Between NDIS and aged care
Where the NDIS and aged care meet — turning 65, being on both, and what to do if someone under 65 is being placed in aged care.
I'm 64 and on the NDIS — what do I do about turning 65?
Start preparing now. Roughly:
- If you became an NDIS participant before 65, you can stay on the NDIS — you don't have to switch to aged care.
- If you have not yet applied to the NDIS, you must apply before 65. After 65 the NDIS pathway closes for new applicants.
- Apply for an aged care assessment in parallel three to six months before your 65th birthday, even if you plan to stay on the NDIS — it gives you options later.
We've written this up in more detail on our Turning 65 page.
Can I be on both schemes?
You can receive support from both, but they don't double-fund the same support. The NDIS "out" list explicitly excludes aged care services. The boundaries get blurry around assistive technology, home modifications and allied health, where the same item could in theory come from either side. A support coordinator or a Local Area Coordinator can help you work out which.
What if I'm under 65 and someone is suggesting residential aged care?
Push back, hard. National policy is that no one under 65 (under 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) should be in residential aged care unless there are exceptional circumstances. If this is being suggested for you or someone you care about:
- If you're an NDIS participant: ask for the NDIS Home and Living Supports stream.
- If you're not an NDIS participant: contact the Younger People in Residential Aged Care assistance line via the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
This is one of the situations where Greenbees would say: get help today, not next week.
More questions
General
What Greenbees does, who runs it, what it costs (free).
NDIS — eligibility and access
Who can apply, what evidence works, how long it takes, what to do if you're refused.
NDIS — planning and supports
How planning meetings work, what 'reasonable and necessary' means, the differences between Core, Capacity Building, and Capital.
NDIS — recent changes
What changed in 2024 — Support Lists, plan budgets, Foundational Supports.
Aged care — getting started
When to start, how the Single Assessment System works, what to expect from an assessment.
Aged care — Support at Home
The new program from 1 November 2025 — what it covers, what you pay, the short-term pathways.
Aged care — residential care
When residential is the right answer, RAD vs DAP, your rights, switching providers.
Aged care — costs
How the means test works, the family home, indicative costs by means bracket, where to get free advice.
Carers
Three doors of carer support, recognising burnout, getting help today.
Still not sure?
Run the Funding Finder — answer a dozen quick questions and we'll show you which schemes apply and what to do next.