HomeAged Care HomesWhat is Residential Aged Care?
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What is residential aged care?

Full-time care in a dedicated facility for people who can no longer be safely supported at home — even with regular care visits.

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5 min readUpdated 2025Free for families
190,000+
Australians in residential aged care
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Overview

Residential aged care is full-time care in a dedicated facility. It's for people who can no longer be safely supported at home, even with regular care visits.

Who is it for?

Residential care is for people who need permanent, around-the-clock support that can no longer be provided in a home setting. This includes:

People with complex medical or personal care needs that require regular nursing support
People with advanced dementia who need a secure, specialist environment
People who require 24/7 nursing supervision
People who are no longer safe living alone, even with daily support visits

How it differs from home care

Home care delivers support while a person continues to live in their own home. Residential aged care is different — it means moving into a facility permanently.

Home care

Support delivered at home — cleaning, nursing, personal care. You stay in your own home.

Residential care

You move into a facility. Accommodation, meals, personal care, nursing, and allied health all in one place.

What's included in residential care?

Residential aged care facilities provide a broad range of services as part of ongoing care. These typically include:

Accommodation and meals
A private or shared room, all meals and snacks provided daily
Personal care
Showering, dressing, grooming, and continence support
Nursing care
Medication management, wound care, and clinical support
Allied health
Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology
Social activities and outings
Lifestyle programs, group activities, and community events
24/7 staff presence
Care staff available around the clock, every day of the year
How WithSally helps

Finding the right facility is one of the hardest decisions a family will make.

We help families find the right facility, understand costs, and navigate the process. We work with you to understand your loved one's needs — their care requirements, personality, location, and what matters most — and find a place that feels right.

Our guidance is free for families. We call you back within one business day.

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