What to Expect in an ACAT Assessment: A Plain English Guide

Booking an ACAT assessment can feel daunting. You know it’s the gateway to aged care support, but the process itself is often buried in acronyms and jargon. If you or someone you love is about to go through one, it helps to understand what to expect in an ACAT assessment before you start. This plain English guide walks you through every stage: how to book, what happens on the day, who can be with you, and what to do with the outcome. The system’s official name has recently changed, but most Australians still know it as an ACAT assessment, and the process remains free, supportive, and designed to match you with the right level of care.

What Is an ACAT Assessment?

ACAT stands for Aged Care Assessment Team. An ACAT assessment is a free, government-funded evaluation that determines whether you’re eligible for subsidised aged care services, which can include residential aged care, respite care, and at-home care support.

There’s one important update worth knowing. Since 9 December 2024, the old ACAT and Regional Assessment Service (RAS) pathways have been combined into the Single Assessment System, run by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Most people, including many health professionals, still call it an ACAT assessment, and you’ll still see the term used everywhere. The experience is very similar. You now get a single, consistent assessment pathway instead of being moved between different organisations as your needs change.

You’re generally eligible to be assessed if you’re 65 or older (50 or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and finding it harder to manage at home.

How to Book Your Assessment

There are three ways to start the process, and you (or a family member acting on your behalf) can choose whichever is easiest.

Online: Apply through My Aged Care, the official government starting point for all aged care services in Australia.
By phone: Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, weekdays 8am to 8pm and Saturdays 10am to 2pm.
In person: Book a face-to-face appointment at a Services Australia centre by calling 1800 227 475.

Your GP, a hospital social worker, or a community nurse can also make a referral for you. If you’re currently in hospital and needing aged care on discharge, hospital-initiated assessments are often prioritised.

What Happens Before the Assessment

Once your request is received, a Triage Delegate will call you (usually within two weeks) to confirm your situation and book the right type of assessment. This short phone call is not the assessment itself. It simply works out which type of support you need and how urgent it is.

Before your assessment day, it’s worth gathering a few things so the conversation flows smoothly:

Your Medicare card and any concession cards
A list of your current medications
A recent GP health summary if you have one
Any hospital discharge paperwork
Contact details for your GP and specialists
A short list of the daily tasks you’re finding harder

Assessments usually happen in your home, which helps the assessor see what you’re managing with day to day. They can also be done in hospital or at a service centre if that’s more practical.

What to Expect During the ACAT Assessment Itself

An assessment typically runs for about one to two hours. An aged care assessor will visit and have what’s really a structured conversation about your health, your home life, and the support you already have around you. They’ll use a tool called the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to record your responses consistently.

You can expect to be asked about:

Your medical history and current health conditions
How you manage everyday activities like cooking, showering, getting dressed, and moving around the house
Memory and cognition
Your mental wellbeing, mood, and social connections
Your home environment and whether it feels safe
The help you currently receive from family, friends, or services
Your own goals and what kind of support would make life easier

It’s not an exam. There’s no pass or fail, and there’s nothing for you to write or fill in. The assessor is there to understand your situation so they can recommend the right level of help. You’re also welcome (and encouraged) to have a family member, friend, or carer with you.

What Happens After Your Assessment

You’ll usually receive a written outcome letter from My Aged Care within about two to four weeks. The letter will tell you what services you’ve been approved for. Depending on your needs, that might include:

Residential aged care, if full-time care in a community like Palm Lake Care is the right fit.
Respite care, for short-term stays so a regular carer can take a break.
Support at Home, the new in-home care program that replaced Home Care Packages from 1 November 2025.
Palliative care, if end-of-life support is needed.

If you’ve been approved for residential permanent or respite care, your letter will include referral codes. These usually start with 1- or 2-. Keep them somewhere safe. When you contact an aged care provider, they’ll ask for these codes to confirm your eligibility and start your admission.

From there, the next practical step is usually a conversation about fees, accommodation costs, and the means assessment (which is separate and handled by Services Australia). We’ve broken down how the new November 2025 fee structure works on our Get Started page.

Tips to Prepare for Your Assessment

Families who have been through the process often share the same advice.

Don’t downplay your struggles. This is the single most common mistake. Many older Australians are proud and instinctively minimise what they’re finding hard. The assessor can only recommend support based on what you tell them. If you say you’re managing fine, you’ll be assessed at a lower level of need.

Describe your worst days, not your best. Think about the days when things are hardest, and be specific. “I’ve had three falls this year” is clearer than “I’m a bit unsteady.”

Bring concrete examples. Rather than “Mum’s getting forgetful,” try “Last month she left the stove on twice and forgot a GP appointment.” Specifics help the assessor understand the real impact.

Have someone with you. A family member or trusted friend can fill in the details you might forget, describe the help they already give you, and take notes so you can focus on the conversation.

Prepare questions of your own. This is a two-way chat. Ask what services you might qualify for, how long the wait typically is, and what you can do if your needs change later.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an ACAT assessment take?

The in-person assessment usually takes between one and two hours. From your first call to My Aged Care to receiving your outcome letter, the full process commonly spans four to eight weeks, though it can be faster in urgent or hospital-initiated cases.

Is there any cost for an ACAT assessment?

No. ACAT assessments (now part of the Single Assessment System) are completely free, regardless of your income or assets. Any fees and contributions only come into play later, once you start receiving approved services.

Can a family member be with me during the assessment?

Yes, and it’s strongly encouraged. Partners, adult children, close friends, or carers can all be present. They often help the assessor understand the full picture, especially if memory or cognition is part of the conversation.

What if I disagree with the outcome?

You can request a reassessment at any time if your needs have changed, or if you feel the outcome doesn’t reflect your situation. You can also ask an aged care advocate to help you navigate a review. The free Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) is a good place to start.

How long after approval until I can move into residential care?

Once you have your referral codes, how quickly you can move in depends on availability at your preferred community. Some Palm Lake Care locations have immediate suites available and others have short waitlists. Our Customer Experience Team can check current availability for any of our seven Queensland communities.

Your Next Step at Palm Lake Care

Understanding what to expect in an ACAT assessment is the first piece. The next is knowing you have somewhere warm, well-run, and affordable to move to when the time comes. Palm Lake Care runs seven aged caring communities across Queensland, from Bargara to Toowoomba, each offering 24-hour clinical care in private suites alongside the lifestyle, food, and amenities that make everyday life feel like home.

If you’ve just started your assessment journey, or you’ve received your referral codes and are ready to talk about what comes next, our Customer Experience Team is here to walk you through it in the same plain English you’ve read here. Call us on 1800 246 677 or enquire online to get started.