Welcome to Australian Ageing Agenda’s coverage of the Federal Government’s ongoing review into the Living Longer Living Better and other aged care reforms.
Analysis of the feedback from providers, consumers and professionals working in the sector is currently underway and the department said further consultation may be held in early 2017. The review is due to report on 1 August 2017.
On this page you will find links to all our review articles, which provide highlights of stakeholder responses into key areas of aged care reform.
Lack of information still hampering choice for older people in aged care, seniors tell review: Seniors groups have called for improvements to the quality and delivery of information and support given to consumers to help them better understand and exercise choice and control in aged care.
Pricing Commissioner role in the firing line: Provider groups have told the review that accommodation prices should be determined by the market and they have called for the role of the pricing commissioner to be reviewed and possibly abolished.
Mix and cost of packages delaying access to home care, say stakeholders: Home care providers have urged the review to address ongoing concerns over lengthy consumer delays in accessing Level 3 and 4 packages and the low take up of Level 1 and 2 packages.
Special needs seniors missing out on aged care, groups warn: Many culturally and linguistically diverse, Aboriginal and rural older Australians still don’t have adequate access to aged care services, according to stakeholders. Many groups have called for more on-the-ground support to improve access for these cohorts.
Stakeholders raise barriers to aged care reform with government review: A lack of data around unmet demand for aged care services, the failings of My Aged Care and the need for a sector workforce strategy are among the key issues raised by stakeholders in their submissions.
Aged care reform review to call for submissions: The head of the review, David Tune, flagged the launch of the legislated review at the Leading Age Services Australia national congress in October 2016.
Review of aged care reforms gets underway with senior appointment: The September 2016 appointment of Aged Care Sector Committee chair David Tune to lead the review was welcomed by stakeholders who said they were keen for the process to get started.
Aged care review faces unclear picture on unmet demand for care: How many older people miss out on aged care due to a scarcity of places? It’s the question that could frustrate the review of the Living Longer Living Better aged care reforms.
Former PC commissioner encourages stakeholders to engage in review: Mike Woods has urged aged care providers and other sector stakeholders to be “active participants” in the review of Living Longer Living Better.
Want to have your say on the review? Comment below
I have been a Carer for 6 years in a so called non for profit Christian organisation and it’s about bottom lines, budgets and profiteering from a vulnerable group in society that is showed no respect and has no voice and is an easy target for exploitation, or otherwise called, an investment opportunity. Due to the exploding ageing population the Government a long time ago realised it had to outsource it’s responsibilities to the elderly to private providers and give them free rein to trim up their organisations all in the interests of the shareholders and, of course, the directors ( the cost of Lear jet fuel has soared ), but definitely not in the interests of dignity and quality care for the elderly. Aged care workers are not valued either, when you see a teenager stacking shelves at Woolworths earning more than a Carer. Why is that public hospitals and childcare have mandated ratios/skillmix of client to carers etc but Aged Care does not? Quality of care dictated by profit margins of providers is digusting but that’s the world we live in. This Liberal Govt. wants to Americanise Australia. Perhaps it’s time to tax the top end of town and criminalise off shore accounts, there would be huge bucks there to spend on what’s important, but you can’t treat your mates like that and Mal wouldn’t like it. Same as always big business is running the show and the Buck rules, not Government.
As a consumer it is like being in hospital. If you are classified as “urgent” you will have priority treatment. Otherwise in the aged care sector you may have to wait between 7 to 12 months for any assistance. In the meantime some residents may have local councils that will provide temporary help until their turn on the waiting list with a provider. We should not complain too much because some countries have no aged care services at all. We are the lucky country at the present time. At least we do receive help even if it us not in the timely manner we need or expect. It is a pity that people who are poor have to wait whereas people who are well off can afford care whenever they need it.