Step 3.3

What can I expect in the assessment?

What happens before the assessment

After My Aged Care has referred you to an Assessor in your area, a member of the ACAT team will give you a call to make a time to come and see you.

Know that

The Assessor may also ask your permission to talk to your doctor to discuss your medical history before they meet with you.

It’s normal to feel a bit anxious about the prospect of ‘getting assessed’, especially if you’ve been feeling below par anyway.

It helps to have a clear understanding of what will happen - and what won't happen - at your assessment.

Remember:

What will happen at the ACAT assessment?
  • whether you want to apply for approval to be able to receive certain aged care services; and
  • whether you give your permission for the assessment to take place 

Plus:

  • The Assessor will explain the different kinds of service options to you and answer any questions you might have.

You will be asked some questions about your general situation and your health, including: 

  • how you are managing with your day-to-day living activities and whether you need help with any of them
  • what support and assistance you have from family and friends or others
  • how your general state of health is
  • what specific health conditions you have; 
  • what medications you are taking
  • whether you have any problems with your memory

The Assessor will have a discussion with you and your carer about some of the options, including:

  • whether they think you might be able to keep living in your own home and how that could potentially work; 
  • if they think you might be better supported in an aged care home (nursing home)
  • your own views and preferences

The Assessor will also give you information about the services that are available in your local area.

You will be given the opportunity to express your views, make additional comments or ask questions. You can do this any time.

The Assessor will tell you what will happen next.  

Your personal information, including your medical information, will be treated in confidence.

What won't happen at the assessment?
  • You won't be required to make any decisions at the time of the assessment
  • Your views and questions won't be criticied, rejected or ignored

Plus:

  • You won't be told the outcome of your assessment.  That will be determined afterwards by the Assessor, using the information from the assessment.  You will be advised then.
Remember

If you are not satisified with the way the assessment went for you, you can make a complaint.

Remember, you have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times.  If you are not satisfied with the way the assessment went for you, you can make a complaint.  The My Aged Care website has a complaints page that explains how you can do this.

It is possible that you will have more than one assessment over your aged care journey as your health and well-being requires increased levels of care support and government funding.

Annie Donaldson

agedcare101 Registered Nurse and carer

Have a question? Open our discussion forum

8 weeks
Time estimate to complete all of the tasks within this step, including all sub-steps.

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.