Policy information last reviewed: 7 October 2026
For many families, the hardest part of My Aged Care is not the assessment itself.
It is knowing where to start.
You may have noticed that your parent is becoming less steady on their feet, forgetting appointments, struggling with housework, relying more heavily on family, or simply finding everyday tasks more tiring than they used to be.
But does that mean it is time to contact My Aged Care?
What information do you need?
Can you call on your parent's behalf?
And what actually happens after that first contact?
This guide walks through the first step in plain English.
The aim is not to turn families into aged care experts.
It is to help you arrive at that first conversation prepared, organised and clear about what has changed.
First: what is My Aged Care?
My Aged Care is the Australian Government's main entry point to government-funded aged care services.
It helps older people and their families:
- understand what aged care support is available
- check whether the person may be eligible
- arrange an aged care assessment
- access information about services and providers
- manage parts of the aged care journey through a My Aged Care Online Account
Contacting My Aged Care does not mean that your parent is agreeing to move into residential aged care.
In fact, many people contact My Aged Care because they want support that may help them remain safely at home for longer.
Official information:
When is it worth contacting My Aged Care?
Families often wait until there is a crisis.
You do not have to.
It may be worth contacting My Aged Care when you start noticing that everyday life is becoming harder, less safe or increasingly dependent on unpaid family help.
Examples might include:
- difficulty showering or dressing
- increasing falls or near-falls
- difficulty cleaning or maintaining the home
- trouble preparing meals
- reduced mobility
- no longer being able to drive
- increasing memory problems
- difficulty managing medicines
- social isolation
- needing more help with shopping or appointments
- increasing pressure on a spouse, daughter, son or other family carer
Another useful question is:
If the family stopped helping tomorrow, what would no longer get done safely?
That often reveals how much support is already being provided behind the scenes.
Who can access My Aged Care?
As a general rule, My Aged Care is designed for people who:
- are aged 65 or over, or
- are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and aged 50 or over
People aged 50 or over who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness may also be eligible for aged care support.
Eligibility is not based on age alone.
My Aged Care also considers whether the person is experiencing changes or difficulties that affect everyday life, health, safety or independence.
This may include a change in:
- health
- mobility
- memory
- family care arrangements
- ability to manage daily activities
- safety at home
If you are unsure whether your parent qualifies, you do not need to work it out perfectly before making contact.
My Aged Care can help determine the appropriate next step.
Official information:
Am I eligible for aged care? | My Aged Care
Three ways to contact My Aged Care
There are several ways to begin.
For most families, the simplest options are online or by phone.
1. Apply online
You can start an application through the My Aged Care website.
The online application currently takes around 15–20 minutes for most people, depending on the person's circumstances and how much information is available.
A family member or friend can help with the application if they have the older person's consent.
Online entry point:
Apply for an assessment | My Aged Care
2. Call My Aged Care
You can call:
1800 200 422
Current published opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 8am–8pm
- Saturday: 10am–2pm
- closed Sundays and national public holidays
When you call, My Aged Care staff will ask questions to understand why the person is seeking help and whether an aged care assessment may be appropriate.
Official contact information:
3. Get face-to-face help
Some people find phone calls and online forms difficult.
You can also ask for face-to-face help from an Aged Care Specialist Officer (ACSO) through Services Australia.
ACSO staff can help with:
- understanding My Aged Care
- starting the application process
- navigating aged care services
- using My Aged Care online services
- understanding letters and next steps
Appointments can be arranged through Services Australia.
Aged Care line: 1800 227 475
Official information:
Aged Care Specialist Officer | Services Australia
What should you prepare before contacting My Aged Care?
You do not need a perfect folder containing every medical record your parent has ever had.
For the first contact, the most useful information is usually much simpler.
1. Basic personal details
Have information such as:
- full name
- date of birth
- address
- Medicare details
- contact details
- preferred language
- details of the person helping with the application, if relevant
If you are helping your parent, it is useful to have them nearby if possible, especially if My Aged Care needs to confirm consent.
2. A simple summary of what has changed
This is one of the most useful things you can prepare.
Rather than saying:
“Mum is getting old.”
try to identify specific changes.
For example:
“Six months ago Mum could do all her shopping herself. Now she needs me to take her every week.”
Or:
“Dad still showers himself, but he has fallen twice and now needs someone nearby.”
Or:
“Mum used to manage all her medicines. She is now forgetting doses several times a week.”
Specific examples make it much easier for the person on the phone to understand what support may be needed.
3. What family members are already doing
Families often forget to mention this because the help has gradually become part of everyday life.
Write down what family members are already doing.
For example:
- shopping
- transport
- cooking
- cleaning
- organising medicines
- booking appointments
- attending medical appointments
- managing bills
- checking in every day
- supervising showering
- helping with mobility
- providing emotional support
My Aged Care is not only interested in what the older person can or cannot do.
It is also important to understand:
what is currently only working because family members are stepping in.
4. Whether the current family care arrangement is sustainable
This is important.
Sometimes an older person appears to be “managing at home”, but only because:
- an older spouse is doing all the care
- a daughter is visiting every day
- a son has reduced work hours
- family members are sharing multiple appointments each week
If the current arrangement is becoming difficult to maintain, say so.
For example:
“My father is still living at home, but my mother is 82 and is doing almost all of his care.”
Or:
“I am currently helping Mum every day, but I work full-time and I cannot continue at this level long term.”
This is relevant information, not complaining.
5. Important health information
You do not usually need to prepare a full medical history before making first contact.
But it helps to know the main issues that are affecting everyday life.
For example:
- recent falls
- dementia or memory concerns
- stroke
- arthritis
- Parkinson's disease
- reduced vision
- reduced hearing
- continence problems
- significant frailty
- recent hospital admissions
- difficulty managing medicines
If a health condition is present but does not affect daily function, it may be less important at this stage than something that is creating a real safety or independence problem.
What if English is difficult?
You do not need strong English to access My Aged Care.
You can ask for an interpreter.
For telephone interpreting, TIS National can assist.
TIS National: 131 450
You can tell the interpreter which language you need and ask to be connected with My Aged Care.
Official information:
Help in other languages | My Aged Care
For Chinese-speaking families, it can also be helpful to write down the key changes in Chinese first, then prepare a few simple English terms if needed.
The important thing is that the older person's actual situation is understood.
Can I contact My Aged Care for my parent?
Yes, family members and friends can help.
My Aged Care specifically allows family members, friends and carers to assist with online or phone applications, provided they have the older person's permission.
Depending on what you need to do later, My Aged Care may also discuss options such as becoming a registered supporter.
The important principle is that, wherever the older person still has decision-making capacity, their wishes and consent remain central.
Helping with the process does not mean taking control away from them.
What if my parent refuses help?
This is often the real difficulty.
A parent may say:
“I don't need anything.”
“You already help me.”
“I don't want strangers coming into my house.”
“I'm not going into a nursing home.”
Trying to win the argument usually does not help.
It may be more useful to change the question.
Instead of:
“Do you need aged care?”
try:
“What is becoming annoying or tiring for you?”
Or:
“What would make it easier for you to keep living at home?”
Or:
“If someone helped with the cleaning, would that make things easier?”
The goal is not to convince someone that they are “old”.
It is to understand what support may help them keep more control over their life.
What happens during the first contact?
The first contact is generally an initial screening and information-gathering step.
My Aged Care may ask about areas such as:
- daily activities
- mobility
- health
- memory
- safety
- current support
- changes in family care arrangements
- what the person is finding difficult
- what they want help with
You do not need to provide polished or clinical answers.
Plain examples from everyday life are often more helpful.
For example:
“She can cook, but she has forgotten to turn the stove off twice.”
is more useful than:
“She has reduced instrumental activities of daily living.”
This first contact helps My Aged Care decide whether a formal assessment should be arranged and what type of assessment may be appropriate.
What happens after you contact My Aged Care?
If the initial screening indicates that your parent may need government-funded aged care support, My Aged Care can refer them for an assessment.
The assessment is a separate step.
An assessment organisation will usually contact the older person or nominated contact to arrange it.
The assessment looks in more detail at:
- what the person can still do
- what has become difficult
- safety risks
- existing family and community support
- health and functional needs
- personal goals
- what support may be suitable
The next article in this series explains this step in detail:
What Happens in a My Aged Care Assessment, and How Should You Prepare?
How long might you wait for an assessment?
Waiting times vary according to:
- the type of assessment
- the person's circumstances
- the urgency of their needs
- local assessment capacity
Current government guidance indicates that assessment referrals may be scheduled within approximately 5–40 calendar days, depending on priority and assessment type.
For the quarter from 1 April to 30 June 2026, the national median waiting time for completed assessments was reported as 26 days.
These figures are useful as a guide only.
If the person's situation worsens while waiting, contact My Aged Care and explain what has changed.
Official information:
What if the situation is urgent?
My Aged Care is not an emergency service.
If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, call:
Triple Zero (000)
If a family carer is reaching crisis point and emergency respite may be needed, Carer Gateway may also be able to help.
Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737
Carer Gateway provides information and support for unpaid carers, including access to emergency respite support.
Official information:
A simple first-contact preparation checklist
Before you call or apply online, it may help to have:
- Medicare details
- another form of identification if available
- basic contact details
- preferred language
- a short list of current health concerns
- recent falls, hospital admissions or memory changes
- a list of everyday tasks that have become harder
- notes about what family members are already doing
- whether the current family care arrangement can continue
- your parent's main concerns
- 2–3 things your parent would most like help with
- details of the family member or friend helping with the application
You do not need to know exactly which service your parent needs before making contact.
That is part of what the My Aged Care process is designed to help work out.
LIORA takeaway
The first My Aged Care contact does not need to be perfect.
You do not need to understand every program.
You do not need to know what funding classification your parent may eventually receive.
And you do not need to wait until the family is in crisis.
The most useful thing you can bring to that first conversation is a clear picture of:
What has changed?
What is becoming unsafe or difficult?
Who is already helping?
Can that help realistically continue?
What does your parent want to remain able to do?
That is enough to start.
The system can help determine the next step from there.
Navigating Australian Aged Care with Your Parents — Series
- What Aged Care Support Is Available for Your Parents in Australia? From Help at Home to Residential Aged Care
- Contacting My Aged Care for the First Time: What Should You Prepare? ← You are here
- What Happens in a My Aged Care Assessment, and How Should You Prepare?
- CHSP or Support at Home? Understanding Home Support for Older Parents
- What If Family Care Is Becoming Too Much? Understanding Respite Care
- When Should You Consider Residential Aged Care?
- My Aged Care or NDIS? Understanding the Age 65 Transition
- How Much Does Aged Care Cost in Australia?