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Can I move to another home?
You can move to another aged care home if you have the offer of a place there.
This might occur when you have initially accepted a place in a home that was not your first choice, but you kept open an application to a home you liked better. Or perhaps, while living in your present home, you learned about a home that is more to your liking and applied for a place there.
If you wish to enter the new home as a concessional or assisted resident (more information) you will need to have another assets assessment (more information) by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to find out if you are eligible.
You are able to choose whether or not to have an assessment by Centrelink or DVA.
There is no need to apply for an assets assessment if:
- you enter a new home within 28 days of leaving the previous home, and
- you paid an accommodation bond (more information) in the previous home and you agree with the new home to roll over the balance of that bond to the new home.
The new home cannot ask you to pay an accommodation bond that is higher than the balance of the bond that is repaid to you when you leave the earlier home.
Transfer of bonds for residents moving homes
Special arrangements apply for residents who move to another aged care home ('second home') within 28 days of leaving a previous home ('first home'), including:
- If you have paid an accommodation bond to the first home, then the maximum amount of accommodation bond which you can be charged in the second home is the accommodation bond balance from the first home.
- If you have paid entry contributions and then move from one service to another then the maximum amount of bond payable to the second home on transfer is the amount of entry contribution refundable by the first home.
- if you have paid the accommodation bond to the first home through periodic payments, the maximum amount of accommodation bond payable to the second home on transfer is the lump sum equivalent of the original accommodation bond less the monthly amount payable to the first home for the period you were there.
- If you enter an aged care home as a high-level care resident within 28 days of leaving another home, and you have already paid an accommodation bond or entry contribution to the first home – you have two options (with the agreement of both the service provider and the resident)
- you may pay an accommodation bond of up to the accommodation bond balance from the first home, or
- you may pay the accommodation charge (a per-day fee in addition to your daily care fee).
Read more: About accommodation bonds
Read more: About assets assessments
Common questions on this topic:
- Is there any help available for my sight impaired father?
- The home has switched to pre-packaged meals and mum complains that she never gets any fresh vegetables or salad any more. Can they do this?
- What if I am asked to pay a high accommodation bond which is over the pensioner allowable limit?
See more common questions on this topic | See all common questions
