Care for aging parents starts with a free My Aged Care assessment. Talk with your parent first about the help they’d like, then apply online together or call 1800 200 422. Ask to be listed as their registered supporter so assessors and providers can speak with you. While you wait, work out what to look for in a provider and agree with family who handles what. Subsidised services can only begin after the assessment, so it comes before any provider calls.
Key Takeaways
- An aged care assessment is free, usually happens at home and doesn’t commit your parent to anything.
- If a hospital stay or sudden illness makes care urgent, phone My Aged Care rather than using the online form.
- A registered supporter speaks for your parent with their consent. It isn’t the same as an enduring power of attorney.
- Once a funding allocation letter arrives, your parent has 56 days to sign with a provider.
- Keep Medicare details, assessment letters and provider agreements together so anyone helping can find them.
Care for Aging Parents: Finding a Starting Point
Caring for a parent while still raising children or helping with grandchildren means aged care research gets squeezed in between work meetings and school runs. For broader sandwich generation support and practical sandwich generation advice, see our Sandwich Generation guide. Most people aren’t sure what the first practical move should be. Should you ring a local provider, talk to your parent’s GP or start with a government department?
Knowing where to start was one of the hardest parts of arranging care for 40% of people in our 2026 survey, alongside waiting times and understanding fees.
The process becomes much simpler when you take it in order. These five steps walk through that initial month, from having that first quiet cup of tea with your parent to having suitable providers ready to go when funding comes through.
1. Talk With Your Parent About the Help They’d Like
Before filling out any forms or calling My Aged Care, spend some time talking with your parent about how daily life is actually going. They might be finding it harder to keep on top of the garden or get to the shops but still feel completely confident cooking their own meals. Finding out what they want help with, and what they want to keep doing on their own terms, sets the foundation for everything that follows.
A few brief notes about their day-to-day routine will be genuinely helpful once an assessor comes to visit. You could note down:
- Everyday tasks that are becoming difficult, like hanging out heavy washing or managing the stairs
- Specific things your parent has mentioned they would be happy to have a hand with
- Anything causing worry about their safety, such as recent stumbles or missed medications
- Any informal help they are already getting from neighbours, friends or family
- The routines and independent activities that matter most to them
Having concrete examples makes these details much easier to explain to an assessor. Mentioning that your dad stopped driving three months ago and now misses his weekly bowls group gives a much clearer picture of his world than simply saying he needs transport support.
2. Apply for an Assessment Through My Aged Care
My Aged Care is the gateway to government-subsidised aged care in Australia, which means every service, from basic cleaning through to comprehensive daily care at home, starts here.
You can help your parent apply for an assessment online or call 1800 200 422 together. If you’re filling out the form online, you can submit it on their behalf as long as they agree to it. Have their Medicare card, date of birth and your notes from step one nearby before you start.
Once the application is in, an assessment organisation will contact your parent or their nominated contact to arrange a time to visit. Most assessments happen in your parent’s home so the assessor can see how they get around and understand what kind of support would keep them living safely and comfortably.
The assessment is completely free and doesn’t lock your parent into anything. It’s simply an opportunity to explain their circumstances and find out what support they’re eligible to receive.
There’s a good reason to apply early rather than waiting for a clear need. Asked what they wish they’d done differently, 56% of people in our 2026 survey said they’d have arranged a My Aged Care assessment sooner, the most common answer by a wide margin.
If your parent’s situation is urgent due to a sudden illness or a hospital stay, phone My Aged Care directly rather than using the web form so the staff can flag the need for priority assessment.
3. Ask About Becoming a Registered Supporter
Privacy laws mean that aged care organisations, assessors and government departments cannot discuss your parent’s personal care details with you unless they have formal permission on file.
You can set this up right at the beginning by asking to be added as a registered supporter when you first register with My Aged Care. Your parent simply confirms that they’re happy for you to speak on their behalf, either over the phone or through their My Aged Care online account.
A registered supporter can access correspondence, ask questions about funding, speak with assessors and talk directly to service providers. This takes the pressure off your parent to relay complicated administrative updates or decipher official letters on their own.
Your parent keeps the right to make their own decisions, and your role is to help them make and communicate those decisions. If your parent can no longer make certain decisions, someone with legal authority, like an enduring power of attorney or guardian, can be registered as their supporter and act within that authority.
4. Learn What to Look for in an Aged Care Provider
While your parent is waiting for their assessment and funding approval, it helps to be clear about what kind of aged care provider would actually suit their life.
Support at Home funding is designed around flexibility, but providers differ widely in their pricing, staff consistency and current availability. When you’re evaluating potential options, the key details to look for include:
- Current capacity to take on new clients in your parent’s specific suburb
- Strong staff continuity so your parent sees the same familiar faces each week
- Transparent hourly pricing with clear administrative fees
- Reasonable cancellation policies that don’t penalise your parent for medical appointments
- Flexible scheduling that fits around your parent’s preferred routines
Our free Aged Care Provider Checklist covers what to ask, what to listen for and how to compare the answers, so every provider you call gets the same questions. You may also find our guide to choosing a Support at Home provider useful when building a shortlist.
Understanding the Timeframes for Funding
Approval for Support at Home funding and the actual allocation of that money are separate steps. Your parent might be approved for support but placed on a national queue until their funding tier becomes available.
When that official allocation letter arrives in the post, your parent has 56 days from the date on the letter to choose an approved provider, agree on a care plan and sign a service agreement. You can request a 28-day extension through My Aged Care if you need more time, but having suitable options already identified makes that window far easier to manage.
Checking provider availability and comparing fee structures across dozens of organisations takes time, and this is where a free comparison and placement service can do the legwork for you.
5. Share the Organising and Keep Information Together
When care responsibilities fall entirely on one person, the organising quickly takes over everyday life. If you have siblings, a partner or other family members willing to lend a hand, talking early about how to divide the practical jobs can make a noticeable difference.
One person might take the lead on phone calls with My Aged Care, another might agree to drive to weekday medical appointments, while someone else takes responsibility for managing provider bills or visiting on weekends.
Putting that agreement down in writing gives everyone clarity. You could agree on:
- Who will be listed as the primary contact with My Aged Care
- Who will attend the in-home assessment with your parent
- Who will be the day-to-day contact for the care provider once services begin
- Who will step in to cover visits or calls when the primary helper is unwell or on leave
It also helps to keep all the paperwork in one central place that everyone involved can access, whether that’s a shared digital folder or a physical folder on the kitchen bench. Keep your parent’s Medicare number, their assessment letters, provider agreements and a current medication list together so anyone stepping in can find what they need without delay.
We have a couple of free downloadable resources to help with this. The Family Care Responsibilities Planner maps who does what and where the gaps are, and the Aged Care Planning Guide takes your family through a shared care plan step by step.
How Aged Care Decisions Can Help
Once you have an idea of the support your parent needs, comparing providers is the next part of the process.
Aged Care Decisions is Australia’s largest aged care comparison and placement service. We help you explore providers based on your parent’s care needs, location and preferences.
Your free, personalised Provider Options Report gives you a shortlist of options to review with your parent, with no obligation to choose a provider.
Get your free Provider Options Report today.
Frequently asked questions
Do I Need My Parent’s Permission to Help Arrange Aged Care?
You can help your parent complete an application, but the assessment organisation will check that they agree to take part in the assessment. Becoming their registered supporter generally also requires their consent.
If your parent cannot make particular decisions, the arrangements will depend on who has recognised decision-making authority. My Aged Care can explain what information is needed to register an active, appointed decision-maker as a supporter.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Assessment?
The time between applying and receiving an assessment can vary. When you apply, ask what to expect next and how to follow up if you haven’t heard anything.
If your parent needs care urgently, call 1800 200 422 rather than using the online form, and explain their immediate needs so My Aged Care has that information
What If My Parent Isn’t Eligible for Support at Home?
Support at Home is not the only program that provides help at home.
Depending on their assessed needs, your parent may be eligible for the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). It provides entry-level support for older people who need help with some everyday activities.
An aged care assessment determines eligibility and helps identify suitable services. Our guide to CHSP and Support at Home explains the differences between the programs.
If your parent’s needs change after they begin receiving services, they can ask about a reassessment through My Aged Care.
Can the Assessment Cover Residential Aged Care Too?
The My Aged Care application can be used to apply for different types of care, including help at home, short-term care and care in an aged care home.
If your parent would like to explore residential aged care, mention this when applying and during the assessment. Their preferences and care needs can then be part of the discussion.
What If My Parent Already Receives Help at Home?
If your parent already receives aged care services, talk with their provider about what has changed and the additional help they would like.
They may need a review of their support plan or a reassessment. You can also contact My Aged Care to discuss the next steps.
