What Happens at a My Aged Care Assessment?
If you've decided it's worth looking into support and haven't been assessed yet, the process can feel like a bit of a black box before you've been through it. Here's what actually happens, step by step, so you know roughly what to expect.
Before the assessment: how to request one
The starting point is My Aged Care, either by calling 1800 200 422 or registering through myagedcare.gov.au. You'll be asked some initial questions over the phone about the person's situation — this is a short screening step, not the full assessment itself, and it's used to work out what kind of assessment is needed and how it should be arranged.
Who carries out the assessment
An assessor from a regional assessment service conducts the actual assessment, usually by visiting the home, though in some circumstances it may be done by phone or video call instead. It's a conversation, not a test — the assessor is there to understand how someone is actually managing day to day, not to catch them out.
What the assessment covers
Expect questions across a few areas: physical health and mobility, personal care like showering and dressing, everyday household tasks, safety in and around the home, and social connection and mood. If someone else — a spouse or family member — is providing informal care, the assessor will usually ask how that person is coping too, since carer strain is a genuine factor in what support gets recommended.
What happens after
If you're found to have ongoing care needs, you'll receive an approval letter setting out your funding classification (one of eight levels under Support at Home) and a priority category — urgent, high, medium or standard — which affects how long before that funding becomes available to use. We've written a separate guide on what to do once that letter arrives, including how to compare and choose a provider.
Tips for the day of your assessment
A few things families tell us helped: be honest about the harder days, not just the good ones — it's easy to put your best foot forward when someone visits, but that can understate the actual level of need. Have a family member or support person present if you can, since a second perspective often fills in details the person being assessed might not think to mention. And it can help to jot down a few specific examples beforehand — a missed medication, a fall, a task that's become genuinely difficult — rather than trying to summarise everything on the spot.
Where Elvana Care fits in
We're not part of My Aged Care and don't carry out assessments ourselves or influence their outcome. Once you do have a funding classification, My Aged Care's Find a Provider search is a good place to look through your registered options; separately from that, you're welcome to compare us directly too, or come to us straight away if you already know what you're after. If you'd like to talk through what to expect before your assessment, or what your options look like afterwards, we're happy to have that conversation.