Respect Autumn Lodge

Each year an independent team talks privately with at least 1 in 5 residents of every government-funded aged care home. These are the answers at Respect Autumn Lodge in the 2026 survey.

AlwaysMost of the timeSome of the timeNeverThe number on the right is how many in every 100 gave a positive answer.

• Permanent care
• Respite care

In the rooms: Overbed table, Furnished room

Refundable deposit (RAD)

$375,000 to $450,000

Daily payment (DAP)

$86.61 to $103.93 a day

Basic daily fee

Everyone pays it, for meals, cleaning, laundry and utilities.

Contributions based on your means

Depend on your income and assets. Use the fee estimator (opens in a new tab)

Higher everyday living fee

Optional, for extra services. A home can only ask you to agree to it after you move in.

Prices as the facility states them. Confirm current prices and fees with the facility.

Paying for a room: each room type states a refundable deposit (RAD) and a daily payment (DAP). My Aged Care explains how they work and what else you may pay. Aged care home fee estimator (opens in a new tab) · Aged care home costs and fees (opens in a new tab)

A registered nurse on site, day and night

Homes must have a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Respect Autumn Lodge reported one on site around the clock in 9 of the 9 months reported, from October 2025 to June 2026. In June 2026 the national average was 23 hours 51 minutes a day.

1. Oct: on site 24/7
2. Nov: on site 24/7
3. Dec: on site 24/7
4. Jan: on site 24/7
5. Feb: on site 24/7
6. Mar: on site 24/7
7. Apr: on site 24/7
8. May: on site 24/7
9. Jun: on site 24/7

It can feel like a lot. These are the steps most families go through, in order.

1. 1Get an aged care assessmentIt decides whether you can move into an aged care home, and it’s free. You must be 65 or older (50 or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, or people who are homeless or at risk of it).Apply online (opens in a new tab), or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
2. 2Have a means assessmentServices Australia looks at your income and assets to work out what you’ll pay. Your money doesn’t affect whether you can move in.Use the fee estimator (opens in a new tab)
3. 3Visit and compare homesAsk to see the room types and the shared spaces.
4. 4Apply to the homes you likeEach home has its own application. Ask when a room might be free.
5. 5Agree your costs in writingBefore you move in, the home sets out your room price and fees in an agreement for you to sign. Take your time, and ask someone you trust to read it with you.

Free help from the government
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422

1-3 Short Street, Macksville NSW 2447.