Shadow Ageing Minister Margaret May has adopted a new approach to put aged care on the agenda for members of the general public.
In an opinion piece prepared for the press, Mrs May warned families that they would need to get ready for grandma to move in.
“Aged care is in dire need of reform in this country and if we continue to ignore the crisis, ignore the need for urgent reform, then the spare bedroom next to the kids room is soon to be grandma’s new aged care facility,” the article said.
The shadow minister warned that if aged care continued on its current path, the system would undoubtedly collapse.
Mrs May observed that hard-working nurses in the sector were “drastically underpaid”, aged care providers were “flirting with bankruptcy” and the Complaints Investigation Scheme had failed.
“Aged and frail Australians deserve world-class care that is delivered by world-class aged care facilities,” she said.
“We need to start taking the challenges of an ageing population seriously, address the needs of industry on the verge of collapse and start talking about aged care!
“If we don’t support the aged care industry your home becomes the aged care facility and you become the nurse.”
.jpg)
.JPG)
