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Planning Aged Care

26 February 2016

Your aged care is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make, but all too often we put off making any decisions until it’s too late.

Many of us wait until an emergency forces the issue or leave it to loved ones to make decisions for us.

Planning ahead for the later years means you have a say in how you’ll be cared for and provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

So how do you plan your aged care? This article from Choice explains aged care assessment services, the different kinds of aged care from in-home support to high level residential care, costs, accreditation and residential agreements.


Where do I start? 

First of all you should start by talking with your family about your needs and wishes. You should consider getting a  General Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Attorney to ensure your wishes are followed.

A Power of Attorney is a document used by a person or company to appoint another person or company to make legally binding decisions on their behalf.

There are two types of power of attorney: General Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Attorney. A General Power of Attorney ceases to have effect after you lose the mental capacity to make financial decisions, whereas an Enduring Power of Attorney will continue to have effect regardless of your mental capacity.

The person you appoint can (though the specifics are up to you):

  • decide on personal matters, such as where you live and who you have contact with
  • agree to most health care issues, including medical and dental treatment, and withdrawing or withholding of life-sustaining measures
  • control your finances, including collect your income, pay your bills and taxes, sell or rent your home, use your income to pay for your needs or invest your money.

Steps to entering aged care

The article from Choice also outlines the following process for entering aged care:

Step 1: Assess eligibility with an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment.

Step 2: Research suitable centres, put your name down on waiting lists or apply to your preferred place if there’s a vacancy.

Step 3: Complete an asset assessment to understand the cost of care.

Step 4: Check and sign the Residential Agreement for fees, services and rights and responsibilities.

Step 5: Prepare to move and organise financial, legal, health, government, utilities and other organisations as well as family and friends.


What next?

Every situation is unique and we have the expertise to help navigate any complexities that exist or could arise when it comes to planning your Aged Care and Powers of Attorney.