$900m pledge for rural and remote aged care
Support for aged care sectors across rural and remote Australia is on the way.
Older Australians will now have access to quality safe aged care services, regardless of where they are based, thanks to $900 million in funding from the Albanese Government.
To aid providers functioning in slim markets, $300 million in infrastructure funding will be made available through the ongoing Aged Care Capital Assistance Program (ACCAP) plus an investment of $600 million in Support at Home, as part of the $5.6 billion aged care reform package announced on 12 September 2024.
The funding will be available for eligible Support at Home providers from 1 July 2025 in the form of a two-year thin market grant to assist their financial feasibility.
The grants will benefit people with diverse backgrounds and life events while supporting service stability in rural or remote Australia.
Where workforce challenges may be present or accessing quality aged care services is restricted, the ACCAP grants aim to elevate aged care infrastructure and build new contemporary homes or staff accommodation.
With the challenges that aged care providers in these areas face in mind, these added provisions aim to support them and those who may offer specialist services.
Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells said that that the funding will support aged care providers to function in the areas that they need it most.
“The $900 million in funding that we are delivering from 1 July 2025 will deliver care for some of our nation’s most vulnerable people into the future,” Ms Wells said.
“Access to aged care is a fundamental right for every older person in Australia, regardless of where they live or the type of care they need.”
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