Dorothy’s aged care home charged $52 a day for Foxtel, wine and newspapers that were no use to her. She wasn’t alone
Summary
Families of aged care residents have been charged daily fees for services they could not use or enjoy, such as Foxtel TV, wine, and newspapers. Complaints have led to investigations by the national regulator, with some providers refunding residents and facing legal action for possibly illegal fees.Key Facts
- Dorothy, a dementia patient, was charged $52 a day for services she could not use or enjoy.
- Her son, Jeff Gilling, fought the fees and obtained nearly $37,000 in refunds from the aged care facility.
- The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission received 199 complaints about fees in the first half of 2026.
- Complaints involved 121 for-profit, 75 not-for-profit, and 3 government aged care providers.
- The regulator is investigating several providers for possible misuse of fees but has not shared detailed findings yet.
- For-profit provider Arcare faces a class action alleging illegal fees for services residents could not use, including basic meals.
- Australian law states providers can only charge extra fees if residents agree, benefit from the services, and can use them.
- Some aged care providers have voluntarily changed their fee policies after review.
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