How Residential Aged Care Works

Before you apply for one of our homes, you will need to be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) for eligibility of placement. You can arrange for a member of the ACAT, who will visit you to talk about your current situation and help you work out what your options are. To arrange an assessment, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or go to myagedcare.gov.au.

Juniper tip

• There’s no harm in asking someone you trust, like a friend or family member, to be there for moral support during your assessment. You will need to inform My Aged Care that you will have someone with you during your assessment.
• Be honest! The assessor is there to help determine the best possible pathway for you to receive the care you need based on your individual circumstances.

Complete the Centrelink Income and Assets Assessment to determine if you are eligible for Government assistance. More information on how to apply can be found here.

Juniper tip

Keep in mind that the assessment is valid for 120 days and after that time you may need to update your information with Centrelink.

Following your assessment, you will receive a letter that will advise whether you have been approved as eligible to receive subsidised aged care services from the government. The letter will also list the type of services and care you are eligible for and approved to receive. Keep this letter on hand to show your chosen provider when you apply for Residential Aged Care so that they can recommend a home that best suits your individual care needs.

Where you want yourself, or your loved one, to go into 24-hour care is a big and important decision.  The best way to do this is to visit different homes to get a feel for whether it is the right fit for you.

Juniper tip

Consider writing your own checklist of what you’re looking for in a home to take with you when you visit aged care homes.

If you’ve decided that Juniper is the right fit for you and can meet your individual care needs, get in touch with our friendly Juniper team and ask for an application form. If you need help filling out the form, our team can help!

Juniper tip

If you’re considering a Juniper Residential Aged Care Home, we have 24 homes spanning the Perth metropolitan area and parts of regional WA. You can read all about each location, and even watch a video about the home, by checking out our Locations page. This may help you decide whether there is a suitable Juniper home for you.