Terminology / Glossary / Definitions

ACAT

See Aged Care Assessment Team.

Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT)

An Aged Care Assessment Team, also known as an ACAT, is a group of health professionals who conduct assessments of older people to determine the types of services they require to meet their care needs. An appropriate ACAT assessment is required for the provision of a Community Aged Care Package (CACP) and entry into both low level and high level residential aged care.

Assisted living

Assisted living is a rather nebulous term that is used to describe many things, including: independent living units in a retirement village that offers additional services on a user pays basis; serviced apartments in a retirement village that include a package of support services such as cleaning, laundry, linen and meals; supported living (see definition below), low level residential aged care and even high level residential aged care.

CACP

See Community Aged Care Packages.

Community Aged Care Packages (CACP)

Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) are packages of care tailored to help people needing low level care to remain in their own homes. They are funded by the Australian Government and require an ACAT assessment. See our Home Care section for further information.

Deferred management fee (DMF)

See departure fee.

Departure fee

Departure fee, deferred management fee, DMF and exit fee are all common names for the fee that is payable in many retirement villages when a resident permanently vacates their home. See our Retirement Villages section for further information.

DMF

See departure fee.

EACH

See Extended Aged Care at Home.

EACH D

See Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia.

Exit fee

See departure fee.

Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH)

Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) is a package of care tailored to help people needing high level care remain in their own homes. They are funded by the Australian Government and require an ACAT assessment. See our Home Care section for further information.

Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACH D)

Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACH D) is a package of care tailored to help people with dementia who need high level care to remain in their own homes. They are funded by the Australian Government and require an ACAT assessment. See our Home Care section for further information.

Extra Service

Some aged care homes (both high level care and low level care) offer extra service places that provide a higher standard of accommodation, services and food. These places may be provided throughout the home or in specific parts of the home and an additional fee is payable. The level of care provided is not affected. See our Aged Care section for further information.

HACC

See Home and Community Care.

High level residential aged care

High level residential aged care, or simply high level care, is the current name for what was commonly known as “nursing home” care. It offers the highest level of care for people who need assistance with daily living. It includes 24 hour care, either by registered nurses, or under the supervision of registered nurses, combined with accommodation, support services (such as cleaning, laundry and meals) personal care (such as help with dressing, eating, toileting, bathing and moving around) and allied health services (such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy and podiatry). High level residential aged care requires an ACAT assessment. See our Aged Care section for further information.

Home and Community Care (HACC)

Home and Community Care (HACC) is a joint Australian and State/Territory government program that provides support services to help people maintain their independence at home and in the community. HACC services generally do not require an ACAT assessment. See our Home Care section for further information.

Hostel

See low level residential aged care.

Independent living

Independent living is a broad term used to describe any form of seniors accommodation where residents are mostly responsible for looking after themselves. Independent living accommodation is typically found in retirement villages and the homes are often called independent living units, or ILUs.  Many such retirement villages also offer a range of additional services on a user pays basis, as required, and some also offer serviced apartments (see definition). See our Retirement Villages section for further information.

Low level residential aged care

Low level residential aged care, or simply low level care, is the current name for what was commonly known as “hostel” care. It offers accommodation, support services (such as cleaning, laundry and meals), personal care (such as help with dressing, eating, toileting, bathing and moving around), allied health services (such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy and podiatry) and some nursing care. Low level residential aged care requires an ACAT assessment. See our Aged Care section for further information.

Manufactured home village

In a manufactured home village, residents lease or license a site from the operator and purchase a freestanding home that already occupies the site or is subsequently deposited or erected on the site. The thing that distinguishes a manufactured home from a traditional freestanding home is the fact that it can theoretically be picked up (or dismantled) and moved somewhere else. Specific manufactured home legislation usually applies to these villages, rather than retirement village legislation. Manufactured homes are sometimes also referred to as mobile homes or relocatable homes. Manufactured home villages are generally for the over 50's, rather than the over 55's. See our Retirement Villages section for further information.

Nursing home

See high level residential aged care.

Palliative Care

Palliative care is care for someone who has a life limiting illness that focuses on maintaining quality of life until death.

Rental village

In a rental village, residents take a lease over a particular home and pay rent. No up-front capital payment or ingoing contribution is required. Specific rental legislation usually applies to these villages, rather than retirement village legislation. Rental villages are generally for the over 50's, rather than the over 55's. See our Retirement Villages section for further information.

Respite Care

Respite care is alternative care that allows regular carers to meet other commitments, recover from illness or injury, or just take a break or holiday.

Retirement village

A retirement village is essentially a managed community for seniors, although the term is something of a misnomer because you don’t necessarily have to be retired at all. Entry is generally restricted to people who are over 55 years of age or have retired from full-time employment, and their spouses. Manufactured home villages for over 50s and rental villages for over 50s are also managed communities for seniors, even though they generally don’t fall within the technical definition of a “retirement village" under the relevant State or Territory retirement village legislation and are regulated by specific manufactured home and tenancy legislation. When we refer to retirement villages on this website, we generally mean 55+ retirement villages, 50+ manufactured home villages and 50+ rental villages, unless the context requires otherwise. You should also be aware that retirement villages, manufactured home villages and rental villages may also be called, described or referred to as lifestyle villages, lifestyle resorts, lifestyle communities, lifestyle estates, retirement resorts, retirement communities, retirement estates or retirement homes. See our Retirement Villages section for further information.

Serviced apartment

Serviced apartments are typically found in retirement villages and the contractual arrangements provide for the regular delivery of a range of services, such as cleaning, meals and laundry and linen. Additional services may also be available on a user pays basis, as required. See our Retirement Villages section for further information.

Supported living

The concept of supported living is still evolving, but it generally refers to villages that offer retirement village style accommodation and aged care style services.