Residential Care – Frequently Asked Questions

Click on one of the questions below to find out more.

Yes, depending on availability of a bed in the Residential Care residence. Residents entering aged care facilities will need to have a current completed ACAT assessment.

Yes. Regular activities and social events and functions are held in all our Residential Care residences. Family and loved ones are welcome and invited to participate and share in the experience with residents.

Yes, as long as your GP is prepared to undertake onsite visits to our retirement communities.

Family and loved ones’ visiting is unrestricted. We do request that all visitors sign our visitors’ register on entering and leaving the premises. This not only helps us get to know residents’ visitors, it helps to ensure their safety in the event of an unexpected emergency evacuation.

Yes, it is important for your comfort and well-being to personalise your room, however we suggest you view the accommodation first to assess what would be suitable to bring with you for your room.

Small pets on site in our retirement communities is at the discretion of each site Manager. We suggest you speak with the site Manager at your preferred Adventist Retirement Plus community for further information.

Vacancies vary on a daily basis so we suggest you speak with the Care Manager at your preferred Adventist Retirement Plus Community for further information.

Yes, medications are administered upon doctor’s orders by our registered nurses and suitably qualified enrolled nursing staff. We can assist you to take your medications daily as needed.

Yes, depending on room availability at each Residential Care residence. We suggest contacting the Care  Manager at your preferred site location for further information to determine availability of rooms and vacancies. Both residents entering care as a couple must have a valid ACAT assessment.

Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) – a lump sum payment for accommodation in an aged care home. This is the price of a room, in lump sum form, that residents have agreed with their aged care home to pay. Residents can pay their accommodation price in full by RAD or they can pay via combination of a smaller RAD and Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) or they can pay in full by DAP.

If the residents and their aged care home agree, the resident can ask their provider to deduct certain amounts from the lump sum they already paid – for example for care fees. The RAD, minus any amounts deducted (as agreed), is refunded when the residents leaves the aged care home.

Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) – the daily payment for accommodation in an aged care home. The aged care facility will work out the DAP based on a legislated formula that converts the RAD price to a DAP price. The resident makes this payment on a regular basis, up to a month in advance, similar to paying rent.

The DAP is not refunded when the resident leaves the aged care home or decides to pay a RAD.

The resident can choose to pay a combination of a RAD and a DAP for their accommodation costs.

You can choose to pay your accommodation costs by:

  • a lump-sum style ‘refundable accommodation deposit’
  • rental-type payments called a ‘daily accommodation payment’, or
  • a combination of both.

If the service provider has asked you to pay an accommodation payment, you will have 28 days from the day you entered care to decide your payment method.

You must pay your accommodation costs by the rental-type payment method until you decide on your ongoing payment method.

You can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to help you estimate the fees and charges you may have to pay towards your residential aged care. Before you call you should have your financial information ready, especially details of your various forms of income and assets.

Yes, your means-tested care fee may change. If your income and assets change, your assessment will be updated. The Australian Government will let you and your provider know if your means-tested care fees have changed. If your assessment reduces, you may receive a refund from your aged care home. If your assessment increases you may be asked to pay more, however, this will not be back-dated.

If your income or assets change during the assessment period, you should advise the Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.