Aged care guides & resources

Straightforward, jargon-free guides to help families understand residential aged care in Australia - the costs, the steps, choosing a home, and the emotional side of the move. Written by the team at Paradise Lakes Care Centre on the Gold Coast.

Getting started

How to get into aged care

The full step-by-step path, from assessment to moving in.

What is an ACAT assessment?

The free assessment that unlocks subsidised residential care.

My Aged Care explained

How the Government's central entry point actually works.

Aged care waitlists explained

How waitlists work, how long they take, and how to plan.

Understanding costs

Understanding aged care costs

The basic daily fee, care fee and accommodation, in plain English.

RAD vs DAP

Lump sum, daily payment or a mix - how to choose.

The income & assets assessment

The Services Australia step that decides what you pay.

What happens to the family home?

Keep it or sell it - your options, explained calmly.

Choosing the right home

Aged care vs retirement village

Two very different things - how to tell them apart.

Residential care vs home care

Which type of care fits your situation, and when.

Questions to ask on a tour

A practical checklist for visiting a home.

Star ratings explained

What the My Aged Care stars measure - and their limits.

Family & local

Moving a parent into aged care

The emotional and practical journey, with compassion.

Aged care on the northern Gold Coast

A local guide to the area and what to weigh up.

Your rights & the system

The new Aged Care Act

What the reforms mean for families, in plain English.

Your rights in aged care

The Charter of Aged Care Rights, explained simply.

Have a question we have not covered? See our frequently asked questions, or register your interest and we will help you plan ahead - with no cost and no obligation.