For most families, the aged care journey begins with one phone call or one online form, and getting that first step right sets up everything that follows. Registering with My Aged Care is the gateway to all government-funded aged care in Australia, yet the process leaves many people unsure of what they’re doing or what comes next. Here’s the plain-language guide to registering, from what to prepare to what happens after.
What My Aged Care Actually Is
My Aged Care is the Australian Government’s single entry point for aged care services. Whether you need a bit of help around the house or higher-level support through Support at Home, it all starts here. You cannot access government-subsidised aged care for the first time without going through a My Aged Care assessment first.
One thing worth knowing upfront: since December 2024, a Single Assessment System replaced the old separate RAS and ACAT teams. Now there’s one streamlined pathway, though you’ll still see the old terms floating around online because people search for them.
What to Prepare Before You Start
Getting your details together first makes everything smoother. You’ll need your Medicare card, and if you’re applying for someone else, theirs. It helps to think in advance about the person’s goals, daily challenges, health conditions and living situation, because the registration asks about all of these.
A useful mindset: describe the hard days honestly, not the good ones. Aged care assessments work from the real level of need, and understating how much someone struggles, out of pride or politeness, only results in less support than they qualify for.
Step 1: Register
There are two ways to register. You can apply online at the My Aged Care website, which takes 10 to 20 minutes and where you’ll need your Medicare card. Or you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and they’ll walk you through it over the phone, with support options available if you need help on the call.
You can complete this for yourself or on behalf of a family member or friend.
Step 2: Set Up a Registered Supporter (Optional but Useful)
During registration you can request to register a supporter relationship. A registered supporter is someone, often an adult child, who can help make and communicate decisions and access and update information on the person’s behalf.
For families managing a parent’s care, this is genuinely worth doing. It saves endless friction later when you need to speak to My Aged Care or update details, because you’re formally recognised in the system rather than hitting privacy walls at every turn.
Step 3: The Assessment
After registration, My Aged Care determines which assessment you need.
“A trained assessor will then call you to arrange a time to visit you at home,” the department explains.
The assessment happens in your own home, so you don’t need to go anywhere, and it’s a conversation about your daily life, health and environment to work out what supports would help. You’re entitled to have a family member, friend, carer or interpreter with you, and having someone who can describe what they actually observe is one of the most valuable things you can arrange.
Step 4: The Outcome
After the assessment, you receive a Notice of Decision by post or email, outlining the type and level of care you’ve been approved for, along with a support plan. From there, you decide how to put your care in place, including choosing a provider.
If you’re not approved for a package, you may still be eligible for entry-level help through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, and your assessor will discuss the options.
A Practical Tip to Speed Things Up
One trick many families don’t know: once you’ve been assigned to an assessment organisation, you can call My Aged Care to confirm the referral has gone through and contact the organisation directly to check they’ve received it. Following up rather than waiting passively can save weeks. Start at My Aged Care.
The Bottom Line
Registering with My Aged Care is straightforward once you know the shape of it: prepare your details, register online or by phone, consider setting up a registered supporter, complete the in-home assessment honestly, and follow up to keep things moving. Get this first step right and the rest of the aged care journey becomes far less daunting. This is general information, not aged care, medical or financial advice.
Epik Wire covers aged care in plain language for older Australians and their families. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
