Choosing a dementia care home

What a genuine dementia care home looks like

• Staff with specific dementia training, not just general care certificates
• A calm, easy-to-navigate layout with clear signage and safe walking loops
• Secure outdoor areas residents can use freely, not just through a locked door
• Small-group activities matched to each person's remaining abilities
• Low reliance on medication to manage behaviour
• Families welcomed and kept informed, not managed at arm's length

Memory support units

Many homes run a secure memory support unit (sometimes called a dementia wing) for people whose dementia creates safety risks such as wandering. Entry usually requires an assessment confirming the need for secure care.

A good unit feels like a small household, not a locked ward. Ask how many residents share it, what the staff-to-resident ratio is, and how residents spend a typical day.

Questions to ask on a tour

• How many staff on each shift have formal dementia training?
• How do you respond to calling out, agitation or exit-seeking?
• Can residents go outside whenever they want to?
• How will you keep our family updated week to week?
• What happens as the dementia progresses — can Mum stay here?

What dementia care costs

Dementia care in a residential aged care home is funded the same way as other residential care: a basic daily fee, a means-tested contribution based on income and assets, and an accommodation payment (a refundable RAD or daily DAP). Some homes charge extra for memory support units or additional services — we'll show you the exact figures for your situation before you commit.

For free, confidential advice at any hour, the National Dementia Helpline is 1800 100 500.