The Aged Care Assessment
You might know it as an “ACAT assessment.” The name has changed since November 2025, but the purpose is the same: an independent assessment of what care and support someone needs. Here’s exactly what happens — before, during, and after.
📄 ACAT, ACAS, IAT — what’s what
ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) was the name used in most states before November 2025. In Victoria it was called ACAS. You’ll still hear people say “ACAT” — it’s fine to use both terms.
From 1 November 2025, assessments are now done under the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) by the same types of assessors, but with a single national system replacing the old state-based teams.
In practice: the process feels similar. An assessor visits, asks about daily life and care needs, and determines what level of funded support someone is eligible for.
Who needs an assessment
An assessment is required before you can access most government-funded aged care. This includes:
The Support at Home program (home care — all 8 classification levels). Residential aged care (moving into an aged care home). Transition Care (after hospital). Short-Term Restorative Care.
You do not need a formal assessment for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) — which provides more basic, entry-level help like meals, transport and domestic assistance. That uses a simpler screening process.
Not sure if you need an assessment? Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. They’ll ask a few questions and tell you exactly which pathway applies to your situation.
How to request an assessment
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Call My Aged Care: 1800 200 422
This is the entry point for the entire system. Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 10am–2pm. You can call on behalf of someone else with their permission. If the person can’t give consent, explain the situation — they can still proceed.
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Registration and screening
The My Aged Care operator will register the person, ask some questions about their situation and care needs, and determine whether a basic support referral or a full assessment is the right next step. This call usually takes 20–40 minutes.
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Referral to an assessor
If a full assessment is appropriate, My Aged Care refers to a regional assessment team. They will contact you to arrange a home visit. Wait times vary — see below.
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The home visit
An assessor comes to wherever the person is living — home, hospital, or a family member’s house. The visit typically lasts 1–2 hours.
GP letter helps: A letter from the GP summarising the person’s medical conditions, medications, and functional limitations gives the assessor important context and often results in a more accurate classification. Ask the GP before the visit.
The visit itself — what to expect
The assessor is usually a registered nurse, occupational therapist, or social worker. They are there to help, not to catch anyone out. The conversation is about daily life — what the person can and can’t do, what support they already have, what they might need.
📋 Prepare for the visit — bring or have ready:
The assessor will ask about things like: getting in and out of bed, bathing and dressing, cooking and eating, managing medications, getting around the house and outdoors, safety at home, cognitive function, and social connection.
You can have a family member or support person present. This is recommended if the person finds it hard to describe their difficulties accurately — many people understate what they’re struggling with when talking to a professional, especially with a family member in the room who they don’t want to worry.
Common mistake: Your parent may put on their best performance — tidying the house, dressing carefully, presenting as more capable than they are on an average day. This is completely understandable but can result in a lower classification than reflects reality. It helps to briefly tell the assessor (privately if needed) what a typical hard day actually looks like.
The outcome — what it means
After the visit, the assessor determines which support programs the person is eligible for and at what level. For Support at Home, this is one of 8 classification levels with different funding amounts.
The result is communicated by letter. It can take a few days to a few weeks. If approved for Support at Home, the person is placed in the national allocation queue — once a place is allocated, they choose a provider and services begin.
Not a permanent judgment: The assessment result can be reviewed if circumstances change — for example, after a hospital stay, a fall, or a significant health event. You can request a review at any time. Care needs change, and the assessment should reflect current reality.
Waiting times — the honest picture
Wait times have been a significant problem in the old system. Under Support at Home, the government has committed to shorter waits, but in practice times still vary by region and urgency.
For the assessment visit itself: typically 2–6 weeks from referral for non-urgent cases. For urgent situations (post-hospital, safety risk), assessors can prioritise — sometimes within days.
After the assessment and approval, there is a further wait for a funded place to be allocated. This varies significantly by classification level and location.
If you can’t wait: Tell My Aged Care the situation is urgent. If there is a genuine safety risk at home, say so clearly. For the gap while waiting, ask the GP about Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services, which can often start faster and provide basic support in the meantime.
If you disagree with the outcome
You have the right to request a review if you believe the assessment doesn’t accurately reflect the person’s needs. This is more common than people realise, and it’s a legitimate part of the process.
First step: contact My Aged Care (1800 200 422) and ask for an explanation of the decision. Sometimes the assessor has information gaps that a phone call can resolve.
If you want a formal review: ask for an internal review in writing. Include any additional medical evidence — specialist letters, hospital records, updated GP notes — that wasn’t available at the original visit.
If the internal review doesn’t resolve it: you can escalate to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, or contact OPAN (1800 700 600) for free independent advocacy.
What to do next: Once you have an assessment outcome, the next step is choosing a provider and setting up services. Read our Support at Home guide for what to look for and how to compare providers.