ACAT- How to access aged care assistance

Submitted by Emma Hamilton on Sat, 01/05/2010 - 2:17pm

ACAT can help you determine the level of care a family member needs.

If you feel the person you are caring for is not coping at home and is in need of assistance, organise an assessment with the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).

In this article:

What does ACAT do?
Why does my family member need to have an ACAT assessment?
How to access residential aged care
How can ACAT help me?
How to find ACAT

What does ACAT do?

Aged Care Assessment Teams help ageing people and their carers find and organise the most appropriate care which best suits their needs. This could mean arranging help at home or a move into a residential aged care home.

ACAT will organise an interview in the home or at hospital. They will want to know how well a person is coping with daily living tasks. It can help to have a carer or family member in attendance who has an understanding of the person's care needs and situation at home.

ACAT will ask a series of questions to help complete a form called an Aged Care Application and Approval Form. You need this form to apply to government funded residential aged care homes or packages.

Why does my family member need to have an ACAT assessment?

An assessment by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) is needed before a person can access government subsidised aged care services such as Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) and residential aged care.

If it is determined that a person requires more complex help with nursing care or general household chores, a referral will be made to the appropriate local community providers and residential aged care services.

ACAT may suggest a person thinks about Home And Community Care (HACC) or Community Aged Care Packages (CACP).

How to access residential aged care

To access government funded residential aged care homes, you first need an assessment and approval from ACAT.

If, on assessment it is decided that an ageing person needs to move into a residential aged care home, ACAT will assess a person for either low level care (hostel) or high level care (nursing home).

The Aged Care Application and Approval Form is valid for 12 months. A person will need to organise another assessment if your current one expires or care needs change. A person can attest the assessment if they disagree with the outcome.

How can ACAT help me?

If you are caring for someone at home and need a break from the caring role, ACAT can arrange for respite care. Respite care can be arranged in a day centre on a weekly basis or a short stay in a residential aged care home.

How to find ACAT

Ask your doctor for a referral
Ring the local hospital
Contact The Commonwealth Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222

Did you know?

Arranging an ACAT assessment can take several months and you may find yourself on a waiting list depending on the urgency of your case. Book an assessment early on. If a person is admitted to hospital after a fall or sudden illness they will usually be assessed before they go home.

Note: In Victoria ACAT is referred to as Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS).