ROBO ASSESSMENTS In Aged Care: The Hidden Change Catching Families Off Guard
With the new aged care system now in full swing, I’m seeing a lot of people being caught off guard when it comes to assessments.
You may be shocked to know that it’s now a computer system that plays a major role in deciding whether you’re approved for support at home — and how much support you receive.
Aged care assessments are no longer based mainly on an assessor’s professional judgement or their ability to read between the lines. Your answers are entered into a system, scored by an algorithm, and converted into numbers that determine the outcome.
That matters because many older Australians answer assessment questions in a very normal, practical way — often saying things like:
“I’m okay.”
“I manage.”
“I’m just getting on with it.”
In a computer-graded system, those answers can be recorded as lower need, even when real life is tough, unsafe, or heavily reliant on family support behind the scenes.
I spoke with Coral Wilkinson (former assessor, now aged care navigator), and she confirmed what we’re seeing every day:
If the full picture isn’t clearly explained — specific examples, safety risks, fatigue, memory changes, and the help family already provides — people can end up under-assessed.
To help with this, I’ve put together a short video that explains:
what’s changed in aged care assessments
why people are being caught out
and how to approach the assessment so your answers reflect real life
I’ve also created a free Assessment Preparation Worksheet to make this practical. It helps you:
map out what day-to-day life really looks like (including the hard days)
recognise where family or friends are already helping
identify safety risks like falls, near-falls, fatigue, or memory changes
turn all of that into clear language the system can’t ignore
If you’re going through an assessment — or supporting someone who is — feel free to comment below and I’ll point you to the most helpful next step.
Take care,
Jim