Magazine article
Here’s what to keep in mind before and after an aged care assessment
The Conversation, Vol.27 August 2026
2026
Appears in The Conversation
Abstract
Pressure has been building on the federal government in recent weeks to scrap the algorithm currently being used in aged care assessment decisions. Criticism has been of the algorithm itself, but also the fact there is no possibility for humans to override its final decision.
Aged care assessments determine how much government funding an older person can receive, so they can live independently at home for longer.
Some older Australians may now be feeling anxious and confused about this process. It doesn’t help that the algorithm and the independent assessment tool are sometimes talked about in the same breath. But the independent assessment tool is actually a questionnaire, not an algorithm.
So, what does this questionnaire involve? And how should you prepare?
While important questions remain about the algorithm, understanding how aged care assessments work will help you prepare better and may give you more choice and control over the care you receive.
Details
- Title
- Here’s what to keep in mind before and after an aged care assessment
- Authors
- Daniel Wadsworth - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- The Conversation, Vol.27 August 2026
- Publisher
- Conversation Media Group
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.64628/AA.quxaep9ce
- ISSN
- 2201-5639
- Copyright note
- © The Conversation Media Group. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Organisation Unit
- Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Health - Nursing
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991255195202621
- Output Type
- Magazine article
Metrics
1 Record Views