How to Choose the Right Aged Care Home for Your Parent

July 6, 2026

A compassionate, practical guide for families

There is no single way families find themselves looking for a residential aged care home. Some have had months to think about it. Others are working from a hospital waiting room with a discharge date already set. Some are carers who have reached the limit of what they can manage at home. Some are helping a parent who has made the decision themselves.

Whatever has brought you here, you are looking for the same thing: somewhere your loved one can continue to live well.

What makes that decision difficult is the strong desire to protect as much as possible a parent’s independence, their routines, and their sense of choice over the small things that make up a day. Those considerations are real, and they deserve more than a checklist. This guide is written to help you thoughtfully consider all of these factors and make a decision with greater confidence and clarity.

It walks through each step of finding and choosing the right aged care home, from the needs assessment to understanding the costs. The most valuable part comes early: working out what matters most to your family before you begin touring homes. If you are still getting clarity on what residential aged care actually covers day-to-day, our guide to what residential aged care includes sets that out first.

Step 1: Arrange Your Aged Care Needs Assessment (ACAT)

Before you can access government-subsidised residential aged care in Australia, your loved one requires an aged care needs assessment. Some still call it an ACAT assessment, and you may hear that term used, though the system was streamlined into a single aged care needs assessment in December 2024.

The assessment is carried out by a team of health professionals who determine the level of support your loved one is eligible for. It is free, and you do not need a GP referral to request one.

To arrange an assessment, contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or register at myagedcare.gov.au. They will organise for an assessor to meet with your loved one, whether at home, in hospital, or wherever is practical. The assessment itself usually takes one to three hours in person and covers physical health, cognitive function, daily living tasks, and the support already in place. Once it is complete, your loved one receives formal eligibility for residential aged care, which is what unlocks access to subsidised places.

It is worth beginning this process early. The wait between your initial referral and the assessment can be lengthy – typically anywhere from two to twelve weeks, depending on your location and the urgency of the situation. Planning ahead places you in a calmer, more considered position, with time to make the right decision rather than a rushed one. Where someone is in hospital and needs to move quickly, let My Aged Care know your timeframe, as the process can often be prioritised.

Australia’s Aged Care Act, which Australian Parliament passed in 2024, commenced on 1 November 2025. It introduced rights-based care and updated Quality Standards for residential aged care. If you have questions about how these reforms affect your situation, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission provides up-to-date guidance at agedcarequality.gov.au.

Step 2: Decide What Matters to Your Family Before You Search

Before comparing homes, take the time to consider what you are really looking for. Without this step, the homes you tour tend to blur together.

Think About Your Loved One:

What matters most to them day to day – connection with others, quiet and their own space, staying physically active, good food, time outdoors, a good range of social activities?

Do they have cultural, religious, or language needs that the home should truly understand, rather than simply accommodate?

How much independence do they currently have, and what are they likely to need support with over time?

Think About Your Family:

How far from home can the aged care home realistically be? Will visiting regularly feel manageable?

How involved does your family want to be in care decisions and daily life?

Are you looking for a home that will proactively communicate with you, or one where you take the lead?

Think About Values:

A home’s culture – the way the team treats residents day to day, and how well they know the people in their care – shapes your loved one’s experience (and yours) in ways that a rating cannot fully capture. A home that sees every resident as an individual, rather than a room number, is a fundamentally different place to live.

Setting out your priorities clearly at this stage will make every later step calmer and more focused.

Step 3: Search for Homes Using My Aged Care

Once your assessment approval is in place, use the Find a Provider tool at myagedcare.gov.au to search for homes in your area. You can filter by location, care type, rating, and whether a home offers higher everyday living services or specific cultural programs.

Aim for a shortlist of four to six homes you would seriously consider. More than that becomes difficult to weigh. This is also a good point to look at provider websites directly, as a home’s website often reveals a lot about its culture and priorities before you walk through the door.

Step 4: Look at the Home’s Reviews and Ratings

When you want a sense of what a home is really like to live in, the most useful place to start is its Google reviews and the testimonials on its website. These reflect the day-to-day experience of residents and families in their own words – how the team communicate, how concerns are handled, how people are treated once the formal tour is over. Read a range of them, look for the specific detail behind a recommendation, and pay attention to how a home responds to feedback. This is often the clearest signal of whether a home is worth touring for your loved one’s particular needs.

Alongside the reviews, Australia’s Aged Care Star Rating system gives every approved home a government rating out of five stars across four categories: Residents’ Experience, Compliance, Staffing, and Quality Measures. These ratings are best understood as a compliance and screening baseline – they confirm a home meets the standards expected of it and let you filter out clear underperformers. They are a useful starting point, but they measure what can be measured. They will not tell you whether carers know your father’s first name, whether the activities program reflects what residents actually enjoy, or whether the home feels warm within two minutes of walking in.

Use the government ratings to screen, and the reviews and testimonials to understand. Together they give you a far fuller picture than either does alone. You can search by rating, filter by care type, and compare up to three homes at once using the Find a Provider tool at myagedcare.gov.au.

Step 5: Tour Each Home and Pay Attention to What You Notice

Arrange a tour with each home on your shortlist. Homes will help you find a suitable time, and arranging it in advance means the team can give you their full attention and answer your questions properly.

When you visit, take note of:

Are residents engaged and moving around, or sitting quietly without much interaction?
Does the team greet residents by name without prompting?
Is the home clean without smelling heavily of cleaning products?
Is there warmth and energy, or simply quiet efficiency?

Questions worth asking during your visit:

Are you meeting the targets for overall minutes of care and for the minutes of Registered Nurse care?

Families once asked about the carer-to-resident ratio. Since October 2022, every aged care home has had to record and report the care each resident receives from registered nurses, enrolled nurses, personal care workers, and assistants in nursing, so care minutes are now the clearer thing to ask about.

On average across Australia, people who live in an aged care home will get 215 minutes of care each day, including at least 44 minutes from a Registered Nurse. As care minutes targets are an average for all residents, some people may receive more care time than others, depending on their needs.

How does the home handle care plan reviews, and how involved can family be?

What happens if my loved one’s care needs increase significantly over time?

How does the home support residents living with dementia?

Listen carefully to how they answer that last question. A home genuinely committed to person-centred dementia care will not describe managing symptoms – it will describe knowing the person. CraigCare’s dementia care is built around the I AM ME model, which grounds every care decision in each resident’s individual life story, relationships, and identity, rather than their diagnosis.

These four are a starting point. For a fuller list to take with you – including the questions about cost, transparency, and quality that families often forget to ask – see our guide to questions to ask when choosing an aged care home.

Food deserves close attention. Ask whether cooking is done on site by qualified chefs, and ask the home for a copy of today’s menu or a sample menu to take home. It is a concrete signal of how much the home invests in residents’ everyday quality of life.

First impressions tend to be accurate. You will usually have a clear sense within a few minutes of whether the environment feels right for your loved one.

Step 6: Understand the Costs Before You Sign Anything

Aged care costs have a few distinct components. Understanding them before the paperwork stage removes much of the pressure from the decision.

The first thing worth knowing is that the system is means-tested. People with limited income and assets receive significant Commonwealth support – in some cases, nothing beyond the Basic Daily Fee applies. If affordability is a concern, a financial assessment through Services Australia will clarify what your loved one’s situation means in practice. An aged care financial adviser can help interpret the outcome before you sign anything.

Basic Daily Fee:

Paid by everyone. It is currently $68.93 per day (as at 20 September 2026), set by the Commonwealth Government and updated each March and September. It covers everyday living costs such as meals, cleaning, laundry, and power, plus a contribution to general care – but not accommodation, which is covered separately below.

Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD):

A lump sum payment for accommodation. When your loved one no longer resides in the home, the remaining balance is refunded in full. RAD amounts vary by home and room type, and are published on My Aged Care.

Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP):

If a lump sum is not workable, you can pay the equivalent as a daily fee instead. The rate is calculated from the RAD amount and the government’s Maximum Permissible Interest Rate. A combination of the two is also an option.

Means-Tested Contributions:

For residents entering care on or after 1 November 2025, Services Australia conducts a means assessment to determine what additional contributions apply. These may include a hotelling contribution (towards everyday living services such as meals, cleaning, and laundry) and a non-clinical care contribution (towards personal care). Caps and thresholds apply. For residents who entered care before that date, the earlier means-tested care fee arrangements continue.

For current fee information specific to CraigCare, see our fees and charges page, or speak with an aged care financial adviser before making any commitments.

Step 7: Register Interest at More Than One Home

It is worth knowing that you can register interest at several homes at the same time. When you identify two or three homes you would be happy with, put your loved one’s name down at each. There is no fee, no commitment, and no limit. Waiting times can range from a few days to months, depending on location, room availability, and demand.

Respite Care as a Bridge

If a permanent place is not immediately available but the situation at home has become difficult to sustain, respite care is a practical option. Eligible seniors can access up to 63 days of subsidised respite care per financial year. Respite gives your loved one access to the home’s support, meals, and social programs, and a genuine experience of the home before any long-term decision is made. It is worth understanding that respite does not include every element of permanent care – for example, full access to the home’s allied health services – but many families find it a far gentler way to begin the transition than moving directly into a permanent arrangement.

Your Aged Care Home Touring Checklist

Bring this with you when you visit.

Care Quality

What are your targets for overall minutes of care and for the minutes of Registered Nurse care? Are you meeting these targets?
Continuity of care – are the same carers assigned to your loved one day to day, or do rosters rotate? High carer turnover can be an early sign of cultural or management problems at a home.
How often is the care plan reviewed, and how is family included?
What is the process for handling medical concerns or emergencies?
Is there always a Registered Nurse on site, not only during business hours?
How are GP and specialist appointments organised? Does the home have regular visiting doctors, or do families arrange them independently?

Lifestyle and Activities

What does a typical week of activities look like for residents?
Can residents choose to take part or opt out without any pressure?
Is there accessible outdoor space?
Are there programs specifically designed for residents living with dementia?

Environment and Living Spaces

Are rooms personalised, or do they feel clinical and identical?
Is there a shared dining room where residents eat together as a community?
Does the food look and smell appealing?
Is the home easy to navigate for someone with reduced mobility?

Trust and Values

Does the team use residents’ names without being prompted?
Can you meet the Home Manager and ask about their care philosophy?
Is there a clear, specific approach to individualised care, rather than a framed mission statement?
Are families actively encouraged to stay involved in decisions?

Costs and Practicalities

What is the RAD for the room type you are considering?
What does the daily fee include, and what is charged separately?
What are the higher everyday living fees?

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does an Aged Care Needs Assessment (ACAT) Take?

The assessment itself usually takes one to three hours in person. The wait between your initial referral and the assessment date is the longer part, and typically ranges from two to twelve weeks depending on your location and the urgency of the situation. In urgent cases, such as when someone is in hospital and cannot return home, the process can often be prioritised – let My Aged Care know your timeframe when you make contact.

Can I Register Interest in More Than One Home at the Same Time?

Yes. There is no limit on how many homes you can register with, and no cost or commitment involved. You can withdraw your interest at any point.

What Is the Difference Between a RAD and a DAP?

A RAD (Refundable Accommodation Deposit) is a lump sum, returned in full when the resident leaves the home. A DAP (Daily Accommodation Payment) is the equivalent charged as a daily fee. Most people choose one or the other, though paying a partial RAD and partial DAP is also an option.

How Much Does Residential Aged Care Cost in Australia?

The Basic Daily Fee is currently $66.80 per day (as at 20 March 2026), set by the Commonwealth Government and indexed each March and September. Accommodation is paid separately – as a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) or Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) – and varies by home and room type. Depending on income and assets, residents may also pay further contributions towards their care, assessed by Services Australia. For anyone entering care from 1 November 2025, these are the hotelling and non-clinical care contributions explained in Step 6.

What if We Have Concerns About the Care After Moving In?

Raise the matter directly with the Home Manager, who is your first point of contact for anything relating to your loved one’s care or experience. Most concerns are resolved at this level. If a concern is not resolved, you can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission at agedcarequality.gov.au, which investigates complaints independently and at no cost to the resident or family.

What if My Parent Does Not Want to Move Into Residential Aged Care?

This is one of the most common, and most difficult, situations families face. Resistance usually comes from a fear of losing control, familiarity, or independence. Where cognition is unaffected, the person has the right to make this decision themselves, even where the family sees things differently. The most useful first step is to understand what specifically they are concerned about, and whether the right home can address it. A trial stay through respite care often changes the conversation, as experiencing a home first-hand is very different from imagining it.

Is It Normal to Feel Guilty About This Decision?

Yes, and it is worth naming directly. Most families carry real guilt at this point, regardless of how clearly the move is needed. What is also true is that choosing a home where your loved one receives professional, round-the-clock care, social connection, and support that is no longer sustainable at home is not abandonment. It is a different form of care, and for many families a better one.

How Long Does It Usually Take to Settle Into a New Home?

Everyone’s experience is different, but most residents begin to feel more comfortable and familiar with their surroundings within the first few weeks. For some, settling in can take a few months as they adjust to new routines, build relationships, and make their room feel like their own. A mix of emotions during this transition is completely normal. At CraigCare, our team takes the time to get to know each resident personally, to support their individual preferences, and to help them stay connected to the people and activities that matter most to them. Families often tell us that, while the move felt daunting at first, they were pleasantly surprised by how quickly their loved one began to form friendships, take part in community life, and feel a sense of belonging. Many say the anticipation of the move was harder than the move itself.

CraigCare Aged Care Homes in Victoria and Western Australia

CraigCare provides residential aged care across eight homes in Victoria and Western Australia, with specialist dementia care, palliative care, and respite care available at all locations.

Victoria

Western Australia

If you would like to see one of our homes for yourself, book a personal tour here.

Our caring Admissions team is here to walk alongside you and your family every step of the way. If you have any questions, you can call our Western Australian team on 0419 856 664 or our Victorian team on 0468 718 856, or submit an online enquiry.