By Steve Hadfield, AgedCareActionPlan.au · Last updated: 26 April 2026
A single point difference in how one domain is scored can shift the classification by one level — worth up to $8,260 in annual funding. The assessor doesn't tell you this before they arrive. The government website doesn't flag it. This guide does.
The assessor is coming. You don't know exactly what they'll ask. You're not sure what the right answers are, or whether describing things honestly will help or hurt. That uncertainty is normal — and it's fixable.
Whether you're preparing for your own assessment, a partner's, or a parent's, the challenge is the same: the assessor sees a 45–75 minute snapshot. The funding decision reflects years. This guide shows you what to prepare so the snapshot is accurate.
Start with the assessment preparation tool to generate a printable statement covering all 8 domains. Come back to this guide for the full picture of what the assessor is measuring and why it matters.
The assessment determines your Support at Home classification — a number from 1 to 8. Each classification level comes with a quarterly funding budget. Classification 1 provides approximately $2,683 per quarter. Classification 8 provides approximately $78,309 per quarter.
The assessor uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) — a standardised questionnaire covering 8 domains of functioning and need. The scores feed into an algorithm that generates a classification recommendation. The assessor also applies clinical judgment to what they observe.
The outcome is not permanent, but changing it after the fact requires a formal review. Getting it right at the first assessment is significantly easier. See how the IAT algorithm works if you want the full technical picture.
The assessor is not there to find reasons to move you into residential care. They are there to work out what support would help you stay living at home. Describing your difficulties honestly doesn't put your independence at risk — it's the only way to get the support that protects it. Underselling means less funding, which means less help, which means more risk of things going wrong.
Older people commonly understate difficulties for three reasons: they've adapted and no longer notice what they're no longer doing; they don't want to seem like a burden; or they worry that disclosing needs will lead somewhere they don't want to go. None of these is dishonest. All of them lead to under-funded care.
Prepare by writing down — before the assessor arrives — the things that are genuinely harder than they used to be. Include specific incidents, not just general statements. "I sometimes have trouble with cooking" is vague. "I left the stove on twice last month and didn't hear the smoke alarm" is specific and useful.
Three patterns account for most of the gap between real need and assessed need.
Carers — spouses, adult children, friends — quietly take over tasks without realising the baseline has shifted. The cooking gets modified. The medications get managed. The shopping route gets changed. By the time of the assessment, the person being assessed appears more capable than they would be without all that invisible support. Carers who describe the current situation without naming what they do to make it work produce an incomplete picture.
The presence of a visitor — especially a formal one — often triggers better performance than the person's usual daily baseline. Someone who struggles with word-finding most mornings may speak clearly during an assessment. Someone who is normally confused about time may be oriented during a structured conversation. The assessor is seeing the best version of a 75-minute window. You need to describe the other 23 hours and 45 minutes.
"I manage fine." "I don't want to be a bother." "I don't need that much help." These are not dishonest answers. They're protective responses from people who have been independent all their lives and find it uncomfortable to describe limitation. The assessor cannot read past them. You can address this before the visit by being specific together about what "managing fine" actually involves.
The IAT scores across 8 domains. For each one, prepare specific examples — incidents with dates where possible, not general descriptions. The more specific, the more useful.
What it measures: Ability to perform daily tasks — showering, dressing, cooking, cleaning, toileting, moving around the home.
How to prepare: List every task that requires help or has been modified. Note how often, how much help, and what happens when help isn't available.
"She can't shower without someone in the bathroom. She's fallen twice trying to get out of the bath. We've removed the bath. We lay out her clothes every morning because she loses track of what she's already put on."
What it measures: Memory, orientation, decision-making, and the ability to manage daily tasks without reminders or support.
How to prepare: Note specific incidents: missed medications, getting lost in familiar places, repeated questions, confusion about time or day, difficulty with money or bills.
"He asks what day it is four or five times a day. He's left the stove on twice this month. He can't manage his medication without a Webster pack and daily reminders."
What it measures: Mood, anxiety, depression, and emotional wellbeing — including how these affect daily function.
How to prepare: Note changes in behaviour, withdrawal from activities, expressions of hopelessness, anxiety about specific situations, and any diagnosis or treatment.
"She's stopped going to her book club. She says there's no point. She cries most mornings. Her GP has her on an antidepressant but she says it's not working."
What it measures: Social connections, participation in activities, risk of isolation, and access to community.
How to prepare: Note what social activities have been given up, what transport barriers exist, who visits, and how often the person is alone.
"He used to play bowls three times a week. He hasn't been in six months. He can't drive any more. He's alone from Monday to Friday unless I come."
What it measures: Risk of falls, environmental hazards, and ability to respond to emergencies.
How to prepare: Note falls history (dates, injuries), near-misses, hazards in the home, and whether they can use a phone in an emergency.
"She's had three falls in four months. The last one needed a hospital visit. There's a step at the front door she finds difficult. She doesn't have a personal alarm."
What it measures: Eating adequately, hydration, weight loss, and ability to prepare or access food.
How to prepare: Note unintentional weight loss, meals skipped, difficulty cooking, reliance on convenience food, and any GP concerns about nutrition.
"He's lost 8kg in three months. He says he forgets to eat. He can't cook any more — he once left a pot burning and didn't notice the smoke alarm."
What it measures: Chronic conditions, medications, symptoms, pain, and how health affects daily functioning.
How to prepare: List all diagnoses and medications. Note how conditions affect daily life specifically — not just what the condition is, but what it stops the person from doing.
"Her COPD means she's short of breath after walking from the bedroom to the kitchen. She rests twice getting dressed. She can't carry shopping."
What it measures: Whether a carer is available, their capacity and health, and what would happen if carer support was removed.
How to prepare: Be honest about carer capacity — including your own health, other responsibilities, and what is genuinely sustainable long-term.
"I'm 74 and I have my own health problems. I can help with shopping twice a week. I can't do personal care. If I'm sick, there's no backup."
A written summary of daily difficulties
One page, specific examples, covering as many of the 8 domains as possible. Give this to the assessor at the start of the visit.
GP letter or health summary
Ask the GP specifically to describe functional limitations — what the person cannot do, or can only do with help — not just diagnoses. Diagnoses alone don't score in the IAT.
Medication list
A current, complete list. Polypharmacy (many medications) is itself an indicator of complexity.
Incident log if available
Falls, near-misses, burns, floods, getting lost — dated if possible. These are direct evidence of risk that assessment questions may not fully surface.
Hospital discharge summaries
If there's been a recent hospitalisation, bring the discharge paperwork. It often contains functional assessments that support the picture you're presenting.
A support person
A carer, family member, or trusted friend can add context the person being assessed may not raise or remember. They can speak directly to what they observe every day.
Start with the most significant difficulty, not with a general overview of health. The assessor needs functional limitations and specific incidents. Diagnoses are context — limitations are evidence.
"Before we start, I'd like to give you a written summary of the main difficulties we're dealing with. The things that concern me most are [name the two or three most significant limitations]. I've written down specific examples for each of the 8 areas — can I hand this to you now?"
Avoid starting with "I manage okay" or "We cope." These are protective responses that frame the conversation in a way that works against an accurate assessment. If asked directly whether you're managing, a more accurate answer is: "We manage because of significant adjustments and support — without those, it wouldn't be safe."
This is common. The presence of a formal visitor changes the dynamic. Someone who is usually confused may be quite coherent during a structured conversation. Someone who struggles with walking may be on their best behaviour for a stranger.
The assessor is trained to recognise this — but they can only work with what they observe and what you tell them. Your job is to make sure the documented evidence covers the other days.
"I want to make sure you have the full picture. Today seems like a better day than usual. Most days are quite different — I've described those in the written summary I gave you. Would you like me to talk through any of those examples?"
This is not dishonest. Presenting the typical day rather than the assessment day is exactly what the assessor needs. The assessment is meant to reflect everyday functioning, not peak performance.
From 1 November 2025, the old ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) system was replaced by a unified Single Assessment System using the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). All aged care assessments — for home support, Support at Home, and residential care — now use the same tool and the same workforce.
The practical difference for families: the IAT is more standardised and algorithmic than the old ACAT process. Scores feed directly into classification recommendations. This makes the quality of your preparation more important, not less — because the algorithm is working from the data the assessor enters, and that data is shaped by the conversation in the room.
See the IAT algorithm decoded for a detailed breakdown of how the classification scoring works.
You can request a formal review. Under the Aged Care Act 2024, you have the right to request reconsideration of your assessment outcome. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 within 28 days of receiving your Notice of Decision.
When requesting a review, bring specific documented evidence that was not captured in the original assessment — incidents, limitations, and functional difficulties with dates. A GP letter supporting the review is useful.
The escalation ladder guide covers what to do if the review is also not resolved satisfactorily — including contact with OPAN (1800 700 600) for free independent advocacy.
Use the assessment preparation tool to generate a printable carer statement covering all 8 domains — ready to hand to the assessor when they arrive.
An assessor visits at home and uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to score needs across 8 domains. The visit takes 45–75 minutes. Scores feed into an algorithm that generates a classification recommendation. The assessor also applies clinical judgment based on what they observe. The outcome determines Support at Home funding.
Function (daily tasks), Cognition (memory and decision-making), Psychological State (mood and anxiety), Social Engagement (connection and isolation), Home Safety (falls and environment), Nutrition (eating and hydration), Health and Wellbeing (conditions and medications), and Carer (carer availability and needs). Each domain is scored. The scores feed into the classification algorithm.
Three patterns are common. Carers adapt quietly — taking over tasks without realising the baseline has changed. People present better than usual when a visitor arrives. Older people minimise difficulties out of fear of losing independence. Preparing specific examples in advance counters all three.
Request a formal review. Under the Aged Care Act 2024, you have the right to request reconsideration of your outcome. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 within 28 days of receiving your Notice of Decision. Bring specific incidents and functional limitations — not just diagnoses.
Both. The IAT algorithm generates a recommendation from the domain scores. The assessor can apply clinical judgment to modify it. This is why preparation matters — the assessor's judgment is informed by what they see and hear in the room, not just numbers.
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This guide is for information only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Verified against the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. Check myagedcare.gov.au for current rates and rules.