Respect for older Australians is at the heart of a significant boost in federal government funding for aged care, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says.
An extra 10,000 older Australians who need high-level care will be given money to receive support at home, as part of a $552.9 million funding boost to be rolled out up to mid-2022.
Half of the new packages will involve payments of up to $33,000 per individual each year, while the other half - for older people with the greatest care needs - will involve payments of up to $50,250.
Mr Morrison, who will detail the extra funding on Monday, said older Australians built the nation and deserve respect and support for the choices they make.
"We know many older Australians want to stay in their own home and this package delivers just that - support and high-level care at home," he said in a statement.
"As a nation we must continue to support our older Australians and I remain absolutely committed to doing more."
The extra home care packages, which will be available from early next year, come after 20,000 more packages were provided in the past year.
The latest Department of Health annual report put the total number of home care packages delivered in 2017/18 at about 100,000.
But Labor aged-care spokeswoman Julie Collins said there are more than 120,000 people stuck on waiting lists for such packages, making the latest announcement just a "drop in the ocean".
"Scott Morrison did nothing when the waitlist for home-care packages hit 108,000 in August. He did nothing when the list reached 121,000 in September," she said in a statement on Monday.
"Morrison cut $1.2 billion from aged care in his first budget as treasurer. This doesn't even reverse Morrison's cuts."
Senior Australians living at home with lower-level care needs will also have their costs reduced as part of the government's funding windfall.
That will come through a lowering of their maximum daily fees, resulting in savings of up to $400 a year.
People not being charged the maximum daily fee will also benefit through a top-off payment for additional services.
Residential aged-care centres in remote and rural Australia and those that service people from homeless backgrounds will also get extra funds through a 30 per cent lift in supplements they receive.
Another $98 million will be spent on extra payments for doctors who attend residential aged-care homes to treat residents.
Australian Associated Press
