Assessments for aged care
What help do you need?
Sometimes it may be difficult not only to accept help, but to find the help that you need. By undergoing aged care assessments, you may receive a better idea of the type of care that will suit you best and may indicate specific areas in which care is needed. There are a number of different aged care assessment services which evaluate requirements for care and eligibility for funding.
Types of aged care assessments:
The Activities of Daily Living (ADL) assessment:
The Activities of Daily Living (ADL) assessment evaluates an individual’s performance on a number of scales related to personal care and daily activities. This assessment is used to determine one’s level of perceived functional ability and is useful in the context of aged care to determine what an individual’s capabilities and can help evaluate the type of care required.
Further assessment:
Neurocognitive assessment by Psych Press (NAPP):
Assessments by healthcare professionals:
Screening for cognitive impairments
Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT)
Mini-Cog
Multidimensional screening tools:
The Geriatric Assessment
Frailty Index
Screening for physical impairment:
Elderly Mobility Scale
Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE)
Government assessments:
The government has their own procedure for aged care assessments called ‘my aged care assessments’. If an individual is seeking government subsidised aged care, they will be required to undergo an online eligibility assessment, followed by a face to face interview. The eligibility assessment asks questions about your health, how you may be managing at home and any support you may be receiving. You are required to have a Medicare card for the initial assessment. The face-to-face interview will determine whether you are eligible for government funded aged care services.
For short-term care, home care packages, and subsidised care homes the assessment may be more rigorous.
Aged care assessment teams (ACATs) may be used to review the information and give a decision about eligibility and funding.
ACAT, or ACAS assessments consider a variety of factors including:
Medical history
Physical requirements and abilities
Psychological needs
Social needs
Religious beliefs
Language issues
ACATs can be found in a range of locations provided in our Plan Care tool.
What type of assessment do I need?
What is RAS?
The Regional Assessment Services (RAS) is an assessment service for older Australians who wish to access the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). The CHSP helps older Australians remain independent in their own home, with assistance for their specific needs.
To receive CHSP funding, you need to:
register with My Aged Care
have a Regional Assessment Services (RAS) assessment.
Your RAS assessment
A home support assessment with a Regional Assessment Service (RAS)
An RAS assessment involves an assessor coming to your home to assess the level of care needed, and what specific assistance may be required. The appointment with the assessor will be organized after completing a brief online assessment on My Aged Care, from which the assessor will be in contact with you. It typically takes 2-3 weeks for this appointment to take place.
Once My Aged Care refer you for a RAS assessment, we will contact you to make an appointment for this. We are usually able to come to your home within 2–3 weeks of your referral.
What happens at the assessment?
An assessor from the RAS team will visit you at your home. The assessor will do an ‘active assessment’, which looks at:
daily tasks – how you are doing them now, and where you are finding things difficult
goals and aspirations – what’s important to you
health and wellbeing – what help can be provided with any health concerns
carers and community – understand your support system and needs.
This assessment is designed to help tailor the support plan to your specific needs, and help you live as independently as possible
What is ACAT?
The Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs, or ACAS in Victoria) are groups of medical, nursing and allied health professionals that assess the needs and wellbeing of elderly Australians seeking care. This is a more comprehensive assessment that is suited to individuals who require more support. They look at the physical, psychological, medical, cultural, social and restorative needs of the individual to determine whether they are eligible for care such as:
Home Care Packages
Short-term care
Aged care homes
To be eligible for these services you must:
register with My Aged Care
have a Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment
Your ACAT Assessment
ACAT/ACAS assessment can be accessed by either:
Contacting MyAgedCare directly, or
Getting a referral from a doctor or GP
The assessment is free and takes place wherever you are. You are required to have a my My Aged Care client record to set up the appointment. It may take up to six weeks to get an assessment depending on the urgency of your situation. The ACAT assessment takes between 45 to 75 minutes and you may have a member of family or friend to accompany you. The ACAT team will prepare a report following the meeting which can be used to prove eligibility for a variety of programs. The report lists the services that you have been approved for as well as any conditions you may have and the reason for their decision.
Preparing for your assessment
What will happen at the assessment?
Prior to commencing the assessment, your assessor will ask if you agree to having the assessment. The assessor may also ask for permission is speaking to your support network, including your family and carer.
There may be a form to fill out:
You may be asked to complete and Application for Care Form, if the comprehensive assessment is for services such as residential care, home care and flexible care.
Talking about your needs with the assessor:
The assessor will have a copy of the information you gave to the My Aged Care contact centre. This provides the assessor with information surrounding what support you require in order to keep the level of independence needed to manage everyday life.
The assessor may also ask about:
Your support network, and if this will continue to remain the same
Your health, lifestyle and current health concerns
Management of completing daily tasks and activities around the home
Memory issues
Issues relating to home and personal safety
Family and community activities
Speaking to your GP or other health professionals.
The assessor may provide information about particular service providers which can offer the care you are needing to access in your area. If you receive a home support assessment, the assessor may also provide you with referral codes for services. Costs of services which you require and where you can find more information may also be discussed.
Developing a support plan with your assessor
The support plan is a record of what you and the assessor have discussed and agreed to during your assessment. These can include:
Strengths
Difficulties
Goals
What you would like to achieve
Services preferences
This support plan which is based off the discussion between you and the assessor outlines the care and services which will best help you. This support required may be available from particular service providers, or it may already be available to access in your community. Further, this plan may outline services helping you regain confidence and ability to resume daily activities.
Questions to ask the assessor
Preparing questions for the assessor can be good to make the experience easier and get the most out of it. Questions may include:
What services are available to help me reach my goals?
What services are available locally, and what are the waiting times?
What supports are there for my carer?
Are there service providers that speak my language or represent my religious or cultural beliefs?
How can I contact the assessor if I have any questions after the assessment?
Can I have someone with me?
Yes, a family member, friend or carer can be with you during your assessment.
If you require a translator for the assessment, your assessor can arrange one. When booking your assessment, let them know that you need a translator so this can be arranged prior to the assessment.
The Older Persons Advocacy Network can also help you and give you information about your rights. Advocates are available to all Australians seeking or receiving aged care services. This is a free service.
Call the National Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600 (freecall) or visit the Older Persons Advocacy Network website.
How long does it take to find out if I'm eligible?
For Commonwealth Home Support Programme services, it is common to find out whether you and eligible at the face-to-face assessment.
For Home Care Packages, short term care and aged care homes the ACAT/ACAS team may need some time to review the information from the face-to-face assessment. A recommendation will then be made by the team to their decision maker. You or your designated representative should receive a letter in the two weeks following the assessment that indicates if you are eligible for the services.
What happens once I am deemed to be eligible?
If you are eligible, the assessor may help you to find services and providers in your area. For entry level services you will likely be referred to local providers so that you can discuss your needs and their services. Alternatively, they may provide you with a referral to find these services alone. You can also connect with providers through our Find A Provider tool which connects you with local service providers that satisfy your search criteria.
