Aged Care Approvals Round: Applications Open May 2014

Applications for the next Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) will open from May 2014.

This Round marks an important step forward in the Government’s reform agenda of the aged care sector.

The Government recognises that many older Australians wish to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

Accordingly, this Round will continue to expand the Home Care Packages program, which provides individually tailored packages of home care services to help older Australians remain living independently in their own home.

Residential aged care places will also be made available in the next ACAR. To encourage greater investment in areas of need, the Government will make funding available for capital grants under the Rural, Regional and Other Special Needs Building Fund.

The ACAR is the major funding round in the aged care industry and provides new Australian Government-funded aged care places to service providers through a competitive assessment process.

Between now and the opening of the Round, the Government is encouraging applicants to consider the aged care needs in their area.

The Invitation to Apply for places and capital funding will be announced in major newspapers and on the Department of Social Services’ website in May 2014.