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How to prepare for an ACAT assessment

How to prepare for an ACAT assessment

In order to receive funding for aged care services, your loved one needs to be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) to determine their eligibility for a Home Care Package.

Here we explain what an ACAT assessment is and how to prepare for the best possible outcome.

Step 1: Find out if you’re eligible for an assessment

Before you or your loved one can be assessed, you need to make sure you’re eligible. You need to be 65 years or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) to be eligible. You also have to be needing help with some everyday tasks. Check if you or your loved one are eligible at My Aged Care.

Many people misunderstand the purpose of an ACAT assessment and think it’s just for people wanting to go into an aged care nursing home. This isn’t true.

While the assessor can approve an individual for an aged care nursing home and respite, the government wants as many people as possible living in the homes and communities they love for as long as possible.

The assessment is designed to support this goal and help you or your loved one access government funding for home care if needed.

Step 2: Apply for an assessment

If you’re eligible, you can book in for an assessment online or by calling 1800 200 422.

You will need to provide information about you or your loved one’s current situation and who the assessor can contact. Once you’ve added your details, the assessor will contact you within 2 – 6 week to arrange an assessment.

Step 3: Get ready for your assessment

In most cases, the assessment will take place in your loved one’s home. If it sounds like you or your loved one needs low-level support, they may receive a home support assessment with an RAS assessor. This will be provided through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.

A more comprehensive assessment will be provided by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) or the Aged Care Assessment Services (ACAS) in Victoria. They can assess you or your loved one for:

  • Home Care Packages
  • Short-term care options
  • Aged care homes

To prepare for the assessment, make sure your loved one has:

  • Their Medicare card
  • Another form of ID, like a DVA card, driver's licence, healthcare card, or passport
  • Referrals from their doctor
  • A support person if they choose
  • Any information about aged care services they want to discuss
  • The GP or other health professional’s contact details

Step 4: The assessment

During your assessment, you or your loved one will be asked about:

  • what they can do for themselves and what they are seeking help with
  • if they have any health concerns
  • how they’re managing with activities around the home
  • their safety in the home

Your loved one may also be observed moving in and around their home to understand any mobility challenges they may be facing.

When answering questions, it’s really important to think about the future as well as the present. Talk about tasks and activities that are becoming difficult and that they may require more help with in the future.

The assessment will take about 60 – 90 minutes. The assessor will work with you and your loved one to develop a support plan. It will include their strengths, challenges, goals, what they want to achieve and their preference for services.

Step 5: Accessing services

If you or your loved one is being assessed for Commonwealth Home Support Programme services, you will usually find out your eligibility at your assessment.

For Home Care Packages, short-term care options, and/or aged care homes, it will take about two to six weeks to find out what your parents are eligible for. They will receive a letter from My Aged Care with the outcome including the level of Home Care Package they have been approved to receive. If you’re unhappy with the outcome, you can register your concern with the manager of the ACAT.

They will also be placed on a national priority ‘queue’ for Home Care Packages and will be contacted when a suitable package becomes available. You can visit My Aged Care to see what the expected wait time is, however it’s generally 1-3 months for people with a medium priority.

While you wait to be assigned your Home Care Package, it’s a good idea to research potential home care providers. You can find providers in your area by visiting the My Aged Care website.

When they reach the top of the national list, My Aged Care will send your loved one a letter with a referral code and Home Care Package level so you can start organising your services.

You then have 56 days to activate services by choosing and engaging an approved provider of Home Care Packages.