Glossary

A

admission

When a person starts receiving care and support from an aged care service. Also referred to as an ‘entry’. A person can enter aged care services more than once over a period. Aged care admissions are typically counted as the number of entry events, rather than the unique count of people.

Aged Care Act

The Australian law that sets out the rules for government-funded aged care including funding, regulation, approval of providers, subsidies and fees, standards, quality of care, rights of people receiving care, and non-compliance.

From 1 November 2025, the Aged Care Act 1997 will be replaced by the Aged Care Act 2024.

assessment

Process to determine a person’s care needs and eligibility for government-funded aged care, or to determine the amount of funding given to an aged care provider or a recipient in their care.

From 9 December 2024, all aged care assessments are carried out by the Single Assessment System workforce.

From 1 July 2024, aged care needs assessments use the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT).

From 1 October 2022, residential care funding assessments use the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC).

C

care level

Amount of funding for home care a person receives through the Home Care Packages (HCP) Programme based on their care needs, from level 1 for basic care needs to level 4 for high care needs.

E

exit

When a person stops receiving care and support from an aged care service – excluding short periods of leave, such as for family visits or hospital stays. Also referred to as ‘discharge’ or ‘separation’. A person can exit aged care services more than once over a period. Aged care exits are typically counted as the number of exit events, rather than the unique count of people.

exit reason

The reason a person stops receiving care and support from an aged care service. Exit reasons can include death, returning home or to the community, transfer to hospital, transfer to another aged care service or transfer to another aged care program.

F

flexible care

Aged care programs for people who need support that’s not offered in home support, home care and residential care. Flexible care includes aged care programs offering short-term care and aged care programs for specific population groups.

Flexible care includes Transition Care Programme (TCP), Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme, Multi-Purpose Services (MPS) Program, Innovative Care Programme (ICP), National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) Program and residential respite care.

H

home care

Aged care program that supports older people with complex needs to stay at home.

Compared with home support, home care provides a coordinated mix of care and support on an ongoing basis, including help with household tasks, aids and equipment (such as walking frames), minor home modifications, personal care and clinical care such as nursing, allied health and physiotherapy services.

From 1 August 2013, home care is delivered through the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program.

From 1 November 2025, home care will be delivered though the Support at Home program.

home support

Entry-level aged care program that helps older people to live independently in their homes and communities.

Home support can include help with daily tasks, home modifications, transport, social support and nursing care. Home support also provides respite services to give carers a break.

From 1 July 2015, home support is delivered through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).

From 1 July 2027, home care will be delivered though the Support at Home program.

I

Innovative care programme

Aged care program that supports flexible ways of providing care where mainstream services cannot meet needs, with a focus on younger people with disabilities. The program stopped funding new projects on 25 May 2006.

L

length of stay

The time that a person received care and support from an aged care service in a single episode, calculated when they exit.

Length of stay is typically calculated as the number of days or months between admission and exit from an aged care service.

M

Multi-Purpose Service Program

Aged care program that provides integrated health and aged care services to older people in rural and remote communities in areas that can't support stand-alone aged care and health services.

N

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program

Aged care program that provides culturally appropriate aged care to older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The service providers in this program deliver a mix of aged care services, mainly in rural and remote areas.

O

occupancy

Number of operational places that are occupied at a point in time or over a period for residential care, transition care and short-term restorative care. Occupancy is not reportable for home support and home care because places are not allocated for these aged care programs.

organisation type

The category of aged care provider that manages an aged care service. Organisation types are typically classified as government, not-for-profit or private.

P

place

Allocated space or beds in a government-funded aged care service that provides residential care, transition care, short-term restorative care or other flexible care. Places are not allocated for home support and home care.

program

Formal support provided to an older person who needs help in their own home or who can no longer live at home. Aged care programs can include help with everyday living, assistive equipment and home modifications, personal care and health care, and accommodation.

provider

The organisation or entity that receives government funding to deliver aged care. Also referred to as ‘service provider’. A provider can operate more than one aged care service and deliver different aged care programs.

R

recipient

A person receiving care and support through an aged care service. Also referred to as ‘care recipient’ or ‘client’.

residential care

Aged care program for older people who can no longer live independently at home. It includes accommodation and personal care 24 hours a day, as well as access to nursing and general health care services.

Admission to residential care can be long-term and on an ongoing basis (permanent residential care) or short-term on a planned or emergency basis (residential respite care).

S

service

The outlet or facility that delivers aged care, such as home support outlets and aged care homes. Services are operated by approved aged care providers, who receive government funding to deliver aged care.

Aged care service (the place) is different to ‘service type’ (the activity), which refers to the type of care or support provided to a person through an aged care program. Service type is only reportable for home support.

short-term restorative care

Aged care program that provides support for older people to help them continue to live at home rather than go into care, by reversing or slowing functional decline.

From 1 March 2017, short-term restorative care is delivered through the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme.

From 1 November 2025, short-term restorative care will be delivered though the Support at Home program.

T

target population

A group of individuals eligible for government-funded aged care. The aged care target population is all people aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50–64 and people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness aged 50–64.

Where data disaggregation is limited, people aged 65 and over is used to report the target population.

When regulating the supply of home care packages and residential care places, the government uses a target population of all people aged 70 and over to define target provision ratios.

transition care

Aged care program that helps older people recover after a hospital stay by providing short-term care in a person’s home, aged care home or both.

From 1 October 2005, transition care is delivered through the Transition Care Progamme (TCP).