10,000 new home care packages not enough when 100,000 languish on waiting list

There are currently more than 100,000 older Australians on the waiting list for a home care package, many are frail and vulnerable and have been assessed as requiring the highest level of support (level 4) to allow them to remain at home and not have to move into a nursing home.

Some on the waiting list receive basic level supports through the Commonwealth Home Support System, some are offered packages at a lower level to that which they have been assessed as needing, but some have no support while they wait, in many cases, a year or more for help. The physical and mental stress on usually elderly spouses and other family or friend carers can be immense.

Many of those waiting end up in hospital and then in residential aged care.

Making the announcement of the new home care packages in the federal government's mid year budget announcement, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the latest investment means almost 50,000 packages, at a cost of $3.3 billion, have been funded since the Royal Commission's interim report.

However, peak advocacy organisation National Seniors Australia questioned how many of the packages will go to the most needy.

Of 23,000 packages announced in October only 2000 were level four for those requiring the highest level of care.

"We learnt from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety that in one 12-month period, 16,000 older Australians died waiting for a package," said chief executive John McCallum. "We were also told a further 13,000 older Australians who had been approved a high level home care package were shifted into an aged care facility against their wishes because they had to wait for a package to be delivered."

Catholic Care Australia the largest non-government grouping of aged care services in the country, said future reform needed to question the looming shortfall of a properly trained workforce.

Chief executive Pat Garcia welcomed the funding but said "with some 100,000 people still on the home care waiting list there is a long path ahead".

He said the funding announcement would change to lives of many older Austalians and their families who will be to live with greater comfort and security in their own homes.

"However, it is important to recognise that leaves around 100,000 older Australians still languishing without the support they require," he said.

"As a nation we can and must do better."

Aged care provider group Aged and Community Services Australia described the announcement as "a welcome downpayment on what is required for system change".

"Making older Australians an absolute priority will require big picture reform. To set up the aged care system for the next few decades we need a total system rethink," said chief executive Pat Sparrow.

"Most older people want to remain living in their own home with support and this announcement means that another 10,000 of them will be able to do so,"

"The sector will need more workers to deliver the packages and we'll do all we can to attract and support the skilled and qualified staff that will be needed.

"The Royal Commission, reporting in February, provides a significant opportunity for a reset of aged care so that it meets our growing expectations for how older Australians live and are supported in the 21^st century," Ms Sparrow said.

Labor spokeswoman for seniors and ageing Julie Collins described the new packages as "just another drop in the ocean" and didn't come close to fixing the crisis.

"There will still be 100,000 older Australians waiting for a home care package this Christmas

Time and time again the Morrison Government's announcements of new home care packages have failed to address the true scale of Australia's aged care crisis.

Over three years, more than 30,000 older Australians died waiting for home care that has already been approved.

Older Australians waiting for high level home care are waiting almost three years to receive the package they have been approved for.

How is it acceptable that older Australians in their 90s are waiting years to receive their approved care?

Council on the Ageing Australia COTA Chief Executive Ian Yates thanked the Federal Government for responding to COTA's call for more packages in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook and also supporters of the Safer at Home campaign, which is asking for a maximum one month waiting period for home care by the end of 2021, as proposed by the Aged Care Royal Commission.

He said the announcement was another promising step by the government towards ensuring all older Australians can live at home as long as they are able to, and are not prematurely forced into residential care while they wait for care at home," says Mr Yates.

"Time and again older Australians tell us they want to live at home for as long as they can, with current forms of residential care a last resort. However, each year 19,000 people who are approved by government for home care are forced into residential care before they receive a package. Tragically, another 10,000 die while waiting for the care they need and deserve.

"It is vitally important that older Australians are afforded the respect and dignity of being supported to live in their own home as long as they are able to with proper supports. The current system simply isn't working, with many people waiting over 12 months for their package and lots of money being wasted," he said.