The waiting time to enter a facility after being approved is now up to 121 days, according to the latest report on government services by the Productivity Commission.
That’s a jump from 105 days in 206-17 and 84 days in 2015-16.
Overall, just under half (44.7 per cent) of people moving into residential aged care did so within three months of approval from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).
That means most families face a long wait even once they have been approved.
So, what can you do in the meantime to prepare for the move?
- Work out what you can afford to pay – we always recommend you seek specialist financial advice. An aged care financial adviser can work out the best way for you to pay for aged care fees and advise on issues such as pension entitlements and selling or keeping the family home.
- Get your documentation together – use this time to sort out wills, powers of attorney, enduring guardianship and other important documents before your loved one goes into care.
- Research the operators and apply for the homes you want – at agedcare101, we have a full list of every aged care provider in Australia which you can search by region and postcode here.
- Call facilities and see if they have a waiting list. Don’t be afraid to put your family member’s name down at several facilities if they will meet their needs. Visit facilities too – we have advice on what to look out for here.
- If you and your family needs a break, you can apply for short-term respite care at an aged care facility through the Government’s MyAgedCare website.
Looking for more information? Watch our video on the time it takes to secure an aged care place here.
You can also find our nine agedcare101 steps to finding an aged care home here.
