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Call the Aged Care Advocacy Line, our national team of advocates is available Monday to Friday 8am–8pm and Saturday 10am-4pm 

Self-advocacy toolkit

What you need to know for better aged care

Self-advocacy or speaking up means having the right information to get the care and support you need. Explore the topics below to start.

Home Self-advocacy toolkit Aged care costs Some practical tips

Some practical tips

Financial Advocacy Officers* are employed across OPAN’s national network to support advocates to ensure older people get the best value out of their aged care.

In this section and in the checklist below, they share some practical tips:

‘A lot of the conversation should happen before you even meet a service provider,’ says Kate Thomson, of Advocare, in Western Australia.

‘By knowing information up front, you can choose a (home care) package that suits you better.’

It’s just as important to do your homework if you are thinking about moving into residential care, says Heidri Brook, of ADA Australia, in Queensland.

“If you are assessed wrongly on your income and assets, you might be paying a lot more than you need to.”

*Note: Financial Advocacy Officers do not offer financial advice.

Understanding home care packages

This OPAN webinar explains home care packages, costs, statements and how to make the most of your home care. Click on the ‘CC’ button to turn on captions and the ‘V’ icon for full screen.

Documents and external links

Learn more practical tips. These documents and websites offer help, strategies, and practical information. Brief descriptions are provided for each document or link.

Practical tips: Home care costs

OPAN’s Financial Advocacy Officers have put together their top tips to help with understanding home care costs in this tips sheet. These practical tips around costs can be used when finding a provider, making the most of your current home care or switching to another provider. There are additional resources and suggestions listed. Download and print the practical tips, there is space to add your own notes and questions about your home care costs.

Services Australia Aged Care Specialist Officer

You can book a free face-to-face appointment with an Aged Care Specialist Officer in some locations across Australia, visit the page to find a location or make an appointment.

Need more support?
Call 1800 700 600