Retirement villages
Retirement villages operate differently to residential aged care homes and may affect the services you receive from us.
The veteran’s guide to living independently booklet has been developed to help you understand the services and supports available. You can view this online or order a hardcopy to be delivered to your home, from the aged care resources page of the website.
Nominating a representative
You may choose to authorise someone to be your nominated representative when dealing with us. A nominated representative can be a partner, adult relative, trustee, agent, legal representative or organisation. You can set up a nominated representative using MyService or by completing this form - Appointing a third party to represent a DVA client. For more information visit the nominated representative webpage.
Please note that this form only authorises representation with DVA. Other government departments or services may require you to create other arrangements. Information on representation arrangements for other departments can be found on the Help accessing aged care services page.
Back to topFunding and services in retirement villages
Retirement villages are governed by state and territory legislation. The Australian Government only funds and regulates aged care in:
- residential aged care homes
- services provided in your own home through the Support at Home program or the Commonwealth Home Support Program (these services can be provided in a retirement village).
As part of its Caring for Older Australians report, the Productivity Commission recommended that the regulation of retirement villages should remain the responsibility of state and territory governments.
Back to topOur services in retirement villages
If you live in a retirement village, you may be eligible to receive services based on your assessed clinical need. We can offer you services such as:
- Cleaning and housekeeping
- Personal services
- Community Nursing
- Aids and equipment –please note home modifications are not provided in retirement villages as these should be purpose built to allow for age related mobility and functional decline.
- Transport for treatment
For more information on all the services you can access, visit our Statement on Retirement Villages webpage.
Retirement village operators must comply with the approved provider responsibilities set out in the Aged Care Act 2024 and its Statement of Principles.
Back to topComplaints
If your retirement village provider fails to meet its responsibilities, you can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. You can call on 1800 951 822, or visit the website.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission provides a free service and takes all complaints seriously. You can make a complaint openly, confidentially or anonymously. The Commission aims to:
- resolve complaints for individual care recipients quickly and effectively
- assist providers to improve the quality of their services.
Contact and locations
If you need further information or wish to raise concerns about the retirement villages in your state or territory, the following organisations can be contacted:
Queensland:
Office of Fair Trading
Ph: 13 74 68
New South Wales:
NSW Fair Trading
Ph: 13 32 20
Australian Capital Territory:
Access Canberra
Ph: 13 22 81
Tasmania:
Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading
Ph: 1300 65 44 99
Northern Territory:
Consumer Affairs NT
Ph: 1800 019 319
Western Australia:
Western Australian Department of Commerce
Ph: 1300 30 40 54
South Australia:
Office for the Ageing
Ph: (08) 8204 2420
Other pages we think may interest you
- Aged care resources
- Help with personal care
- Help with cleaning and Housekeeping
- Nursing help at home
- Help with home and garden upkeep
- Getting aids, equipment and home modifications
- Other in-home aged care programs and DVA
- Assessing your in-home aged care costs
- How to check your legislation on MyService
- Carer support