Looking for an appropriate aged care residence can be both difficult and confusing, especially when facing residential aged care for the first time. Often, an event occurs and there is a rush to secure an available place.

This guide will assist you through this process, whether you are planning for your future or requiring immediate assistance.

Please contact us or call us on (07) 4161 3699 and one of our friendly staff will assist you with information that will enable you to make an informed decision.

Step 1: Assessing your eligibility

To find out if you are eligible for residential aged care, you will need to be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).

An ACAT assessment is a free assessment funded by the Australian Government. It is completed by a team of health professionals who provide information, advice and assistance to older people who are having difficulty living at home.

The team will visit you at home or while you are in hospital to assess your lifestyle and healthcare needs, enabling them to determine the most appropriate care option for you. This assessment determines your eligibility for entry into residential aged care or for a community care package to assist you to continue living at home. Respite care may also be provided within an aged care residence.

Your local GP, health centre or hospital can arrange for a referral to the assessment team nearest to you. Alternatively, if you would like to contact them directly, you can search for your local ACAT team on the Department of Health website.

Step 2: Finding an aged care residence

Once you have been assessed by ACAT as being eligible for residential aged care, you may choose to start looking for a suitable residence. When looking at aged care residences, it is important to understand what type of care you require, the services you are seeking and your preferred location.

We have a range of accommodation alternatives designed to cater for the varying levels of assistance required by each individual entering Gunther Village. High and low-level respite care, as well as dementia-specific care and residential aged care is available to ensure that residents’ nursing and personal care needs are met.

These broad service offerings also enable ‘ageing in place’, so even if your needs change you can still remain with us.

It is important to find the right residence for you or your loved one and we invite you to contact us or call us on (07) 4161 3699 to find out more about the services, lifestyle offerings and care options available at our purpose-built facility. Our friendly administration staff are here to assist you.

Step 3: Working out the cost

The Australian Government assists with the cost of your residential aged care, through the provision of funding to aged care residences. However, the Government also expects those who can afford it to contribute to the cost. To work out if you are eligible for Government assistance, you will need to complete a Permanent Residential Aged Care Request for a Combined Assets and Income Assessment application, which is available on the Department of Human Services website. You can also obtain an estimation of your basic daily fee and any applicable means tested care fees on the My Aged Care website. The Residential Care Fee Estimator only provides an indication of the fees you may pay.

New rules governing accommodation payments became effective on 1 July 2014. Residents who enter permanent care at Gunther Village have the choice of paying a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) or a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) or a combination of both.
You will have 28 days from the day you enter care to decide on your payment method. Until you decide on your ongoing payment method, you will need to pay your accommodation cost as a daily payment. For further information click on the link fee structure.

All residents in aged care can choose to pay the following:

What is a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD)?

If you choose to make your payment as a lump sum, this is called a ‘Refundable Accommodation Deposit’ and is payable by the resident on entry into the facility. The balance of the refundable accommodation payment (after any agreed deductions have been made) is refunded to the resident or their estate on termination of the agreement for residential service.

What is a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP)?

Instead of paying for your accommodation as a lump sum, you can choose to pay this as a daily equivalent. A daily accommodation payment is calculated by converting the refundable deposit into a daily charge using the maximum permissible interest rate that applied at the time of admission. This amount will be payable monthly. Daily accommodation payments are not refundable if you leave the aged care facility.

Using a combination

You can choose to pay for your accommodation as a part lump-sum Refundable Accommodation Deposit and ‘Daily Accommodation Payment’.

Is my lump sum refund guaranteed?

The Australian Government guarantees the repayment of your lump sum if the facility becomes bankrupt or insolvent and is unable to refund the balance of your lump sum. This means that you can be sure that your Refundable Accommodation Deposit balance will be refunded to you or your estate.

When are Refundable Accommodation Payments Returned?

As outlined in the Residential Agreement that we supply on admission, we guarantee repayment of the Refundable Accommodation Payment balance in accordance with the following criteria.

The Refundable Accommodation Payment Balance will be refunded if:

• The person being cared for dies; or
• Ceases to be with Residential Care in the Care Facility; or
• The Care Facility ceases to be certified under the Act.

The refundable accommodation payment balance will be refunded within the following time frames:

• On death – within 14 days after the day on which a certified true copy of the grant of probate or letters of administration of your estate is produced to us;
• On moving to another residential care service and:
• We have been notified more than 14 days before the day on which you cease to receive care at Gunther Village – on the day of which the care ceases; or
• We are notified within 14 days before the day on which you cease to receive care at Gunther Village – within 14 days after we cease to provide care to you; or
• We are not notified of your intentions – 14 days after we cease to provide care to you; or
• In any other case – within 14 days of the happening of any of the circumstances set out above.

At the time the Refundable Accommodation Payment balance is refunded, we must also pay to you the interest on the outstanding Refundable Accommodation Payment balance calculated at the Base Interest Rate for the period from the day after the occurrence of that event until the date on which the refundable accommodation payment balance is refunded in full.

If any of the events referred to above occur and the Refundable Accommodation Payment balance is refunded to you after 14 days from the occurrence of that event, then at the time the Refundable Accommodation Payment balance is refunded, Gunther Village must:

• For the first 14 days after the relevant event has occurred, pay to you interest on the outstanding refundable accommodation payment balance calculated at the Base Interest Rate for a period of 14 days.
• Thereafter pay to you interest on the outstanding Refundable Accommodation Payment balance calculated at the applicable Maximum Permissible Interest Rate until the date the Refundable Accommodation Payment balance is refunded in full.

How do I know if Gunther Village is managing my accommodation money responsibly?

Since October 2011 the Disclosure Standard contained within the User Rights and Principles have required that residents paying accommodation payments must receive a statement that the approved provider will provide certain information within seven days of a request (refer section 23.41(1)(c) of the User Rights Principles).

Gunther Village is an approved provider, under the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act). Residents and prospective residents or their representatives are entitled to receive particular information from their approved provider on request.

This includes, in relation to the previous financial year:

• A summary of the permitted uses for which Gunther Village has used refundable accommodation payments.
• Information about whether Gunther Village complied with the requirements for permitted uses of Refundable Accommodation Payments and with the prudential requirements for Refundable Accommodation Payments
• Information about the number of Refundable Accommodation Payment balances (if any) that were not refunded in accordance with the time frames set by the Act; and for entry contributions (payable before 1997), information about the number (if any) that were not refunded in accordance with the entry contribution agreement.
• A copy of the independent audit opinion on Gunther Village compliance with the prudential requirements for accommodation payments.
• Most recent statement of audits accounts of Gunther Village.

Gunther Village must also provide:

• If you have already paid a Refundable Accommodation Payment, a copy of your entry in the accommodation payments register
• If Gunther Village invests Refundable Accommodation Payments in particular kinds of permitted financial products, the investment objectives and the asset classes we may invest in.

Residents, prospective residents or their representatives may request any or all of the available information. Gunther Village must provide the information within seven days of the request, and the information must be correct at the time of the request.

Click here for additional information on the fee structure.

Step 4: How do I apply?

Should you decide on Gunther Village, you will be required to provide the following documentation:

1. Completed Application for Admission Form. Download Application for Admission Form, contact us or call us on (07) 4161 3699 for an admissions information pack.
2. A copy of your current Aged Care Assessment
3. Your response from your application of Permanent Residential Aged Care Request for a Combined Assets and Income Assessment (only if you are applying for a supported place)

When a place which suits your individual requirements becomes available, you or your representative will be contacted by Gunther Village. Should you choose to accept a place in an aged care residence, you will have up to seven days to move in.

Step 5: Moving and settling in

When a person moves into Gunther Village, we become a partner in the continuing relationship with family, friends and the community in which you previously lived. Not only do we become a part of your family and support network, you, the new resident, become part of our family.

Our staff will provide the level of support required for you to maintain your independence and quality of life. Support comes in various ways, including the provision of daily social activities, assistance with personal care, having access to clinical and medical support or just knowing that you are living in a safe, secure and happy environment.

When you are offered and have accepted a place in Gunther Village, our friendly administration personnel will arrange a pre-admission meeting. This will provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions, as well as complete the necessary paperwork.

At Gunther Village, we aim to make the transition for a new resident as easy and seamless as possible.When settling into Gunther Village, you are more than welcome to bring in some of your own furnishings, whether it be a favourite chair, photos or memorabilia.

We look forward to welcoming you into our family here at Gunther Village.

Further information

Some useful website links and contact numbers:

• Aged Care Information Line 1800 500 853
• Aged Care Online www.agedcareonline.com.au
• Centrelink www.centrelink.gov.au 132 300
• Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre www.health.gov.au/ccsd 1800 200 422
• Department of Social Services www.health.gov.au 1800 020 103
• Department of Veterans Affairs www.dva.gov.au 133 254
• DPS Guide to Aged Care www.agedcareguide.com.au
• National Dementia Helpline www.alzheimers.org.au 1800 100 500
• Office of the Public Advocate www.publicadvocate.qld.gov.au 1300 309 337
• State Trustees www.statetrustees.com.au 1300 138 672
• Fee Estimator – My Aged Care www.myagedcare.gov.au/fee-estimator/residential-care 1800 200 422