For Victorians in their sixties and early seventies, the aged care assessment process can feel like unfamiliar territory — but it is the gateway to practical support that makes independent living genuinely sustainable. This guide walks through what an ACAS assessment involves, how the reformed Support at Home program works from 2025 onward, and what to do if an outcome does not feel right. It is general information only; for decisions about your own situation, speak with a qualified aged care adviser, GP, or legal professional.
Why the Assessment Matters More Than Most People Realise
There is a common tendency among older Australians — particularly men who have managed their own affairs for decades — to downplay what they are finding difficult. The aged care assessment is not the moment for that. What the assessor records on the day shapes the level of support you are approved for, sometimes for years. Getting it right from the start saves a great deal of back-and-forth later.
In Victoria, the assessment is conducted by an Aged Care Assessment Service, known as ACAS. These are multidisciplinary teams — typically including a nurse, social worker, and sometimes an occupational therapist — who are funded by the Victorian and Australian governments to determine what level of care a person needs and what programs they are eligible for. The national program equivalent, used in other states and territories, is known as ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team). The two terms refer to the same function.
The outcome of an ACAS assessment is not just a tick in a box. It determines whether you are approved for entry-level support through the Support at Home program, whether you qualify for a higher level of funded assistance, or whether residential care is appropriate. Think of it as the administrative key that unlocks the rest of the system.
How Do I Get an Aged Care Assessment (ACAT/ACAS)?
The starting point is My Aged Care, the Australian Government's central portal at myagedcare.gov.au. You can register online or call 1800 200 422. During registration, you will describe your current situation — what daily tasks you are managing, what you are finding harder, and what kind of help you think you might need. Based on that, My Aged Care will either refer you for a face-to-face ACAS assessment or, for lower-level needs, a simpler screening process.
Once referred, an ACAS team will contact you to arrange a home visit or, in some circumstances, a hospital or community health visit. The assessment is free. You can have a support person present — a family member, friend, or an advocate from the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) — and that is worth considering if you think you might understate your difficulties when talking to a professional in an official context.
Your GP can also refer you directly to ACAS if they believe an assessment is warranted, and that can sometimes move things along more quickly than a self-referral. Either way, the My Aged Care record is central to the process, so registering there first is the practical first step regardless of how the referral originates.
What Assessors Actually Ask — and Why Honesty Is the Strategy
Assessors are trained to look at functional capacity across a range of areas: personal care (showering, dressing, managing continence), mobility and falls risk, medication management, nutrition and meal preparation, social connection, cognitive function, and how safely someone is managing at home overall. They may ask you to demonstrate tasks, describe a typical day, or walk them through your home environment.
The temptation — especially for someone who has always been self-sufficient — is to present the best version of a day. Managed fine this morning, so fine in general. That approach tends to result in an approval level that does not reflect actual need, and the practical consequence is a support package that runs out before the month does, or services that do not cover what genuinely needs covering. Assessors are not there to judge; they are there to allocate resources appropriately. Describing the hard days, not just the good ones, is the accurate and strategically sensible approach.
It also helps to write things down before the assessment. A short list of what you find difficult, what you have stopped doing because it is too hard, any falls or near-misses in the past year, and any health conditions or medications is useful both as a memory prompt and as something you can hand to the assessor directly. If you have a carer — paid or informal — their observations can be included too.
What Services Are Available Under Support at Home?
The Support at Home program, which replaced the Home Care Packages program from 1 July 2025, is designed to help older Australians remain living independently in their own homes. It is funded by the Australian Government and delivered through approved providers. Under the reformed system, services are organised into categories that include personal care, nursing and clinical care, allied health and therapy, domestic assistance, social support, home maintenance, assistive technology, and transport.
The range of allied health services available is particularly relevant for someone in their late sixties managing a chronic condition or recovering from an injury or surgery. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, speech pathology, and dietetics can all be funded through Support at Home when assessed as necessary. An occupational therapist, for example, can assess your home for fall hazards and recommend modifications — grab rails, ramp access, bathroom changes — that can be funded through the program.
The amount of funding available depends on the support level you are approved for following your ACAS assessment. Under the post-2025 system, funding is allocated into a quarterly budget that you and your provider manage together. Unspent funds in some categories can roll over within defined rules. For current funding levels and category details, the authoritative source is the Support at Home page on myagedcare.gov.au — check there for current figures, as these are subject to change and should not be relied upon from secondary sources.
Am I Eligible for Support at Home or Residential Care?
Eligibility for Support at Home is determined by the ACAS assessment outcome. Generally, the program is available to people aged 65 and over (50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) who are assessed as needing assistance to remain living at home. Some younger people with disabilities or specific health conditions may also be eligible, though the NDIS is often the more relevant pathway for those under 65.
Residential aged care — that is, moving into a facility — is a separate approval pathway also determined through ACAS. An assessment can approve you for home-based support, residential care, or both, giving you options depending on how circumstances change. Being approved for residential care does not mean you must use it; it means the door is open if needed.
There is also a means-tested component to most aged care services, which affects how much the individual contributes toward the cost. The rules around income and assets assessments are administered by Services Australia and are subject to legislative change. For current thresholds and how the means test applies to your situation, the Services Australia website at servicesaustralia.gov.au is the correct starting point, and speaking with a financial adviser who specialises in aged care is strongly recommended before making any decisions.
How Do Aged Care Reforms (Post-2025) Affect Me?
The Support at Home program that launched on 1 July 2025 represented the most substantial reform to Australia's home care system in many years, flowing from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. For people already receiving Home Care Package services before that date, the transition was designed to be managed — existing recipients were moved across to the new system, generally without needing to reapply, and the government committed to maintaining equivalent or improved access during the transition period.
The practical changes under the new system include a shift from a single package level with a monthly budget to a classification system with quarterly budgets across service categories. There is also a greater emphasis on short-term restorative care — the program includes a dedicated pathway for people recovering from illness, injury, or hospitalisation who need intensive support for a defined period rather than ongoing services.
The reforms also introduced stronger protections and complaint mechanisms. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission at agedcarequality.gov.au oversees provider standards and handles complaints. If you are unsure what changed for your specific situation, the My Aged Care helpline (1800 200 422) can explain how the transition applies to your existing approval or referral. For detailed policy context, the Department of Health and Aged Care at health.gov.au publishes current program guidelines.
Navigating ACAT/Assessment Reports and Appeals
After your ACAS assessment, you will receive a written report outlining what you were assessed as needing and what you have been approved for. Read it carefully. If it does not reflect what you told the assessors, or if your situation has changed since the assessment, you have the right to request a review. This is not an uncommon step — assessments are conducted in a single visit, and they do not always capture the full picture.
The review process starts with contacting My Aged Care and requesting a reassessment. You can also ask for an internal review of a decision. If you are not satisfied with the internal review outcome, you can escalate to the Administrative Review Tribunal (the body that replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal). This process has formal steps and timelines, and having support from an advocate makes a significant difference. OPAN (opan.org.au) provides free, independent advocacy for older Australians navigating exactly these situations — they can help you prepare for a reassessment, understand a decision, or escalate a complaint.
It is worth keeping copies of everything: your original assessment report, any correspondence, and notes from phone calls including dates and the name of whoever you spoke with. If your condition deteriorates between assessments, do not wait for a scheduled review — contact My Aged Care to request a reassessment based on changed circumstances. The system is designed to be responsive to change, even if it does not always feel that way in practice.
How Do I Arrange In-Home Nursing or Allied Health (Physio, OT)?
Once you have been approved for Support at Home and have selected a provider, you work with that provider to develop a support plan that allocates your funding across the service categories that apply to your situation. In-home nursing — wound care, medication management, chronic disease monitoring — sits within the clinical care category. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and other allied health services sit within their own category, and the amount available for these services depends on your approved support level.
To find approved providers in your area, use the Find a Provider tool on myagedcare.gov.au. You are not locked into one provider for all services — it is possible to use different providers for different service types, though managing multiple provider relationships does add some administrative complexity. Your support plan should spell out clearly what each provider is delivering and at what cost, including any gap fees you are expected to contribute.
If you are not yet approved for Support at Home but need allied health services in the shorter term, your GP can refer you to community health services or arrange Medicare-subsidised allied health visits under a Chronic Disease Management plan. These are separate from the aged care system and have their own eligibility criteria. For details on the GP-referred allied health pathway, healthdirect.gov.au is a reliable starting point, and your GP is the right person to advise on which pathway is appropriate for your circumstances.
Key takeaways
- The ACAS assessment in Victoria is the gateway to all government-funded aged care support — register through My Aged Care at myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422 to begin.
- Describing your hard days, not just your best ones, during an ACAS assessment leads to an approval that reflects actual need — understating difficulty is the most common and costly mistake.
- Support at Home, which replaced Home Care Packages from 1 July 2025, funds a range of services including personal care, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and home modifications.
- If an assessment outcome does not reflect your situation, you have a right to request a reassessment or formal review — OPAN (opan.org.au) provides free independent advocacy throughout that process.
- Means-tested contributions to aged care costs are governed by rules that change — always check current thresholds with Services Australia and consider advice from a qualified aged care financial adviser.
- Your GP can refer you directly to ACAS and can also arrange Medicare-subsidised allied health visits under a Chronic Disease Management plan while you are waiting for aged care approval.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I get an aged care assessment (ACAT/ACAS)?
Register with My Aged Care online at myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422. My Aged Care will determine whether you need a full ACAS (Aged Care Assessment Service) assessment in Victoria, or a simpler screening process, based on what you describe. Your GP can also refer you directly to ACAS. The assessment is free, conducted by a multidisciplinary team, and usually done as a home visit.
What services are available under Support at Home?
Support at Home, which launched on 1 July 2025, can fund personal care, in-home nursing and clinical care, allied health services (including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, and dietetics), domestic assistance, social support, transport, home maintenance, and assistive technology. The services available to you depend on the support level approved through your ACAS assessment. Check current service categories and funding levels at myagedcare.gov.au, as these details are subject to change.
Navigating ACAT/assessment reports and appeals.
After your assessment, you will receive a written report detailing what you have been approved for. If the outcome does not reflect your situation, you can request a reassessment through My Aged Care, or ask for a formal internal review of the decision. If you are not satisfied with that outcome, the matter can be escalated to the Administrative Review Tribunal. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) at opan.org.au offers free, independent support to help you understand a decision, prepare for reassessment, or navigate a formal appeal.
How do aged care reforms (post-2025) affect me?
From 1 July 2025, the Home Care Packages program was replaced by the new Support at Home program. People already receiving Home Care Package services were transitioned across without needing to reapply. The new system uses quarterly funding budgets across defined service categories, with stronger protections and a short-term restorative care pathway for people recovering from illness or surgery. For how the changes apply to your specific situation, contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit health.gov.au for current program guidelines.
Am I eligible for Support at Home or residential care?
Eligibility for both Support at Home and residential care is determined by an ACAS assessment. Generally, Support at Home is available to people aged 65 and over who are assessed as needing assistance to remain living independently. Residential care approval is a separate outcome from the same assessment process. Whether you are also required to contribute financially depends on a means test administered by Services Australia — visit servicesaustralia.gov.au for current eligibility thresholds, and consider speaking with an aged care financial adviser before making decisions.
How do I arrange in-home nursing or allied health (physio, OT)?
Once approved for Support at Home and registered with a provider, you work together on a support plan that can include in-home nursing and allied health services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, depending on your approved support level. Use the Find a Provider tool at myagedcare.gov.au to locate approved providers in your area. If you need allied health support before an aged care approval comes through, ask your GP about Medicare-subsidised allied health visits under a Chronic Disease Management plan — that is a separate pathway with its own eligibility rules.
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