homes and their services

Aged care homes provide accommodation ranging from single rooms with ensuites to rooms with shared bathroom facilities.

They must provide specified care and services to all residents at no additional cost.

Services that must be provided at no additional charge for all residents who need them, irrespective of their level of care needs, include:

Basic accommodation related services such as beds, mattresses, linen, bedside lockers and chairs

General laundry and cleaning services

Maintenance of buildings and grounds

Utilities such as electricity and water

The provision of staff continuously on call to provide emergency assistance

Assistance with personal care such as bathing, going to the toilet, eating and dressing

Assistance with mobility and communication

Assistance in obtaining specialised therapy services, or a health practitioner service

Meals, including special diets

Toiletry goods such as towels, washers, soap and toilet paper

Support for people with cognitive impairment like dementia

Social and recreational activities

Rehabilitation support

Additional services as appropriate to individual care needs where a fee may apply include:

Goods to assist with toileting and continence aids

Therapy services such as speech therapy, podiatry, occupational, recreational and physiotherapy

Registered nurses to assess, plan and manage care, including complex pain or wound management, palliative care program, special feeding, dialysis and oxygen therapy

For people with dementia, it is important to ask a home whether it offers separate or secure dementia specific units or wings.

Some nursing homes may have a secure garden area specifically designed for people with dementia, which is generally attached to the secure dementia unit.

There are homes that cater to a specific cultural and linguistic group or may offer culturally appropriate services. See pages 177 –181 for a list of culturally appropriate care homes and services g.

Pets can help lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation, and some homes are happy to accommodate you and your pet.

Some nursing homes even have live-in pets. You’ll find these C listed in the directory section of this guide, starting on page 133.

Accreditation and certification

All Government funded care homes must meet required accreditation standards and demonstrate continuous improvement with regard to the quality of care and services provided to residents.

The standards that must be met cover areas such as management, staffing, health and personal care, resident lifestyle, living environment, catering, cleaning, continuous improvement, and safety and security.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is responsible for the review of aged care homes.

It monitors residential aged care services to ensure their compliance with the accreditation standards.