Residential aged care is for older people who can’t live in their homes anymore because they need help with everyday tasks or healthcare. Residential aged care homes provide accommodation and help with:
- day-to-day tasks, such as cleaning, cooking and laundry
- personal care, such as bathing, dressing and going to the toilet
- access to health practitioner services, clinical care and therapies
- other services, such as social and emotional support, and entertainment.
Residential care homes can provide permanent (ongoing) and respite (short-term) care.
We’re responsible for approving and monitoring homes that deliver Australian Government-funded aged care services. Care provided in these homes must meet:
- the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (strengthened Quality Standards)
- any requirements stated in the Aged Care Act 2024 (Aged Care Act) and other relevant legislation
- any conditions imposed on the provider’s registration.
Provider registration and residential aged care home approvals
Under the Aged Care Act, there are different processes for:
- provider registration
- residential aged care home approval.
To provide government-funded residential aged care services, a provider must register in Category 6 – Residential care.
To register in Category 6, you must also apply for approval (or maintain approval) for at least one residential care home.
You can seek residential care home approval when you apply to:
- become a registered provider
- renew a registration (at the end of a registration period)
- vary (change) a registration (at any time during a registration period).
Residential care home approvals
The residential care home approval application process allows us to assess the home. We assess whether the layout of the home and the number of beds present a risk to the delivery of quality and safe residential care.
For us to approve a residential care home, it must:
- be permanent
- be suitable
- meet all related building codes, standards and laws
- not go over the maximum occupancy during your registration.
Once we have approved a residential care home, the provider needs to make sure they keep it in a good state. They must make sure it continues to:
- meet all related building codes, standards and laws
- keep within the maximum allowed number of beds.
Building a new residential care home?
Find out about Applying for residential care home approval.
You can find more information on the provider registration and residential care home approval process at:
Adding, removing or transferring an approved residential aged care home
A registered provider can apply to add or remove an approved residential care home from their registration. You can do this when you renew your registration or by varying your registration.
Transferring approved residential care homes
If you add an approved residential care home to your registration from another registered provider, the transferred home stays approved. We don’t need to approve it again.
The end of a residential care home’s approval
A residential care home’s approval can end if:
- your registration expires and you don’t renew it
- we revoke (cancel) your registration
- you remove a residential care home from your registration and it isn’t added to another provider’s registration.
If the approval of one of your residential care homes ends, you need to submit a new application for approval before you can provide funded residential aged care services there again.
Other changes to residential care home approval
You can also:
- apply to vary the number of beds of an approved residential care home
- ask to revoke the approval of a residential care home.
For more information, read changes to an approved residential care home.
Star Ratings
The Star Ratings system applies to residential care homes.
It can help older people, their families and carers:
- understand how each residential care home is performing
- make informed decisions about their aged care options.
Star Ratings also encourages providers to keep improving the quality and outcomes of their care. You can monitor your Star Ratings results and find areas to improve.
You can find more information about Star Ratings for specific residential care homes on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.
More information
You can find more information about your responsibilities at: