Ageing Australia is calling on the federal government to urgently act to reduce Support at Home wait times, provide packages that better reflect the full cost of older people’s needs, and ensure human oversight is at the core of assessments.
Last week’s Four Corners episode revealed harrowing stories of older Australians struggling to cope under the new system. ‘It is heartbreaking to watch older people crying out for support they so desperately need and deserve,’ Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said.
‘As a society we are judged on the way we care for older people and in these cases the system is certainly failing them.
‘Currently in Australia more than 200,000 people are waiting for a home care package or waiting to be assessed. 50,000 more are only receiving a portion of the funding they have been promised. We also know that the value of packages does not adequately reflect older peoples’ needs. It’s simply not good enough. We need an urgent review of wait lists, wait times, and package values, as well as an urgent release of more packages to clear the backlog.
‘Home care shouldn’t be rationed as it is currently, as the Royal Commission so clearly stated. People overwhelmingly want the opportunity to age in their own homes close to family and community. Ageing in the community, supported by the right services, is better for the older person, better for their families, and better for the system.’
Algorithm issues
The Four Corners episode also highlighted ongoing issues with the federal government’s Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) algorithm.
The government recently announced a decision to introduce human oversight to the IAT, which decides the level of an older person’s Support at Home services, following sustained advocacy from Ageing Australia.
‘We were able to provide the government with over 150 examples of older people struggling with the system, thanks to help from our members. We now need to see the government follow through on this decision,’ said Tom Symondson.
‘Every person should be able to expect that their needs will be met by our system, with care tailored to their individual needs,’ he said. ‘For many, this is far from the case.’
