Some things to know | Moving to aged care:

If you or a loved one is considering a move to an aged care or assisted living facility in New South Wales here is a couple of points worth considering:

1. It’s likely that you’ll undergo an assessment by ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) to evaluate your needs and eligibility for any government subsidies.

2. It’s wise to research different places based on location, services, and reputation/ reviews. If possible, you can inspect them in person and speak with other residents and the staff to ask any questions you have.

3. Once you’re confident on where you’d like to move to, you’ll need to complete an application form. They will provide you with paperwork and guide you through this process and you’ll need to provide some personal information.

4. A test will be done by DHS (Department of Human Services) to determine how much you’ll need to contribute to the cost of your care. This will be determined by your financial position and considers your income, assets and other details.

5. When a room becomes available, you’ll get a formal letter of offer and an agreement. It’s important to review this carefully so you may want to discuss this with your support personnel, family, lawyer, or financial advisor.

6. Once the paperwork is sorted the next step is to arrange your moving in. You’ll need to prepare to move in, this will include letting people know (your doctor, utility companies, changing your address).

7. Keep in touch with the aged care staff during the preparation and moving process to make sure you have everything you need in place when you arrive. It’s common that you’ll attend or be invited to attend a care plan meeting or the like to streamline these things.

The process can be different for individual situations and aged care facilities, and you should seek assistance from the place you’re moving to or My Aged Care (www.myagedcare.gov.au) so you have detailed information ahead of time. This will help you feel more comfortable with the move.