Staff lift on top of aged care wishlist

IMPROVED staffing ratios and a reduction in home-care queues are the top changes industry leaders expect in the royal commission’s final report on the aged care sector.

The report – which could be handed down as early as Monday – follows two years of harrowing evidence revealing neglect and abuse.

Seniors Rights Service president Margaret Duckett said her 92-year-old mother waited three years for access to a level four home-care package.

With 103,000 Australians currently on the waiting list, Ms Duckett said she hoped the reduction in the queue would be prioritised.

“I have heard the government is planning to announce that no one will wait more than a month after they are officially assessed to get a homecare package, but the kicker is they haven’t determined the level of co-payment required.” Ms Duckett said.

“Increasing co-funding will put home-care support out of the reach of the people.”

Home care service provider Vitality chief executive Ahilan St George is not against the concept of reasonable copayments but said they would not solve the staff shortage.

“At the heart of most of the issues is a structural workforce shortage where there aren’t enough staff … even increasing funding won’t fix that,” he said.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said the government had acted on the interim and COVID-19 reports prepared by the royal commission and intended to do the same with the final report.

“A strong aged care sector, with a highquality and skilled workforce will provide older Australians with the care they rightly deserve and give all Australians confidence that our elderly are cared for with kindness, respect and dignity,” he said.