Aged Care Act 1997

This Act is the central law governing how the Australian Government funds and regulates aged care for older Australians. It establishes the framework for three types of care: residential care (nursing homes), home care (support services at home), and flexible care (specialized programs like respite).

What it does:

• Provider Regulation: Sets strict rules for who can become an "approved provider" to receive government subsidies and run aged care services, including requirements for key personnel and financial viability.
• Place Allocation: Controls how many subsidized "places" (beds or care slots) are available in different regions and how providers can transfer or vary these allocations.
• Care Recipient Access: Requires older Australians to be assessed and approved as "care recipients" before subsidies can flow, classifies them according to care needs (which affects funding rates), and prioritizes those waiting for home care packages.
• Funding & Fees: Calculates complex government subsidies paid to providers based on care levels, while also determining what fees residents must pay. This includes daily care fees, means-tested accommodation payments (or refundable deposits/bonds for room costs), and extra service fees for premium options.
• Quality & Safety: Mandates care standards (including requirements for registered nurses), requires incident reporting (abuse, neglect, unexplained absences), and protects whistleblowers who report problems.