Your Care
Costs of care
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There are different costs for low level (hostel) and high level (nursing home) care. The amount you are required to pay will also depend on your income and assets.
Accommodation bond
If your assets exceed two and a half times the current single basic age pension (currently $34,500) when you enter a low level care or an extra service home you may be asked to pay a bond.The accommodation bond is an amount agreed between you and the aged care home. There is no fixed amount or formula for determining the bond, but you cannot be charged a bond which would leave you with assets less than two and a half times the basic single aged pension. Money raised by accommodation bonds is used to improve accommodation and services.
Accommodation charge
An accommodation charge is a daily amount you may be asked to pay in addition to your daily care fees when you enter high level care. If your assets exceed two and a half times the current single basic age pension (currently $34,500) when you enter a high level home, you may be asked to pay a charge.You cannot be asked to pay an accommodation charge if you have assets of less than two and a half times the current single basic age pension at the time you enter care. All money raised by Accommodation Charges must be used to improve accommodation and standards.
Daily care fees
Daily care fees are a contribution towards the cost of your care.Each person in care may be asked to pay a basic daily care fee and, depending on your income, you may also be asked to pay an additional income tested fee.
The maximum daily care fee for means tested pensioners is currently $32.05 a day. The maximum daily care fee for non-pensioners is currently $39.14 a day.
The fees are adjusted each March and September when the pension rates are reviewed.
If you have any questions about residential aged care, please call the Aged Care Information Line from anywhere in Australia on 1800 500 853
