Your rights in aged care, in everyday words

You choose the services you use, and how, when and by whom they are delivered. That includes the right to take a reasonable risk in pursuit of a life you actually want.

In practice: if you want to keep doing the shopping yourself with someone alongside, that is your call. If you would rather a worker did not come on a day your family visits, that is your call too. You meet workers before they start, and you can ask for a different one without giving a reason.

Your personal privacy is respected and your personal information is protected. What a worker sees in your house stays between the people who need it to support you properly.

In practice: workers follow your house rules, ask before anything involving personal space, and write notes about your support rather than opinions about you. You are entitled to see what is recorded, and to ask for it to be corrected.

You have the right to raise a concern through an accessible process, without any fear that the support will suffer for it, and to have it dealt with fairly. Tell us first if you can, because most things are quickly fixed. You do not have to raise it with us first, though. You can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822.

You can also be supported to make decisions, communicate in your preferred language or method, and have an advocate. The Older Persons Advocacy Network is free and independent on 1800 700 600. An advocate is on your side, not ours, and we welcome them at the table.

The full Statement is published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and we will give you a copy when we start.

If you want to talk through what any of these rights means for you or for someone you care for, ring us. Call 02 9556 9500 or get in touch.