The government has announced a $537 million package for aged care in response to the damning interim findings of the royal commission. The interim report targeted three areas as major concerns – the shortage of home care packages, the excessive use of chemical restraints and the need to get young disabled people out ... Read more
Introducing My Aged Care
Among the many shocking observations raised in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety interim report was the ‘frightening, confronting and confusing’ telephone and internet-based national aged care entry system called My Aged Care. My Aged Care was established in 2014 in partial response to a ... Read more
The aged care royal commission’s 3 areas of immediate action are worthy, but won’t fix a broken system
After many months of hearings across the country, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has published its interim report. Titled Neglect, the commissioners were courageous and accurate in laying out the fundamental issues facing the aged care system in Australia. They demonstrated an under-resourced ... Read more
How to check if your mum or dad’s nursing home is up to scratch
If you’ve read the headlines about poor standards in Australia’s nursing homes, it’s only natural to be concerned about your own family or friends in residential aged care. For instance, there was news in recent weeks that 45 of 72 Bupa nursing homes in Australia had failed to meet all health and safety standards, with ... Read more
Need care at home? We look at the costs
Elderly retirees may come to a point where they need support to live at home. They can sometimes rely on friends, family and volunteer services to help. Getting assistance from your nearest and dearest is definitely the cheapest option but can’t always be relied on, especially over the long term. So, what are the ... Read more
Why aged care deserves to be part of your plan
When we plan for life after retirement, we can often tend to focus on saving for a comfortable standard of living and travel. It can be difficult to factor in anything other than a happy and healthy journey as we get older, even if we know the reality can be very different. Australians are getting older The number of ... Read more
Our ailing aged care system shows you can’t skimp on nursing care
Staff shortages and a lack of training have once again emerged as key issues underpinning the nation’s aged care crisis, as the aged care royal commission hears testimony in Perth. Registered nurse Noleen Hausler shared the experience of her 98-year-old father, Clarence, who was force-fed, assaulted and had a ... Read more
Retiree home ownership is about to plummet. Soon little more than half will own where they live
Australia’s retirement incomes system has been built on the assumption that most retirees would own their home outright. But new Grattan Institute modelling shows the share of over 65s who own their home will fall from 76% today to 57% by 2056 – and it’s likely that less than half of low-income retirees will own their ... Read more
Don’t wait for a crisis – start planning your aged care now
By Alison Rahn, Western Sydney University Most Australians prefer to die at home but few adequately plan for it. Consequently, just one in seven dies at home. Some say they will make plans “when the need arises”. But what if you have a heart attack, go into a coma, have a stroke, or develop dementia before having ... Read more
Budget 2019 boosts aged care and mental health, and modernises Medicare: Health experts respond
By Stephen Duckett, Grattan Institute; Hal Swerissen, Grattan Institute; Ian Hickie, University of Sydney; Lesley Russell, University of Sydney; Peter Sivey, RMIT University, and Philip Clarke, University of Melbourne This year’s budget includes $448.5 to modernise Australia’s Medicare system, by encouraging people ... Read more
2019 Federal Budget overview: Super, tax and related announcements
On 2 April 2019, Josh Frydenberg announced his first Federal Budget as Treasurer. The coalition’s key message was that they had returned Australia's Budget to surplus (or rather will do from next financial year) through responsible Budget management. The Treasurer presented measures to further strengthen the economy ... Read more
Older people are more digitally savvy, but aged care providers need to keep up
Older adults are more digitally connected than ever, even though their uptake of internet-based technologies remains lower than for younger age groups. Today’s senior citizens are likely to spend their spare time tweeting about their social lives and Facetiming their grand kids. This is good news because research ... Read more
Confused about aged care in the home? These 10 charts explain how it works
This week, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety hearings focused on aged care in the home. Most Australians want to stay in their homes for as long as possible as they advance in age. And the nation’s aged care system provides subsidies to support this choice. But the commission heard evidence that ... Read more
As home care packages become big business, older people are not getting the personalised support they need
The Royal Commission into Aged Care has unleashed a spate of claims of system failure within the residential aged care sector. Now, as the commission shifts its focus to care in the community, we’re also seeing claims of failure within the home care packages program. This scheme aims to support older people with ... Read more
Would you like to grow old at home? Why we’re struggling to meet demand for subsidised home care
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is this week turning its focus to aged care in the home. So far it has heard evidence of long waiting times to access home care services and a complicated system of fees. It’s only a matter of time before it questions the reasons behind those wait lists and ... Read more