Aged Care
Advice & Placement
Services

Understanding Your Unique Family Needs and Preferences

During the family consultation we gather your requirements and provide you with current and independent information about the available aged care options.

Matching your Requirements to the Appropriate Accommodation

Our research and shortlisting will help match the right aged care service to your specific family needs. This will include Care homes with immediate room availability.

Negotiating the Accommodation RAD/DAP and Additional Service Fees

The RAD and Additional Service Fee Negotiation service has helped many families reduce the cost of accommodation.

Completing the Pre-Admission and Centrelink Forms

Making sure that all important paperwork (SA457, SA485, SS313, Pre-Admission Forms) is completed correctly and submitted in a timely manner.

Settling In and Advocacy

Senior Moves can help with the settling in period to ensure that all items are fully addressed. We can help smooth out any ripples in the transition process.

Relocation Services

Our Relocation Service is designed to carefully disperse, pack, clean, arrange transport and unpack,to minimise the stress during the transition time.

Senior Moves

Aged Care Advice & Placement Services

Aged Care Placement Services

Senior Moves is a dedicated team of aged care placement specialists.

We have assisted families with aged care placement for many years and you can use that knowledge and experience to guide you with your own family's aged care placement needs.

  • Assisting you from start to finish with all steps required during aged care placement
  • Urgent Respite Care, Mainstream and Dementia Specific (Memory Support Unit) Care
  • Residents with mild to severe physical fraility, including falls risk
  • Residents with mild cognitive decline to severe dementia-related care requirements
  • Residents with behavioural issues eg. verbal or physical aggression, wandering or chronic absconding
  • Younger people (less than 65 yrs) needing suitable accommodation and care
  • All financial situations - low means residents, fully supported residents, partially supported residents, DVA service pension recipients and full RAD-paying residents

Every step along the journey

Senior Moves is an experienced aged care advice and placement service and has had the same ownership and management team since establishment.

We are justifiably proud of our achievements so far and we can help you to:

  • find a quality and affordable aged care home for your loved one
  • coordinate and supervise every step of the placement to suit your specific family needs
  • reduce the stress of moving to residential care
  • reduce the time taken to achieve a successful placement
  • minimise the cost of residential care
  • Make the latest aged care rules and processes easy for you to understand

Reduce Your Stress

Decisions have to be made in a limited time frame and will have a major impact on someone very close to you.

Do you know all the mandatory steps required to achieve a successful placement outcome and how can you be sure that the chosen aged care home is the best available option?

A complete understanding of the care, accommodation and lifestyle options available requires detailed research and takes time.

Placing your elderly loved one into any aged care home should never be left to chance - Senior Moves can save you time, money and reduce your stress levels.

Reduce Accommodation Fees

Most families are surprised to learn that Residential Accommodation Deposits (RAD's) and additional service fees (ASF's) can be negotiated with the aged care home.

Senior Moves has developed successful steps to reduce residential accommodation fees and additional service fees to make the accommodation and lifestyle services more affordable for our family clients.

Established in 2002

Senior Moves was established in 2002 after observing the common difficulties and stress that families encountered when they approached the task of placing a relative into aged care.

Each new family:

  • Approached the task with similar needs and level of concerns
  • Undertook the same activities - devoting their limited time and effort
  • Only to uncover the same information and make many of the same mistakes as families that had gone before them

There is an easier way to complete a placement and ensure a positive outcome for the family.

Over the years, we have assisted many families with the move to retirement living, serviced apartments, group homes, assisted living, supported residential services and Commonwealth subsidised aged care accommodation.

We have knowledge, experience and a network of aged care home contacts that can help you today. If you have any questions or need practical support for your relative please contact our friendly team for a chat.

We welcome sharing our knowledge and experience about aged care placement with new clients, and being personally involved with the family during this important life event.

Testimonials

  I would like to thank you for your professional advice and assistance with my sister Greta and her transition to residential care. Having your support and expertise took a load off my mind and made things clearer during the process. Greta is now safe at Good Shepherd Lodge and I see her on a regular basis. Stewart P.  

  Thank you once again for everything. I am sleeping much better now, not having to worry about my Father's financial situation (at the aged care home) as much. What you have done is give me peace of mind that he can afford the extra ‘odd’ bill . I will be very happy to recommend your services.
Karen Di N.  

  Thank you for the amazing job you've done for us. We cannot express enough what your support meant to us. You were a special blessing sent from heaven. Liz, I know we could never have managed without you. Our thanks and love to you both.
Gwen and Brian Newell  

Read More Testimonials



Aged Care Placement Guide

Senior Moves: Aged Care Advice, Placement and Advocacy
Residential Care 101
Eligibility and Assessment
Residential Care Financials
Hints and Tips
Selecting the Aged Care Home
Admission Day
Transition and Settling In
Residential Care STAR Ratings

Common considerations

People looking to place their elderly loved one into a Commonwealth regulated aged care home usually have the following requirements:

  • Quality of care - a home that provides high-quality care, with trained and compassionate staff
  • Location - a home that is close to supportive family members or social networks
  • Cost - a home that is affordable and fits within the budget
  • Services and amenities - a home that offers specialised services such as dementia care, rehabilitation services, or hospice care. They may also want a facility that offers a range of recreational and social activities
  • Safety and security - a home that is safe and secure for their loved one, with appropriate measures in place to prevent accidents and injuries
  • Reputation and references - a home with a good reputation and positive references from other families who have used their services. The recent introduction of the Star Rating system is a good first indicator
  • Availability of rooms - a home that has an available room, and can accommodate their loved one's specific accommodation needs and requirements

NDIS and Aged Care Funding

It has become increasingly difficult for a NDIS recipient to receive Commonwealth subsidised Aged Care Services

Let's look at a typical example:

Robert has been receiving NDIS support for a number of years - Robert receives 10 hours a week of personal care support for his disability needs.

Robert has recently turned 65 and is now considering Commonwealth subsidised residential care because he has been diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer's Disease and also has a history of recent falls at home. Robert and his family understand that Residential Care now offers the most appropriate care and accommodation solution for his health needs.

If Robert starts receiving permanent residential care services, he must leave the NDIS.

Robert can keep getting NDIS supports that meet the NDIS funding criteria for his disability support needs but not if he receives permanent residential care services.


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Find an aged care home to match your needs

Not all aged care providers deliver the same quality level of service - services provided and reputations vary greatly over time. One aged care home may be a good choice for one family but may be inappropriate for another family, with different family requirements. Also, there are always changes being made to the rules and regulations and new care and accommodation solutions are being developed and introduced.

Having an experienced single point of contact to find the best solution and coordinate the move will help you greatly. You will have an experienced guide to properly plan; short-list the best accommodation options for you, complete all of the application paperwork, negotiate the accommodation fees, and then liaise with the aged care home to make sure that the transition is a smooth one.

We have been providing independent aged care placement consulting and support since 2002.

This support is available from our recognised aged care placement consultants:

  • Ensuring that the short-listed care homes properly match your family requirements in care services, location and proximity to supportive family members, financial affordability and personal preferences
  • Saving you time by using our direct access to a trusted network of local admission coordinators and accurate vacancy registers
  • Allowing our placement coordinators to arrange appointments, submit the application paperwork and financial assessment forms and complete the negotiation of the RAD and additional services fees on your behalf

RAD and Additional Service Fee Negotiation

We can reduce the cost of accommodation, and any requested Additional Service Fee's by negotiating on your family's behalf.

Need Urgent
Aged Care Placement?

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Accurate and Independent

Senior Moves have detailed knowledge and experience in aged care placement and can make sure that you receive accurate and independent information.

Senior Moves has trusted and respected relationships with many aged care providers and hospitals; Senior Moves is not aligned with any aged care provider or financial organisation. Your receive unbiased quality advice based on knowledge and experience.

Aged Care Placement

Finding the best care and accommodation solution. Negotiating the price of the accommodation. Completing the application paperwork.

Are you moving to retirement living, serviced apartment, assisted living, supported residential service or Commonwealth residential care home?

Senior Moves can help you by:

  • Understanding your unique family needs and placement preferences
  • Securing the best accommodation options available
  • In the most timely manner - Senior Moves usually complete a placement in less than half the time that a family will take
  • Make sure all steps are considered and application paperwork is completed correctly
  • Negotiating the accommodation fees to ensure an affordable outcome
  • The experienced Senior Moves team have been helping families through the aged care placement process since 2002

Relocation Services

Clearing and cleaning the property for sale or rental. Packing and Arranging for the move.

Are you moving from the family home to retirement living, serviced apartment, or a Commonwealth residential care home?

Senior Moves can help you by:

  • Completing an inventory of items that you will be taking, gifting to family members, donating to charities, or removal of unwanted items
  • Preparing floor plans for your new accommodation so that we minimise moving of beds and furniture arrangements
  • Pack and unpack, using professional packing materials
  • Coordinating quality transport and logistics
  • Clearing and Cleaning the family home
  • Preparation of your former home for sale or rental

Care Fee Increases
from 20 Sept 2024

From 20 September 2024, the following aged care fees will become effective:

The Basic Daily Care Fee increases to $63.57 pd (from $61.96 pd).

The Fully-Supported Asset Threshold increases to $61,500 (from $59,500).

The Non-Supported Asset Threshold increases to $206,039 (from $201,231).

The maximum Daily Accommodation Contribution (DAC) for refurbished / non-refurbished rooms will be $69.49 pd / $45.31 pd respectively.

The effective Refundable Accommodation Contribution (RAC) for a refurbished facility, above the 40 % fully supported ratio, will be $303,395 which will put pressure on persons looking for a fully supported placement, given that the average RAD is now higher than this amount.

The Maximum Permissible Interest Rate (MPIR) has been finalised for 1 October 2024, and has been set at 8.38% pa.

The Basic Daily Care Fee and some aged care thresholds are indexed to the Age Pension. On the 20 September 2024, the single age pension increased from $1,116.30 fn to $1,144.40 fn. This is based upon recent increases in the cost of living reflected in the Pensioner & Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI).

Learn about RAD, DAP & MPIR ...


Dollars to Care

Dollars to Care is the Australian Government's new analysis tool to bring financial transparency to the aged care sector.

Dollars to Care


Understanding the Options

We research and explain the available options based on your detailed family needs and requirements. We can explain how aged care financials are calculated so that you are fully informed.

  • How much will care cost?
  • Will you need to sell the home?
  • What refundable deposit is payable?
  • What ongoing fees are payable?
  • Can you afford the ongoing expenses?

Arranging Home Care

Whether you have a Home Care Package, NDIS funding or need private home care services - We can arrange home care support for you so that you remain independent at home for as long as possible.

  • Need maintenance to your home?
  • Need support with appointments?
  • Need support with preparing meals?
  • Need some companionship?

Securing Respite Care

Respite Care can give you the chance to de-stress, restore your physical and mental energy, and keep your life in balance. Senior Moves can help you to arrange respite in an emergency.

We can find local day care activities that may be available for the person you care for. We can secure the best available respite care placement in your preferred location.


Securing Permanent Care

Whether the person you care for is physically frail, has been diagnosed with dementia or just cannot cope on their own anymore - it may be time to discuss your family needs with one of our caring specialists. We can secure the best available permanent care placement in your preferred location.


Negotiating Fees

Avoid paying more for residential care than you need to! With occupancy levels at historical lows, Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RAD) and additional service fees have never been more negotiable. We has been saving money for our family clients for many years. Talk to us if you wish to save on the RAD expenditure.




Centrelink Forms

We complete all of the necessary Centrelink and DVA forms (SA457 and SA485) and answer any questions about implications for Commonwealth pensions.
We can advise of the process when a couple is entering residential care together.