$400m aged care ‘shortfall’
Call to help older Australians live at home
AN overhaul of the aged care sector needs an extra $400m a year in funding to help older Australians live at home for longer, a new report claims.
The report from policy think tank the Grattan Institute – to be released on Monday – is also calling for homecare waiting times to be slashed to less than a month, and workers to receive better pay and conditions.
“An improved home-care system would cost the taxpayer more,” report co-author Stephen Duckett said.
“Regulation and care navigation support, necessary to get better value for money from the system, will cost $400m per year more than what is already provided in budget forward estimates.”
The federal government has committed to more than $2.4bn in extra annual funding from 2022-23 and 80,000 additional home-care places.
But researchers say about 58,000 more carers are needed simply to meet the planned increase.
“The government should commit to ending waiting lists, and keep waiting times for care at home down to 30 days or fewer when the new homecare model is introduced from mid-2023,” the report states.
“Up to 15 per cent more home-care places than planned could be needed to eliminate the waiting list … with more required after that as the number of older people needing care increases.”
The report also urges the federal government to state that it will fund, partially or fully, the outcome of a Fair Work Commission application for aged care and nursing staff to receive a 25 per cent pay increase.
If an extra $400m was invested in home care, experts propose the federal government establish 31 regional offices across Australia to act as stewards that plan and develop local aged care services alongside primary health networks.
They suggest the offices could hold funds, pay providers and administer service agreements on behalf of older people.