The Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) changed how residential aged care funding flows. For lifestyle and creative programs, that change has been both an opportunity and a source of confusion — particularly around what counts as fundable activity and what doesn't.
Here's a practical view of how creative wellbeing programs fit inside the AN-ACC model in 2026.
A Quick Refresher on AN-ACC
AN-ACC funds residential aged care through a mix of a fixed care component, a variable care component based on each resident's assessed needs, and a base care tariff that covers everyday care delivery — including wellbeing and lifestyle services.
Creative programs typically sit inside the base care tariff and the lifestyle/wellbeing portion of resident care, rather than being separately reimbursed.
Where Creative Programs Fit
Creative wellbeing activity is part of the standard expected care under AN-ACC — not an add-on. That means the cost of running it should be built into your operational budget alongside cleaning, catering and other base care services, which is how our aged care and retirement living programs are costed.
Treating it as discretionary spend is a common — and avoidable — mistake.
Building the Internal Business Case
Internally, structure your business case around: cost per resident per week, links to quality standards, behaviour-of-concern impact, and accreditation evidence generated. Per-resident costs are simplest to model with paint-by-numbers kits residents complete themselves, where the unit price is fixed and known upfront.
AN-ACC funding flows to the provider, but how it's allocated internally is your business case to make.
Documenting for Assessment
Independent assessors under the AN-ACC model look at care delivery holistically. Strong, consistent documentation of creative programs — attendance, individual care plan links, resident voice — supports your facility's profile when residents are reassessed.
Lightweight session logs are enough; you don't need clinical-grade documentation.
Beyond AN-ACC: Other Funding Sources
Some creative programs qualify for additional funding outside AN-ACC — including grants from local councils, philanthropic foundations, and aged care peak bodies. These are particularly useful for one-off projects like community exhibitions or mural collaborations.
Don't rely on grants for ongoing program costs — use them to extend, not sustain. If you need supplier pricing to attach to a grant application, get in touch.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't carve creative programs out as a separately funded item that disappears in tight years. Don't under-document. And don't underestimate the value creative programs bring to accreditation outcomes — which directly affect provider standing and, indirectly, funding stability.
Treat creative wellbeing as core care, because under AN-ACC, that's exactly what it is.
Under AN-ACC, creative wellbeing programs aren't a discretionary extra — they're part of the standard care residents are funded to receive. Structure your internal budget and documentation to reflect that, and creative programs become resilient through every budget cycle.
— Be Artistic Club