A Home Care Fair Go
Opinion piece by Richard Hearn, former CEO Resthaven Incorporated, for Boomer section,
The Advertiser, 22 January 2018
This new year, it’s time to call for a fair go for those older Australians on the Home Care wait list who are not receiving services.
Important changes are required to the Australian aged care system to support those who have contributed so much to our community and families, and some of whom now need our help.
The Federal Government has continued an important, bipartisan aged care reform process, giving welcomed control, choice and a greater emphasis to services that support older people to remain living at home.
However, many thousands of older people cannot obtain the support they have been assessed for because there are not enough available high-level home care packages. A key challenge for all members of Federal Parliament during 2018 is to address this situation.
For the first time, a national database has been established to record the number of older individuals assessed for home care services but who cannot access them due to the Government’s limited supply. This waitlist brings to the attention of the general public a great need that was previously hidden. Our politicians need to give priority to this need.
The number of people on the wait list exceeds the number actually receiving a home care package on any given day. The most recent data indicates that more than 100,000 older individuals in Australia are assessed for a home care package at a level of support they are not receiving.
Providers understand that the waitlist may overstate the actual demand on any one day, as it overlaps those also considering residential aged care, as well as including those already in receipt of a package awaiting an upgrade, and those who simply do not accept a package when it is offered.
Support for people to continue living at home is the clear preference for many individuals, and it is clear that those who are able to, will need to make increased personal contributions to the cost of their care.
The sustainability and accessibility of quality residential aged care also remains very important.
If you are waiting for aged care support and are concerned, go back to My Aged Care (phone 1800 200 422 or www.myagedcare.gov.au) and enquire.
I also encourage you to raise any needs or concerns with your local Federal Member of Parliament or Senator.
For free, face-to-face information about aged care, call in to Agedcare Alternatives at 1/445 Fullarton Road, Highgate during business hours or phone 8271 3888 or email info@agedcarealternatives.net.au