Residential Care Advice
& Placement Specialists

Aged Care Placement

Placing a loved one into an aged care home is one of the most challenging and emotional decisions a family can face.

The journey is often fraught with stress, uncertainty, and many questions:

• How do I find the right home for my relative?
• What are the quality standards of various facilities?
• Can we afford the care our loved one needs?

At Aged Care Connect, we understand these concerns deeply.

We are here to provide you with compassionate, expert guidance every step of the way.

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Navigating the Aged Care Maze

Families tell us that the finding quality aged care for their elderly loved one was like "navigating a maze", but it doesn't have to be that way.

When our aged care placement specialists help with aged care placement, the family will:

• have a single point of contact for the complete aged care placement process
• reduce the possibility of mistakes being made
• save time and effort
• reduce the level of emotional stress
• minimise the cost of accommodation
• make an informed decision

Person-Centred Aged Care Placement

We offer tailored advice and practical services that address your family's unique needs and circumstances.

From initial discussions to final placement, we are with you every step of the way.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

To fully understand the quality of care, accommodation and lifestyle services available you need to complete detailed research and you need time and effort to get that all done. What are the steps required to achieve the best placement for your elderly loved one ?

Step-by-Step Process

We have a proven step-by-step process which will help you with the placement, which includes:

• Collecting and understanding your individual care needs, financial situation, preferred location, and your personal preferences
• Completing and sending the Centrelink paperwork (Forms SA485 or SA457)
• Researching and shortlisting appropriate aged care homes
• Arranging facility visits according to your preferred timetable
• Preparing all application and pre-admission paperwork
• Monitoring the applications and advocating priority admission on your behalf
• Negotiating the residential care fees and charges, specifically the Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) and other service fees (if applicable)
• Liaising with related service providers, such as My Aged Care, Aged Care Assessors, and hospital discharge coordinators (if applicable)

Our personalised service is tailored to your unique family requirements and covering all aspects of aged care advice and placement.

Still searching for an Aged Care Home?

• Finding your way through the residential aged care maze is not easy
• With many aged care reforms and options to consider, it is sensible to seek advice before making important decisions
• Make your task easier by having an experienced aged care specialist to guide you

How do you choose between aged care options?

• Choosing between the available aged care homes and making the right decision can be daunting
• What is the quality of care at each home?
• Are there worthwhile activity programs available?
• Is the aged care home within the family budget?
• Should you take a vacancy just because it is available now - or will you regret a hasty decision?

There are many aspects to consider - so choosing the right aged care option can quickly become overwhelming for a beginner or the unwary.

Making sure that the care provider you select is the best local option

Placing your elderly loved one into any aged care option should never be left to chance or done in haste.

We have already completed years of research and have experienced the good and the bad, and have collected the information you need.

We have been through the process many hundreds of times with other families - you can benefit from that experience and knowledge.

Human Rights and Aged Care

The new Aged Care Act is being rewritten with a Human Rights focus, reflecting the need for a fundamental overhaul of our Aged Care system. The revised Aged Care Act will place a greater emphasis on the rights and dignity of older people, and will require aged care providers to take a more person-centered, human rights approach to care.

Read more about the Aged Care Act

Testimonials

Andrea Lewis

  Thanks again for your help in securing the room. We could see the relief in Mum’s face when she arrived at her room. Once she was dressed in street wear, not hospital wear, she seemed more confident and hopefully in time most if not all of the confidence she had before she entered hospital will return.  

Karen Di N.

  Thank you once again for everything. I am sleeping much better now, not having to worry about my Father's financial situation (at the aged care home) as much. What you have done is give me peace of mind that he can afford the extra odd bill . I will be very happy to recommend your services.  

Gwen and Brian Newell

  Thank you for the amazing job you've done for us. We cannot express enough what your assistance meant to us. You were a special blessing sent from heaven. I know we could never have managed without you. Our thanks and love to you both.  

Read More Testimonials

MPIR is 8.51% ( from 1/10/2026 )

The majority of the rates and thresholds used for aged care purposes are indexed to the Age Pension. On the 20th September, the single pension increased $1,237.70/fn. A strong increase of $36.80/fn. For those DVA War Widow Pensioners out there, their pension will move to $1,261.60/fn.

This increase in the pension is a direct reflection of the increases in the costs of living, as it is adjusted based on The Living Cost Index (LCI).

However the stronger the increase to the age pension, the larger the increase to daily fees in aged care.

• Daily Care Fee will increase to $68.93/day
• The fully supported threshold is $66,500
• The non-supported threshold is $219,858.40
• The maximum accommodation contribution for refurbished/non-refurbished is $73.73/$48.09 respectively.

The maximum Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) an aged care provider can charge without explicit pricing approval from the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) increased to $789,686. Using a MPIR of 8.51%, this equates to a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) of $184.12/day. It is therefore no surprise that aged care homes are prioritising non-concessional residents rather than allocating rooms to concessional residents and earning a maximum of $73.73/day – ie. 147% more profitable !

More about RAD, DAP & MPIR

RAD Retention Amount

The Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) now has a retention of 2% of the paid RAD (up to a maximum 10% across 5 years) from the date of the first payment. It’s interesting here that it is based on what RAD you have paid. We are expecting that some clients may pay a small/nominal RAD/RAC at entry in order to “kick-start” the 5 year clock. This will limit the total retention fee exposure over a client’s lifetime in care. Smart move.

MPIR Indexed to CPI

The MPIR which is applied to the unpaid RAD will now be indexed to CPI twice a year (similar to how the Basic Daily Fee moves in line with the age pension). This is going to be hard for the novice to monitor as there will now be an indexation factor to apply to the original MPIR which will be based on the date in which the client entered care.

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Smoking & Aged Care

We recently received a request from a Discharge Coordinator at a Metropolitan Hospital to find residential care placement for a smoker. Many aged care homes are now reducing the beds available for smokers. We have prepared the following information for families who may also be facing this challenge.



Smoking & Aged Care - Read More

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Recent Aged Care Reforms

The new Aged Care Act is now in force, and financial changes have been implemented to make sure that people who have the financial means contribute more towards the cost of their care and accommodation.

We know that major changes like this can sometimes feel confusing or worrying, so here’s a simple summary of what’s new and how it might affect you or your loved one:

• Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD): Aged care homes will now be able to deduct 2% per year (calculated monthly) from any RAD that’s been paid, for up to five years. So for example, if the aged care home sets the RAD to $750,000; the aged care home will retain $15,000 each year from the lump sum RAD. The aged care home will be able to deduct up to $75,000 from the RAD, if the resident stays for more than 5 years.
• Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP): The DAP will still be worked out using the MPIR (the interest rate when you enter care), but from now on, that rate will be reviewed twice a year.
• Non-clinical care fee: A new means-tested fee will help cover the cost of everyday personal care — things like showering, dressing, meal assistance, and mobility support.
• Hotel supplement: This payment, which currently helps aged care homes cover services like catering, cleaning, and laundry, will also become means-tested, with residents contributing according to their financial situation.
• If your loved one was already living as a permanent resident in aged care before 1 November 2025, they’ll be grandfathered under the past rules.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to discuss your options or get a better understanding of what these recent reforms to residential care really mean for your family.

We are always happy to help and will make the process feel a lot less stressful.

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Care & Placement Guides

Assessment - Home Care
Assessment - Residential Care
Residential Care Agreement
Age Pension Current Rates
Residential Care Fee Categories
Current Fees and Charges
Basic Daily Fee
What is a RAD, DAP, MPIR?
RAD
DAP
MPIR
Current & Historical MPIR's
Additional Service Fee (ASF)
Centrelink Form SA456 Explained
Centrelink Form SA485 Explained
Centrelink Form SA457 Explained
Smoking & Aged Care