10 questions to ask any in-home aged care provider

Print this, or keep it on your phone, and ask every provider the same ten questions. The point is not just the answers. It is how comfortably each provider gives them. Ask us these too.

The ten questions

1. How many different carers will come to my home? A good answer is a small, specific number, not “it depends on availability.”
2. Will I have a named, accountable contact I can call directly? You want one human with a direct line, not a call centre.
3. How quickly does a real person respond to an enquiry? If they are slow while winning your business, expect slower later.
4. What happens when my regular carer is sick or on leave? Good answer: someone who already knows your situation steps in, and you are told in advance.
5. How do you match carers to my language, culture and interests? Listen for a real process, not a shrug.
6. What exactly will an hour of care cost me, in writing? You want the government-funded share and your contribution, before you commit.
7. How do you capture my preferences and routines? Good providers record them once so you are not repeating yourself.
8. How often is my care plan reviewed, and how? In person and regularly beats a letter once a year.
9. How do I raise a concern or complaint? A confident provider makes this easy and points you to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission too.
10. What do you not do? Honest providers know their limits and will tell you when another service fits better.

How to read the answers

The words matter less than the manner. Specific, unhurried, willing-to-be-pinned-down answers are a good sign. Vagueness, pressure or deflection is the answer you actually needed.

If you would like to see how we answer these, our how to choose a provider guide walks through them, or simply call and ask. We would rather be pinned down than admired.