Our aged care crisis

In his report, inquiry chairman Aaron Harper said "from what we have seen in our work, the committee holds grave concerns for the welfare of our older Australians trying to access care.

"We heard on multiple occasions of older Australians waiting so long for their approved home care package that they were forced to move into a residential aged care facility. Sadly many older Australians die while waiting."

Aged care operators told the inquiry of their struggle to provide care when funding had been frozen and did not reflect the real costs involved in providing care, resulting in cost cutting.

Mr Harper remarked on the burden on the public health system of aged care residents in acute care hospital beds for long periods, either waiting for a bed or waiting to return after being admitted for care that could have been provided in their nursing homes.

The committee also heard of the difficulties Queenslanders face accessing palliative care, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

It heard that 70 per cent of people would prefer to stay in their home or community surrounded by loved ones when diagnosed with a terminal illness, but only 14 per cent were able to do so as it was too difficult to access high level home-based care in many parts of the state.

The inquiry's report makes 71 recommendations including a trial of nurse practitioners with expanded roles in nursing homes; controls on physical and chemical restraints and better nutrition in aged care facilities; a redesign of the My Aged Care website to make it easier to use; an increase of funding and removal of caps for home care packages at all levels and a clearing of the package backlog; mandatory reporting by home care staff of elder abuse; mandatory qualifications and training for carers providing in-home aged care; and disclosure of nursing home staff to resident ratios.