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Useful government contacts
Aged Care Information Line (more information)
– 1800 500 853.Department of Health and Ageing Central Office
Switchboard 02 6289 1555
Freecall 1800 020 103
After hours 02 6122 2747
General fax 02 6281 6946
Email enquiries@health.gov.au
Address GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT or ACAS in Victoria) (more information)
You can contact your local ACAT directly by calling the nearest Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222Health centres and local hospitals can also provide you with information on the ACAT in your area.
ACATs can also be found by looking up the ‘Age Page’ at the front of your local White Pages telephone directory.
Next step: Aged Care Assessment Team Finder
Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme (more information)
1800 550 552Or write to –
Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848 in your capital city.
Advocacy Services
National Aged Care Advocacy Line (more information) – 1800 700 600.The Aged Care Advocacy service . There is an advocacy service available in each state and territory.
Australian Government Directory of Services for Older People 2010
This free guide provides information and contact details on a range of Australian Government services for older people. The directory has chapters on health services, accessing aged care, legal rights, finance choices and employment choices. You can obtain a copy of this directory by ringing the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853. The directory can also be accessed on the Health website.Allied health services
Office of Hearing Services– 1800 500 726, or 1800 500 496 (TTY)Email – hearing@health.gov.au
You can obtain an application form for a hearing services voucher from your doctor or from a hearing services provider who is contracted to the Office of Hearing Services.
Alternatively, you may telephone the Office of Hearing Services and give your postal address, and an application form will be posted to you.
Carers Australia represents the needs and interests of carers at the national level. 02 6122 9900
Commonwealth Carelink Program 1800 052 222
There are shopfronts throughout Australia. The Carelink website lists where these centres are located. By using the 1800 telephone network, your call can also be transferred to any centre around Australia to find out about care services in other areas.
If you need an interpreter, telephone the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 13 14 50. Deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired callers may contact us through the National Relay Service using their modem or TTY by dialling 1800 555 677 then asking for 1800 052 222. Speech-impaired callers may also call through Speech-to-Speech Relay by dialling 1800 555 727 then asking for 1800 052 222.
Community Aged Care Package (CACP) (more information), Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) (more information)and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACH D) (more information)
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre – 1800 052 222
You may also contact your doctor, community nurse, your local hospital or ACAT for more information about CACPs, EACH and EACH D services.
Day Therapy Centres (more information)
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre – 1800 052 222You can also find out more about Day Therapy Centres by contacting your doctor, community nurse or your local hospital.
Dementia support
National Dementia Helpline – 1800 100 500Interpreter Service – 131 450
Carers Australia online
Centrelink (financial assistance for carers) – 13 27 17 or for multilingual information – 13 12 02
The Carer Experience: An essential guide for carers of people with dementia is a very popular and practical booklet for carers that can be ordered, free of charge, through the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853.
Financial information (pensions and allowances)
Centrelink (financial assistance for carers) – 13 27 17 or for multilingual information – 13 12 02There are also useful website publications for carers of frail aged, ill or disabled persons.
Home and Community Care program (more information)
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre – 1800 052 222HACC contacts in your state or territory:
NSW - Department of Disability and Home Care 02 8270 2000
Victoria - Department of Human Services 03 9096 0000
Queensland - Queensland Health 07 3234 0310
SA - Department for Families and Communities 08 8226 8800
SA - Department of Health 08 8226 6000
WA - Department of Health 08 9222 4222
WA - Department of Community Development 08 9222 2555
TAS - Department of Health and Human Services 03 6233 3185
NT - Northern Territory Government switchboard 08 8999 5511
ACT - ACT Health 02 6205 5111
You may also contact your doctor, community nurse or your local hospital for more information about HACC services.
HACC services can also be found by looking up the Age Page at the front of your local White Pages telephone directory.
Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) (more information)
Queensland 07 3846 1099New South Wales 02 8585 5000
Victoria 03 9398 2354
Tasmania 03 6234 9411
South Australia 08 8245 7157
Western Australia 108 9346 8149
Western Australia country 1800 803 742
Short-term care
For respite services, talk to your local doctor or your Aged Care Assessment Team. A Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre can also help you link up with services (see above). You may also contact your nearest Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre for information on local HACC services, phone 1800 052 222 (free call) during business hours or, for emergency respite support outside standard business hours, call 1800 059 059 (free call).Veterans’ Home Care (more information)
For information about services available for veterans, war widows and war widowers, contact the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on 13 32 54 or 1800 555 254.Help is also available through the Veterans' Affairs Networks (VANs). They provide up-to-date information for veterans, war widow(er)s and their carers, and are located in all capital cities and in areas with large veteran communities. For more information contact 13 32 54, or for the nearest VAN office, call 1300 551 918.
Note – These numbers are charged at local call rate (or toll-free for the 1800 number) only if calling from a fixed (landline) telephone. Calls from mobile telephones may cost more.
Next step: Community Care Service Finder
