What should I prepare before an ACAT assessment?
Navigating the System & Eligibility
Assessments
Start with My Aged Care guidance
In short...
Before your ACAT assessment, gather your Medicare card, another form of ID (like a driver's licence or pension card), doctor referrals, and a list of current medications. Note any support you currently receive, and think about your specific needs, daily challenges, and personal goals for maintaining independence. A little preparation goes a long way to ensure the assessor gets a complete picture of your situation.
The details...
What should I prepare for an ACAT assessment?
An ACAT assessment—now generally called a comprehensive aged care assessment—looks at how you are managing day to day and what support may help you remain safe and independent.
You do not need to prepare a large folder of paperwork. The most important thing is to give the assessor an honest picture of what is becoming difficult, including the help currently provided by family or friends.
Documents and information to have ready
Where available, prepare:
your Medicare card
one other form of identification, such as a driver’s licence, healthcare card, passport or DVA card
copies of any relevant referrals from your doctor
contact details for your GP and other regular health professionals
a current medication list
relevant hospital discharge summaries or medical information
details of any support you already receive.
Medical records and referrals can be useful, but you do not need to delay the assessment if you do not have every document available.
Think about what is becoming difficult
Before the assessment, consider which parts of daily life are becoming harder, unsafe or more tiring.
This may include:
showering, dressing or using the toilet
preparing meals and eating properly
cleaning, laundry and household maintenance
shopping and transport
walking, using stairs or getting in and out of chairs
taking medication correctly
remembering appointments or completing familiar tasks
recovering after illness, surgery or a hospital stay
remaining socially connected.
Try not to describe only what happens on a particularly good day. Explain what happens on difficult days, how often problems occur and whether family members have started doing more.
Explain the help already being provided
Make a note of support currently provided by:
family members
friends or neighbours
community organisations
privately paid workers
health professionals
existing aged care services.
Include tasks that may seem informal, such as a daughter doing the shopping, a neighbour taking out bins or a partner supervising medication.
This helps the assessor understand the person’s real level of need. It also shows what could happen if that unpaid support became unavailable.
Think about your goals
The assessment is not only about listing difficulties. The assessor will also ask what the person wants to achieve.
Goals might include:
continuing to live at home
showering more safely
regaining strength after hospital
returning to social activities
giving a family carer regular respite
preparing meals more independently
reducing the risk of falls.
The support plan should record the person’s strengths, difficulties, preferences and goals.
Have someone with you if helpful
You can ask a trusted family member, friend, carer or registered supporter to attend.
They can:
help explain what has been happening
remember details the person may overlook
take notes
ask questions
provide reassurance.
The person being assessed should still be included in the conversation and supported to express their own views.
Arrange communication support in advance
Tell the assessment organisation before the appointment if you need:
a language interpreter
an Auslan interpreter
cultural support
advocacy assistance
another communication adjustment.
You can request an interpreter at any stage of the assessment process.
Questions you may want to ask
Useful questions include:
What services could help with my assessed needs?
What services are available locally?
Are there waiting times?
What support is available for my carer?
What happens after the assessment?
When will I receive the outcome and support plan?
What can I do if my needs change?
How can I request a review if I disagree with the decision?
Practical tip
Do not minimise difficulties because you feel embarrassed or do not want to complain.
Instead of saying:
“I manage reasonably well.”
Give a practical explanation:
“I can shower by myself, but I have nearly fallen twice and now wait until my daughter is in the house.”
Specific examples help the assessor understand the level of support and risk more accurately.
The aim is not to prove that the person cannot cope. It is to give a complete picture of what they can do, what has become difficult and what assistance may help them remain independent.
What should I do next?
Confirm the details with My Aged Care or the relevant provider, write down your questions and ask for important information in writing before making a decision.
Helpful Local Home Help resources
Takeaways
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
- Ask questions early and seek independent help if anything feels unclear or unsafe.
About Local Home Help
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How providers appear on Local Home Help Local Home Help helps families discover home support services available in their area. Providers may appear on the site in a few different ways. Some providers create and manage their own listing on the platform. Others may appear based on publicly available information about services operating in a particular region. This helps families see a broader view of support options available locally. Where possible, we encourage providers to claim and manage their listing so information such as services offered, contact details and service areas remain accurate and up to date. There are no paid or enhanced listings on Local Home Help, and there never will be. Claiming or managing a listing has no effect on a provider's visibility, ranking, or how often it appears in a consumer's personalised shortlist, it simply keeps the information families see accurate and current. Local Home Help does not charge consumers to access the platform. We may generate revenue in other ways in the future, but none of these will ever influence which providers a consumer sees, how they're ranked, or what appears in their shortlist. Provider visibility is, and will remain, based solely on relevance to each family's stated needs. What does not influence Liz There are no paid or enhanced listings on Local Home Help, not now, and not in the future. No provider can pay for a higher position in Liz results, a better ranking, or inclusion in a consumer's shortlist. This is a permanent commitment, not a current-state description. Claiming or updating a profile does not improve a provider's ranking. It gives Liz more accurate information about the provider's services, coverage and care model, which can make the explanation of why a provider matched clearer, but it has no effect on whether or how highly that provider appears. Local Home Help intends to generate revenue in other ways in the future - for example through tools built for providers, or products separate from the consumer matching experience. None of these will influence which providers appear in Liz's results, how they're ranked, or what a consumer sees in their personalised shortlist. Visibility and ranking are based solely on the fit factors described above, and nothing else. This reflects the platform's core ethos: Local Home Help is built consumer-first. Every design and revenue decision is made so that what a family sees from Liz is the most relevant outcome for them. Never the most profitable outcome for Local Home Help or a provider.
Independence Statement
Our independence Local Home Help is designed to help families navigate the often confusing world of home support and aged care services. The platform aims to present information in a clear and balanced way so families can better understand the types of help available and where to find it. While providers may appear on the platform, Local Home Help does not recommend one provider over another. The decision about which service may be suitable will always depend on individual circumstances. Families are encouraged to contact providers directly, ask questions and make their own enquiries before making a decision. Our focus is to make the process of understanding and finding support at home easier. Local Home Help does not accept payment of any kind in exchange for provider visibility, ranking, or shortlist placement, and never will. Any future revenue Local Home Help generates will come from sources entirely separate from how providers are matched to consumers.
Quality Signals
What to look for when choosing a provider Finding the right support service can take time. When considering a provider, families may wish to look for signs of quality such as: Clear information about services offered Transparent pricing or funding options Experience supporting older people at home Relevant professional qualifications where appropriate Positive feedback or reputation in the community Willingness to answer questions about care and services It is often helpful to speak with more than one provider before making a decision. Local Home Help aims to provide a starting point for exploring services, but the best choice will depend on the needs and preferences of the individual receiving support.
About the Author
Local Home Help Editorial Team
This article was created by Local Home Help to help Australian families better understand aged care and home support options in plain English.
Our content is based on publicly available information from:
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My Aged Care
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Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
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Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
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Provider pricing schedules and operational experience within the aged care sector.
Local Home Help is an independent consumer information platform and does not provide medical, legal or financial advice.
Important information
Aged care rules, fees, eligibility requirements and program arrangements can change. The information on this page is general guidance only and may not apply to every person or situation.
Before making a financial, legal or care decision, check the latest information with My Aged Care, Services Australia, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, or another appropriate official source.
Local Home Help does not provide legal, financial, medical or clinical advice.
Source data
Last reviewed
20/7/26, 9:08 pm