How we compare
What makes an aged care assessment hard, and how we compare
The form isn't the hard part. Saying what's true is. The person you care for says they're fine. You're not sure what counts as help. Describing how much they've declined feels like letting them down. Our free tool is built for that part. Below, each worry sits next to how we help and your other options, including the free ones and what we don't do.
How do we compare with other help?
| The worry | How we help | Your other options |
|---|---|---|
| “They'll tell the assessor they're fine, and I can't correct them in front of a stranger.” | How we help Write down the everyday help before the visit: the reminders, the checking, the standing by. It's on paper for the assessor, so you don't have to correct them out loud. | Your other options My Aged Care says a family member or supporter can give the assessor information before the assessment. Its preparation page lists what to bring, not how to write that information down. |
| “I don't know what they'll ask, or what counts as help.” | How we help One topic at a time, with an example for every question. Help includes reminding, checking and standing by, not only doing things for them. | Your other options My Aged Care explains the steps and what to bring. Provider and marketplace websites offer free checklists of documents and topics. |
| “Saying out loud how much they've declined feels like letting them down.” | How we help You write it at home, in your own time and your own words, and only what's true. Nothing exaggerated.“The questions asked and the examples given … helped lessen the sadness and guilt I was feeling.” | Your other options Carer Gateway offers free counselling for carers on 1800 422 737 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm). |
| “Everyone wants something from us, and we can't pay a professional.” | How we help The tool is free, with no account. We take no commissions from any aged care provider. We're paid only by people who buy from us. | Your other options My Aged Care and OPAN are free and government-funded. Providers want you as a client, and some placement services are paid a fee by the provider you choose, so ask how they're paid. Private navigators charge their own fees. |
| “I'd rather talk it through with a person than use a website.” | How we help We can't. We're a website: a free tool and plain-English guides. We don't apply for you, attend the assessment or speak for you. | Your other options OPAN's advocates are free, independent and confidential: 1800 700 600. If the older person needs a lot of help and has no one to help them, a care finder can help with forms and, where appropriate, attend the assessment. Both are free. |
We never promise what an assessment will decide. A statement helps the assessor hear what really happens, completely and accurately.
If an assessment is coming up
You know how they really manage. Make sure the assessor hears it.
It's easy to forget things on the day. Our free tool turns what you see day to day into a written statement, built only from your answers, to give to the assessor. It works for a first assessment or a reassessment, and we'll email you a copy.
Prepare for the assessment — free →New to these terms? See the full glossary →
Common questions
Do I have to pay someone to help with an aged care assessment?
No. The assessment is free through My Aged Care (1800 200 422). OPAN's advocates are free (1800 700 600), and so is our statement tool. Private navigators charge their own fees, if you choose one.
What's the difference between OPAN and a care finder?
OPAN's advocates help older people understand and access aged care and stand up for their rights. Care finders help older people who need intensive support and have no one to help, including, where appropriate, by attending the assessment. Both are free.