The Charter of Aged Care Rights is in place to ensure consumers receiving Australian Government funded aged care receive proper care, treatment and high quality services. The Charter came into effect on 1 July 2019. It applies to individuals once they begin receiving Australian Government funded aged care, including:
- residential care
- home care packages
- flexible care
- services provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program.
Please note: the Charter does not apply to residents living in a retirement village.
Providers have responsibilities to support individuals to understand the new Charter.
Providers must:
- give the individual a copy of the new Charter signed by the provider
- assist the individual to understand the Charter
- ensure that the individual or their legal representatives have been given a reasonable opportunity to sign a copy of the Charter.
I have the right to:
- safe and high quality care and services;
- be treated with dignity and respect;
- have my identity, culture and diversity valued and supported;
- live without abuse and neglect;
- be informed about my care and services in a way I understand;
- access all information about myself, including information about my rights, care and services;
- have control over and make choices about my care, and personal and social life, including where the choices involve personal risk;
- have control over, and make decisions about, the personal aspects of my daily life, financial affairs and possessions;
- my independence;
- be listened to and understood;
- have a person of my choice, including an aged care advocate, support me or speak on my behalf;
- complain free from reprisal, and to have my complaints dealt with fairly and promptly;
- personal privacy and to have my personal information protected;
- exercise my rights without it adversely affecting the way I am treated
Everybody involved in the delivery of your care must respect your rights.