7 questions to ask before choosing a home care provider (and the answers you deserve)

Choosing a provider is the decision that shapes everything that follows — My Aged Care will confirm the current timeframes when your funding is approved. Prices, carers, reliability and honesty vary enormously. These seven questions will show you the difference quickly.

1. "Will I have the same carers every visit?"

The single biggest predictor of whether home care feels good. Choose a provider that explains how it maintains continuity — ask how consistency is rostered, and what happens when your regular worker is unavailable. Our answer: a small, consistent team of carers matched to you — consistency is how we roster, wherever possible, and we tell you honestly how leave cover works.

2. "Can I see your full price list before I sign anything?"

If a provider won't publish prices, ask why. You are entitled to know the hourly rate for every service — weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday — plus any care management deduction, before you commit. Our answer: it's all on our website, with a downloadable PDF, and our calculator shows what your level actually buys.

3. "What exactly does the 10% care management cover?"

Under Support at Home, care management (capped at 10% of your budget) is deducted by default. A good provider can tell you precisely what you get for it: a named care manager, regular reviews, coordination with your GP and allied health, and someone who answers the phone. Vague answers here predict vague service later.

4. "Who is clinically responsible for my care?"

Ask whether a registered nurse stands behind your care plan — not just for nursing visits, but overseeing the whole plan, training the support workers, and stepping in when health changes. Our answer: an RN behind every plan, and 24/7 nursing at our Ashburton residence.

5. "What happens if I'm not happy with a carer or a time?"

Listen for a concrete process, not reassurance. How fast can they change a carer? Is there a complaints process with real timeframes? Our answer: tell us and we act on it, and our complaints process commits to acknowledgment within 2 business days.

6. "Are there exit fees, lock-ins or hidden charges?"

Your funding belongs to you, and you can switch providers at any time. Any provider that makes leaving difficult is telling you something important about staying. Our answer: no Rosewood Gardens joining fee, no lock-in, and openly published prices — and if you're switching to us, we coordinate the transition with your current provider (with your consent) to minimise any disruption to your services.

7. "Can you grow with my needs?"

Needs change. Ask what happens if you need nursing, dementia support, palliative care — or eventually a supported residence — and how information would be coordinated with your consent. Our answer: one coordinated provider from a few hours a week to 24/7 residential care, with familiar relationships preserved wherever possible.

Put us to the test

Ask us all seven — and any others — on 1300 845 766. The first consultation is free, and you'll have our answers in writing before you decide anything.

Sources

• My Aged Care — Find a provider
• The Weekly Source — Government hits pause on Support at Home price caps (refund powers)
• Rosewood Gardens — Funding & Pricing

This article is general information only, current at August 2026, and not clinical or financial advice — see our Clinical Disclaimer. Figures and rules are confirmed at your assessment.