Guides

A six-step process for shortlisting, visiting and confirming a home.

The most important questions to ask on a tour, covering staff, food, safety and money.

A printable 30-point checklist for touring residential aged care homes.

How the terminology has evolved in Australia and what it means today.

How these two US options differ on services, cost, regulation and who they suit.

Short-term respite vs a permanent move — eligibility, cost and how to book.

Short-term Medicare-covered rehab vs long-term custodial care — services, length of stay, who pays.

How comfort-focused hospice differs from long-term nursing home care — and how the two work together inside the same building.

The Aged Care Assessment Team process — booking through My Aged Care, what happens on the day, and what each approval lets you do.

Plain-English guide to the CMS Five-Star and Australian Star Ratings systems.

The four Australian aged care fees, current rates, and how the means test works.

2024 national and state-level median costs and who actually pays the bill.

What each program actually covers for long-term care — and where the gaps are.

2025 limits, the 5-year look-back, spousal protections and how to apply.

Medicaid, Medicare, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, life-insurance conversions, reverse mortgages and family caregiver agreements — how each one works.

Private funds, long-term care insurance, Medicaid HCBS waivers, VA Aid & Attendance and life-insurance conversions for assisted-living costs.

Aid & Attendance, VA Community Living Centers, State Veterans Homes and the Community Nursing Home program — and how to apply.

Lump sum vs daily payment, the $750k maximum, what's refundable, and the November 2025 reforms.

Specialised staffing, design and care practices that matter for dementia residents.

Physical, emotional and financial red flags — and how to report them.

Financial and healthcare POA for aging parents — when to do it, what it covers, common mistakes, and what to do if capacity is already lost.