Aged care consultants: how to get the right support for your care needs

One of the most important aspects of aged care planning is ensuring you have a solid financial plan in place. Aged care financial advisors specialise in helping older Australians understand and manage the costs associated with aged care services, whether it’s in-home care, moving into a residential aged care facility or transitioning to retirement living.

A financial advisor can help you with:

• understanding aged care costs — aged care fees can be complex, including accommodation costs, daily care fees, and means-tested fees.
  • Financial advisors help break down these costs and explore options to make aged care affordable, such as government subsidies, home equity release, and superannuation.
• budgeting for long-term care — these advisors can help you plan for both short-term and long-term care needs, ensuring your finances last throughout your retirement.
  • They can offer you advice on developing investment strategies, managing pension entitlements and retirement income streams to fund your care.
• navigating government benefits — if you’re eligible for benefits like the Age Pension or the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), financial advisors can assist in optimising these to cover your care costs.

For more detailed guidance, you can explore Aged Care Financial Advice services on our site.

If you or a loved one is considering moving into an aged care facility, a placement consultant can assist in finding the right residential care option. These professionals help families navigate the often-complex process of finding and securing suitable aged care services.

Here’s what a placement consultant does:

• Assessment of care needs: They’ll assess your or your loved one’s care needs and preferences to match you with the most appropriate facilities. This includes factors such as the level of care required (e.g., low-care, high-care, dementia-specific care) and desired location.
• Access to care providers: Placement consultants often have strong networks with aged care homes and service providers, allowing them to find vacancies faster and sometimes negotiate better rates on your behalf.
• Support through the admission process: The paperwork and logistics of entering aged care can be overwhelming. Placement consultants will guide you through the application process, ensuring all the necessary documents, such as ACAT assessments and financial forms, are completed correctly.

To find out more about placement services, check out our guide on aged care placements.

As you plan for aged care, it’s important to make sure your legal affairs are in order. Aged care legal consultants or elder law specialists focus on addressing the legal needs of older Australians, offering advice on:

• An Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA): ensuring you have someone appointed to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to do so is essential — a legal consultant can help you draft these documents;
• wills and estate planning: legal consultants ensure that your will reflects your current wishes and guide you through estate planning to secure the financial future of your loved ones;
• guardianship and Advance Care/Health Directives: these consultants help create Advance Care/Health Directives, so your healthcare preferences are respected if you’re unable to communicate them. They can also help with guardianship arrangements, which involve appointing someone to make personal decisions on your behalf.

For more information on these services, visit our section on Aged Care Legal Advice.

If you’re moving from a hospital to an aged care home or need help transitioning between different levels of care, transition support services can make the process smoother. These services are particularly important for older adults recovering from surgery, illness or an unexpected health event.

Transition support can include:

• short-term restorative care — assistance in organising care following a hospital stay, ensuring a seamless transition into temporary or permanent aged care facilities;
• respite care — for those who need short-term care while recovering or giving family carers a break, transition support teams can find suitable respite options.

For more information on these services, visit our guide on Aged Care Respite Services.

Selecting the right aged care consultant depends on your specific needs — whether financial, legal or care-related. It’s important to choose professionals with expertise in aged care, as this field involves complex regulations and decisions that require specialised knowledge.

When hiring an aged care consultant, consider:

• their experience and qualifications in the aged care sector;
• whether they are registered with relevant professional bodies, such as financial planning associations or legal organisations; and
• client reviews and testimonials to understand the quality of their services.

Aged care consultants can provide the guidance and expertise you need to make the best decisions for your future. Whether you’re looking for financial advice, placement assistance or legal support, there are experienced professionals ready to help.

For more information on aged care services, visit our comprehensive guides on Financial Advice, Finding Aged Care and Legal Advice.