The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) welcomes today's Senate Community Affairs References Committee report – Aged care service delivery.
The report offers several recommendations on how to strengthen our aged care sector and protect the rights of older people.
Issues around the release of new Home Care Packages and Support at Home places, and timely assessment for aged care services are key themes in the report, which is consistent with feedback and evidence from OPAN peak body and network members.
Important recommendations from the committee include that the Australian Government:
- release all 83,000 packages promised prior to the 2025 federal election, before 30 June 2026.
- make provision for additional Support at Home places as a matter of urgency, to meet the needs of the over 200,000 older people who are either waiting for a package or waiting for an assessment.
- release timely and regular publicly accessible information on assessment waiting times and waiting times for care access.
- work towards ending the rationing of care packages in a timeframe that is consistent with the sector's capacity to deliver the additional packages.
The committee also recommended the urgent review of the single assessment system by the Inspector-General of Aged Care which OPAN supports.
OPAN CEO Craig Gear said the report is an important milestone for ongoing aged care reform.
"We strongly welcome this report and its recommendations," Mr Gear said.
"We have an ageing population, and the effective delivery of home and community aged care services is imperative now and in the future.
"Care at home enables older people to live with dignity in the comfort of their homes and communities. Delay of timely assessment for the need for services is the denial of rights at the first hurdle. The Senate Inquiry report demonstrated that is what is currently occurring and must be urgently rectified.
"If we don't release more Support at Home places as a matter of priority then there is the risk that older people may have no choice but to end up in residential aged care prematurely.
"I acknowledge the tireless efforts of OPAN's network members in helping inform this report by giving evidence. The voices of older people and their families impacted by delays in assessment and access to care were clearly articulated by people with living experience and we thank the committee for listening to those older people's voices.
"We look forward to working with the government to see these sensible recommendations implemented for the betterment of older people in Australia. Timely access to care at home is an essential and fundamental element of a rights based aged care system."
