Aged Care vs Retirement Villages: What you need to know before you sign— by Noel Whittaker

Noel Whittaker is the author of Wills, Death & Taxes Made Simple and numerous other books on personal finance. Email: [email protected]

Regardless of the final make-up of both houses, aged care is shaping up as a major battleground. Operators are struggling to stay afloat, while families trying to navigate the system find it a maze of red tape. And just to make it harder, major changes are about to hit in two months.
Here’s what you need to know.



From 1 July, aged care homes will be allowed to charge an exit fee — up to 10% over five years. It’s another step towards making them look more like retirement villages.
Ironically, over the past decade, many retirement villages have been trying to look more like aged care homes. Both offer accommodation and some level of support, but the similarities end there. Legally and financially, they are completely different — and it’s crucial to understand the difference before you sign anything.


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Is an aged care home or retirement village better suited to your needs? Image Credit: Shutterstock



Retirement villages are governed by state laws. Most people sign leasehold or licence agreements, often registered on title. The property might be a villa, duplex or apartment — usually with one to three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living area, and laundry.



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So much better to stay in your own residence where you will feel more comfortable and with hopefully people around you to help care for you as well as receiving specialised assistance from Home Care operators. These aged care facilities and the like are far too expensive and have shortfalls in what they supply to you in regard to regular and efficient services. There have been too many reports of failed assistance at these facilities of late and a lot more support given to Home Care.:unsure:
 
Some Age Care Homes, I have worked in a couple, and finally retired, after having to work with untrained overseas staff. Also the state of the rooms. Only cleaned about once a month, if lucky. Also, some Age Care Providers employ people who again are not trained and the dress code. Looks like they went to the dump to get their clothing. I again worked for a couple of Nursing Homes plus the Community. Experienced Staff, I my Cert III and Cert IV and did extra study and Certificates in Dementia, Disablility, Palitive Care, and a few others associated to Age Care. The whole system needs looking into. Providers and Nursing Homes should not be told when they get their next assessment.
 

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