Premium Melbourne pricing
Inner east, bayside and inner north Melbourne suburbs carry some of the higher RAD prices in Australia.
- aged care victoria guide
Aged Care in Victoria
- A Family's Guide
Independent guidance for Victorian families navigating home care, residential aged care, and the financial decisions that come with them.
We work with Victorian families regularly — from inner and outer Melbourne to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and across regional Victoria. Our consultations are conducted by video and phone, which means the whole family can be part of the conversation even when you're spread across Melbourne and the regions.
What You’ll Learn in This Guide
✓How aged care works in Victoria, and where to start.
✓Typical costs across inner Melbourne, the suburbs, Geelong and regional Victoria.
✓The difference between home care and residential aged care for Victorian families.
✓Culturally specific aged care — what is available in Victoria.
✓Regional access considerations and where to find local Victorian resources.
Victoria Aged Care Guide
Aged Care in Victoria — A Snapshot
Victoria has Australia’s second-largest aged care sector and one of the country’s most diverse populations of older people. There are more residential aged care providers and home care services in Victoria than in any state outside New South Wales, and the mix of not-for-profit, faith-based, culturally specific and private providers is broader than anywhere else in Australia.
Culturally specific care
Victoria has dedicated services for many cultural communities where language, food, faith and customs matter.
Strong regional networks
Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and the Latrobe Valley have established aged care provider networks.
Planning matters: There is no single “Victorian answer” to aged care. What works for a family in Toorak may not suit a family in Shepparton, and cultural fit can be just as important as location or price.
First Steps
Getting Started in Victoria
If you are at the beginning of this journey, the practical sequence in Victoria is the same as elsewhere in Australia: register with My Aged Care, arrange an assessment, then compare suitable care options before choosing a provider.
1
Register with My Aged Care
My Aged Care is the national entry point for government-subsidised aged care services. You can register online or by phone on 1800 200 422.
2
Arrange an assessment
For home care, the Regional Assessment Service conducts the Home Support Assessment. For residential aged care or higher-needs home care, Victoria uses ACAS — the Aged Care Assessment Service — which is the equivalent of ACAT in other states.
3
Understand your options
The assessment letter tells you what level of care is approved, but not which provider is right, what it should cost, or how to fund it sensibly.
Victorian Costs
The Cost of Aged Care in Victoria
The structure of aged care fees is set nationally. The basic daily fee, means-tested contribution, accommodation costs and optional service fees work the same way in Victoria as they do anywhere else. What varies considerably across Victoria is the accommodation price — the RAD or DAP for a particular room.
Melbourne premium suburbs
$750k–$1.1m+Toorak, Brighton, Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell and Malvern can carry premium accommodation pricing.
Greater Melbourne metro
$500k–$750kRooms commonly fall within this range depending on location, building quality, room type and demand.
Geelong, Ballarat & Bendigo
$400k–$600kPricing varies significantly between providers and locations across these regional centres.
Other regional Victorian centres
$300k–$500kShepparton, Warrnambool, Mildura, Wodonga and Traralgon vary widely by provider.
Important: These are general ranges only and change frequently. Always confirm current pricing with the individual provider before signing. For a full fee explainer, see our Aged Care Fees & Costs Guide.
Care Pathways
Home Care or Residential Care?
Around two-thirds of Victorians accessing aged care receive it at home through a Home Care Package or Commonwealth Home Support Programme services. The remainder move into residential aged care, either as a permanent placement or for respite stays.
For Victorian families, three issues often shape the decision: Melbourne property values, cultural and linguistic needs, and the strong preference many older people have to age in place for as long as safely possible.
Aged care is rarely a single decision. It is usually a sequence of decisions over months or years, and our role is to help families think these through together rather than reacting under pressure.
CALD Aged Care
Culturally Specific Aged Care in Victoria
Victoria has Australia’s most developed network of culturally and linguistically diverse aged care services. Both residential homes and home care providers operate with specific cultural focuses — including Italian, Greek, Polish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Jewish, Indian, Russian, Maltese, Macedonian and many others.
These services are not just about language. They often include culturally familiar food, religious services, festival recognition and staff who understand the social and cultural conventions older clients are used to.
For some families, culturally specific care is a key part of dignity and comfort. For others, a mainstream provider with strong multicultural capability may be the right fit. Both can work well when the trade-offs are understood clearly.
Regional Planning
Regional Victoria Considerations
Victoria’s regional aged care sector is more developed than in many states, but distance and choice still matter for families outside Melbourne. For families in regional and remote Victoria, several practical issues come up.
Fewer nearby providers
In smaller communities, there may only be one or two residential aged care homes within an hour’s drive.
Longer waits
ACAS and RAS waiting times can be longer in regional Victoria, particularly during peak periods.
Home care delivery
Some providers operate across regional Victoria with limited local workforce availability.
Family distance
Adult children in Melbourne with a parent in Warrnambool, Mildura or Bairnsdale face practical distance issues.
The goal is not to rush: Regional issues are not reasons to avoid aged care in regional Victoria. They are reasons to plan earlier and look at the whole picture before defaulting to the nearest home.
Useful Links
Victorian Resources for Aged Care
Independent, trustworthy information for Victorian families is available from several sources.
My Aged Care
The national service finder, fee estimator and registration portal.
Department of Health Victoria
State-funded health and aged care information, including links to regional services.
COTA Victoria
The peak body for older Victorians, with advocacy and consumer education.
Carers Victoria
Support, counselling, respite and education for unpaid carers.
Seniors Online Victoria
The Victorian Government’s information portal for older people.
OPAN
Free, confidential advocacy for older people receiving or seeking aged care.
How We Help
How Senior Care Assist Helps Victorian Families
Senior Care Assist regularly work with families in Victoria — supporting parents and adult children across Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and regional Victoria.
Most of our advisory work is conducted by phone, video and email. For aged care planning, this is genuinely the better way — the conversation is fundamentally about understanding rules, modelling numbers and coordinating paperwork, all of which work cleanly without anyone needing to travel.
It also makes the family side of the conversation easier. When the adult children are spread across Melbourne, regional Victoria or interstate, a single video call lets everyone be in the room together rather than relaying information through one person. Families can join from work, from home, or from a hospital waiting room if a decision needs to happen quickly.
Urgent Aged Care Support
Hospital discharge or urgent situation?
If a family member is being discharged from hospital and you need to secure aged care quickly, we can move fast.
We regularly assist families facing 48 to 72 hour timelines — helping compare facilities, manage paperwork and liaise with providers to secure suitable care.
Want to Understand the Numbers?
Use our aged care cost calculator to test likely daily costs, compare RAD and DAP scenarios, and understand how different decisions may affect cashflow.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions — Victorian Families
What if we'd prefer to meet in person at some stage?
Most of our Victorian clients work with us by phone and video and find it suits them well — partly because it lets the whole family attend together. If at some point you'd like to discuss in-person options, just raise it when you get in touch and we'll find a way that works.
Is aged care in Victoria more expensive than other states?
Care fees are set nationally and do not vary by state. What varies is the price of accommodation in a particular home. Melbourne’s premium inner-east, bayside and inner-north suburbs have some of the higher RAD prices in Australia, while regional Victoria often sits closer to or below the national average.
Mum speaks Italian, Greek, Vietnamese or another community language. Is culturally appropriate care realistic in Victoria?
Yes. Victoria has the most developed network of culturally specific aged care in Australia. Several providers operate homes designed around specific cultural communities, and many home care providers can match care workers by language or cultural background.
My parent lives in regional Victoria and we live in Melbourne. What should we do?
Start with the assessment process through My Aged Care. From there, compare whether staying local, moving closer to family, increasing home care or considering residential care is most appropriate.
How long does it take to arrange aged care in Victoria?
For home care, it may take weeks or longer depending on the package level and availability. Residential aged care can often be arranged within four to eight weeks after assessment, although urgent hospital-discharge situations can move significantly faster.
Australia-Wide Guidance
We also work with families in Queensland and New South Wales — combining remote guidance with locally relevant aged care information, provider insights and financial clarity for families navigating care decisions.
Get Clarity Before You Commit
Aged care decisions affect cashflow, the family home, pension entitlements and long-term family outcomes. Before signing agreements or making large financial commitments — particularly in Melbourne where the numbers tend to be larger — it is worth understanding the options clearly.
Last reviewed: May 2026. Aged care arrangements vary depending on individual circumstances and when the resident entered care. The information on this page is general in nature and does not consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether it is appropriate for you and seek personalised advice before making any decisions.
Supporting Australian families through aged care decisions — with clarity, structure and care.
Senior Care Assist Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1322291 of AD Advisory Services Pty Ltd (AFSL 237058).
Services
Company
resources
Location Australia Wide
Legal
Need help understanding aged care costs?
The information on this website is general in nature and does not consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether it is appropriate for you and seek personalised advice before making any decisions.
© 2026 Senior Care Assist. All rights reserved.