Policy information last reviewed: 8 October 2026
After you first contact My Aged Care, the next step may be a formal aged care assessment if the initial screening suggests that your parent may need Australian Government-funded aged care support.
For many families, this is the point where the process starts to feel more serious.
Common questions include:
“What will the assessor actually ask?”
and:
“What if Mum or Dad says the wrong thing and misses out on support?”
The first thing to understand is this:
A My Aged Care assessment is not an exam, and there are no “perfect answers” to memorise.
The purpose of the assessment is to understand:
what your parent can still do independently, what has become difficult or unsafe, who is already helping, and what support may help them continue living safely and with dignity.
So the most useful preparation is not rehearsing answers.
It is preparing clear, honest and specific examples from everyday life.
Official information:
How the assessment process works | My Aged Care
How does the assessment usually work?
A My Aged Care assessment is generally conducted face-to-face, often in the older person's own home or wherever they are currently living.
That matters because aged care assessment is not only about diagnoses.
It is also about how someone is functioning in their real environment.
For example, the assessor may need to understand:
- whether the bathroom is a falls risk
- whether there are steps at the entrance
- whether getting out of bed or a chair has become difficult
- whether getting to the toilet at night is safe
- whether the kitchen can still be used safely
Before the assessment begins, the assessor will confirm that the older person agrees to the assessment.
If information is also needed from family members, carers, a registered supporter or health professionals, the appropriate consent will also be obtained.
Official information:
Preparing for your assessment | My Aged Care
Does everyone get asked the same questions?
Not exactly.
My Aged Care uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT).
The IAT provides a common assessment framework and includes a combination of:
- yes/no questions
- multiple-choice questions
- open-text questions
- validated assessment tools
The assessment may cover areas such as:
- physical health
- medical conditions
- thinking and memory
- emotional wellbeing
- home safety
- support needs
- risks
The assessor may explore some areas in more detail depending on the person's responses and circumstances.
So trying to memorise a fixed list of “correct answers” is not particularly useful.
What matters much more is being able to explain what has changed in real life.
Official information:
How the assessment process works | My Aged Care
Official IAT guide:
1. Daily activities: what can your parent still manage independently?
This is one of the most important parts of the assessment.
The assessor is not simply asking:
“Can Mum shower?”
The real question is closer to:
Can Mum shower safely, reliably and without someone else needing to step in?
Daily activities may include:
- showering
- dressing
- using the toilet
- getting in and out of bed or a chair
- moving around the home
- using stairs
- preparing meals
- shopping
- cleaning
- doing laundry
- going out
- managing everyday routines
For example:
Mum may still be physically able to shower herself.
But if she has fallen in the bathroom recently and now needs her daughter nearby every time she showers, saying:
“She showers independently.”
does not tell the full story.
A more accurate description would be:
“She can still shower herself, but since her recent falls she now needs someone nearby for safety.”
That is not exaggerating the situation.
It is describing the actual level of support that is already needed.
2. Mobility, stamina and falls risk
Being able to walk does not necessarily mean mobility is fine.
The assessor may want to understand:
- how far the person can walk
- whether walking is steady
- whether they hold onto furniture
- whether they use a walking stick
- whether they use a walker
- whether standing up from a chair has become difficult
- whether stairs are safe
- whether there have been recent falls
For example:
“Dad can still walk.”
and:
“Dad used to walk to the shops independently, but now he needs to stop and rest before reaching the front gate, and he has fallen twice in the past three months.”
give very different pictures.
The important question is not only:
“Can they do it?”
It is also:
How are they doing it, how much help is needed, and is it safe?
3. Physical health, medical conditions and medicines
The assessment will also look at current health conditions and how they affect everyday life.
You do not need to bring decades of medical records.
It is more useful to have a clear picture of:
- important current medical conditions
- prescription medicines
- over-the-counter medicines
- regular supplements
- any recent medicine changes
It is also useful to explain:
- whether medicines are sometimes forgotten
- whether there have been medication mistakes
- who currently organises medicines
- whether family members need to remind the person to take them
For example, an older person may say:
“I manage my own medicines.”
But if their daughter fills the medication organiser every week and phones every day to remind them, that family support should also be explained.
4. Memory, thinking and cognition
Changes in memory and thinking may also be explored.
The assessor may ask about:
- increasing forgetfulness
- repeatedly asking the same questions
- forgetting appointments
- getting lost
- forgetting to turn off the stove
- managing bills
- managing medicines
- handling more complex everyday tasks
Again, specific examples are much more useful than general descriptions.
For example:
“Her memory is getting worse.”
is less informative than:
“She has left the stove on twice in the past three months.”
Or:
“She used to manage all of her own bills, but after several missed payments her daughter has now taken over.”
Concrete examples help the assessor understand how memory changes are affecting real life.
5. Emotional wellbeing and social connection
aged care assessment is not only about physical health.
It may also consider:
- mood
- loneliness
- social isolation
- whether the person still takes part in community activities
- whether they still attend religious or cultural activities
- whether declining health has reduced how often they leave home
For example, someone may still be physically independent but have stopped going out almost completely after the death of a spouse.
That change can still have a significant effect on wellbeing and support needs.
If your parent used to enjoy church, Chinese community activities, walking or seeing friends, but now goes out much less because of mobility problems, lack of transport, difficulty going out alone or low mood, that is worth discussing.
6. Home and personal safety
The assessor may also look at practical safety risks in the home.
For example:
- falls risk in the bathroom
- whether grab rails may be needed
- steps at the entrance
- trip hazards
- safety when moving around at night
- whether the kitchen can still be used safely
- risk of wandering
- other personal safety concerns
Families sometimes think:
“Nothing serious has happened yet, so maybe it does not count.”
But if you already find yourself thinking:
“They are just managing now, but this could easily become unsafe.”
that is exactly the kind of concern worth raising during the assessment.
7. Who is already helping?
Families often underestimate this part.
An older person may say:
“I still live at home and do everything myself.”
But the reality may be:
- a daughter visits three times a week
- a son does all the shopping
- family members organise GP appointments
- medicines are managed by family
- a neighbour takes the bins out
- an older spouse is still doing a large amount of daily care
So:
Living at home does not automatically mean living independently.
Many older people are able to stay at home because family members are already providing a large amount of unpaid care.
That support should be described honestly.
It is also important to explain:
whether that family support can realistically continue.
If the main carer is exhausted, becoming unwell, working longer hours, or if another family member is moving away, those changes matter too.
My Aged Care specifically considers what support is already in place and whether it is sustainable.
Official information:
How the assessment process works | My Aged Care
What if Mum or Dad keeps saying, “I’m fine”?
This is common in many families.
Some older people do not want to admit they need help because they:
- do not want to burden their children
- do not want to acknowledge that things have changed
- worry that asking for help means being “sent to a nursing home”
- believe help from family does not count as support
It is usually not helpful to argue with them in front of the assessor.
It is also not appropriate to exaggerate.
A better approach is to prepare one page of factual examples before the assessment.
For example:
2 falls in the past 6 months Daughter does the shopping twice a week Family now helps manage all medicines No longer drives Needs someone nearby during showering Left the stove on once last month
This is useful because it is factual rather than emotional.
With the older person's consent, family members, carers or a registered supporter can also help provide relevant information during the assessment.
What should you prepare before the assessment?
My Aged Care recommends having a Medicare card and another form of identification available.
If you have referral information from a GP or other health professional, it may also be useful.
I also strongly recommend families prepare a few practical things in advance.
1. Basic identification and health information
Have available:
- Medicare card
- another form of ID, such as a driver's licence, passport, Health Care Card or DVA card
- GP referral information, if applicable
- contact details for the GP and other health professionals
- details of any support already being received
- information about aged care services you may want to discuss
Official checklist:
Preparing for your assessment | My Aged Care
2. A current medicines list
Include what is actually being used:
- prescription medicines
- over-the-counter medicines
- supplements
The goal is not only to list diagnoses.
It also helps show:
whether the person can still manage their medicines safely.
3. A one-page “what has changed” summary
This is one of the most useful things a family can prepare.
Use this format:
Before → What has changed → Who is helping now
For example:
Before: Mum cooked every day Now: She can only prepare very simple meals and has twice forgotten to turn off the stove Current support: Her daughter now prepares most meals each week
Or:
Before: Dad drove himself to GP appointments Now: He has stopped driving Current support: His son now provides transport to all appointments
This makes it much easier to see:
what has actually changed in day-to-day function.
4. Your parent's own goals
Before the assessment, ask:
“If someone could help, what would you most like to become easier?”
The answer might be:
“I want to keep living in my own home.”
“I want to shower safely.”
“I want to be able to go shopping again.”
“I do not want to rely on my daughter every day.”
“I want to keep going to church.”
“I want to feel steadier when I walk.”
These are not just conversational details.
The Support Plan records things such as:
- strengths
- difficulties
- goals
- desired outcomes
- service preferences
So thinking about these goals before the assessment can be very helpful.
Can family members attend the assessment?
Yes.
An older person can choose to have support from:
- a family member
- a friend
- a carer
- a registered supporter
- an Elder Care Support worker
- a care finder
- an interpreter
If an interpreter is needed, this can be requested.
Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may also choose support from an Elder Care Support worker to help make the process more culturally safe.
If the person needs independent aged care advocacy, they can contact the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN).
National Aged Care Advocacy Line: 1800 700 600
OPAN provides free, independent and confidential aged care advocacy support.
Official information:
Preparing for your assessment | My Aged Care
OPAN:
Request information or advocacy help | OPAN
The important principle is:
Family members are there to help the older person communicate clearly, not to take over decision-making.
The assessment should remain centred on the older person's needs, preferences and goals.
What questions should you ask the assessor?
Do not focus only on answering questions.
The assessment is also an opportunity to understand what happens next.
You may want to ask:
What services could help me reach my goals?
What services are available locally, and what are the likely waiting times?
What support is available for my carer or family?
Are there providers or staff who speak my language or understand my cultural, religious or community background?
If I have questions after the assessment, how do I contact the assessor or assessment organisation?
Writing these questions down beforehand can help.
What happens at the end of the assessment?
The assessment is not simply:
“Approved / not approved.”
The assessor works with the older person to develop a Support Plan.
The Support Plan may record:
- strengths
- difficulties
- goals
- desired outcomes
- service preferences
It helps describe what care and services may be appropriate.
The formal assessment outcome may also determine whether the person is eligible for Australian Government-funded aged care services such as:
- Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)
- Support at Home
- permanent residential aged care
- residential respite care
- Transition Care
- other eligible aged care programs
For Support at Home, the assessment outcome may also include a classification level and a priority classification.
Official information:
How the assessment process works | My Aged Care
A very important point: do not coach your parent to “say the right thing”
You may come across advice online such as:
“You must say this to get more support.”
I do not recommend approaching the assessment this way.
The assessment uses the IAT and other validated assessment tools to consider several areas of need.
The purpose is to:
identify the person's actual needs and risks as accurately as possible.
If the situation is understated, the assessment may not reflect the support that is genuinely needed.
If the situation is deliberately overstated, the Support Plan may not reflect reality.
The best preparation is not rehearsing answers.
It is being:
specific, honest and complete.
How long does it take to receive the assessment outcome?
After the assessment, the assessment organisation reviews the information and determines eligibility for relevant services.
As at 8 October 2026, My Aged Care advises that this process:
may take up to around 2 weeks, depending on the needs identified during the assessment.
The older person will then receive an:
assessment outcome letter, sometimes called a Notice of Decision.
If eligible for relevant services, they will also receive a:
Support Plan
Information may be sent by post or email, and some details may also be available through the My Aged Care Online Account.
Official information:
Receiving your assessment outcome | My Aged Care
What if you disagree with the assessment outcome?
The assessment outcome can be reviewed.
If the older person or family believes the outcome does not accurately reflect the person's situation, they can first discuss it with the assessment organisation.
They can also request a free internal review.
As at 8 October 2026, the current requirement is:
The request for internal review generally needs to be made within 28 days of receiving the assessment outcome letter.
The request can be made using the relevant internal review form, or according to the instructions in the Notice of Decision.
A family member, friend or registered supporter may also be able to request the review on the older person's behalf.
The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing will review the decision and may arrange a supplementary assessment if required.
Official information:
Receiving your assessment outcome | My Aged Care
What if your parent's needs change later?
Some families worry:
“Once the assessment is done, is that the decision forever?”
No.
If care needs change, a Support Plan Review can be requested.
If there has been a significant change in circumstances, a full reassessment may be required.
Examples may include:
- significant mobility decline
- a new major health problem
- the main carer can no longer continue
- an increase in falls
- the current support is no longer enough
A new assessment may result in a different service category, classification or priority.
Official information:
Receiving your assessment outcome | My Aged Care
Five-minute assessment preparation checklist
- Medicare card and another form of ID
- Current medicines list
- Important GP or specialist contact details
- Recent falls, hospital admissions or memory changes
- Daily activities that have become difficult
- Tasks that now require supervision or help
- Who is currently helping, and how much
- Whether the main carer can realistically continue
- The biggest home-safety concerns
- The 2–3 things your parent most wants to improve
- Whether a family member, interpreter or registered supporter should attend
- Questions you want to ask the assessor
LIORA takeaway
The most important question in a My Aged Care assessment is not:
“What should we say to get the most support?”
What matters is being able to explain four things clearly:
What could your parent do before that has now become difficult?
Are there current safety risks?
Who is providing support now, and can that support continue?
How does your parent want to live going forward?
The best preparation is not memorising answers.
It is being:
specific, honest and complete.
The goal is not to prove that your parent is “doing badly”.
It is to make sure that the support they genuinely need is accurately understood.
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?
- What Happens in a My Aged Care Assessment, and How Should You Prepare? ← You are here
- 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?