What is a care suite?

A care suite (sometimes known as a care apartment) is generally a retirement village offering that provides the same level of care you'd receive in a care home, with the added comfort of having your own private space.

They are a quite complex accommodation and financial offering, and it can be tricky to get your head around what's what. Here, we break some of the legal and financial stuff down for you, to help you make a decision if it's the right sort of offering for you. 

Care suites are governed by the Age-Related Residential Care (ARRC) Agreement, which means the quality and standard of care you receive is protected. Because this is a retirement village offering, you'll usually pay an upfront capital amount (often referred to as the 'purchase' price, or Occupation Right Agreement).

How does payment work for a care suite?

When you move into a care suite, there are rules that protect you (or the public health system) being charged twice for the same care. Here's what this means:

• You won't be charged extra for care if the government is already paying for it. If you receive a government subsidy for your care, the retirement village/care provider cannot charge you any additional fees for the care services that the subsidy already covers.
   
• If you pay privately there are rules that protect you too. If you are not receiving a government subsidy and you have an Occupation Right Agreement (ORA), you should be refunded 18% of the maximum care home price of your area. You will still be charged for maintenance and property-related fees that are explained in your ORA. This helps make sure you are paying a fair amount for the care you receive. 

In summary, you won't be double charged for care. If you receive a government subsidy, that covers your standard care costs, and if you pay privately, you get a built-in discount on part of your care charges.