A Senate Inquiry led by the Greens is examining the consequences of postponing the initiation of the new Support at Home program, alongside the government’s inability to distribute an additional 20,000 packages in the meantime. This inquiry has revealed that the waitlist has surpassed the initial estimate of 87,000.
While this may not be surprising to those involved in the aged care sector or to families awaiting a home care package for a loved one, the inquiry conducted by the Greens last Friday has indicated that the actual number of individuals awaiting home care has exceeded 200,000.
As reported by officials from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, there are currently 121,596 individuals awaiting an ACAT assessment as of the end of July. Furthermore, as of 31 March, the official waitlist for those who have been assessed but have yet to receive their package remains above 87,000. With the government’s decision to postpone the release of additional packages until the new Aged Care Act is implemented on 1 November, it is anticipated that the waitlist will continue to increase.
The government has been justifying the delay in home care packages by asserting that over 2,700 packages are being issued weekly. However, during the inquiry, officials from the Department of Ageing stated that no new packages have been released since 1 July, contradicting the assertions made by the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae, during a recent television interview on Sky News Newsday.
In response to a query posed by Labor Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah during the inquiry, it was elucidated that the support from providers for delaying the implementation of the Act was due to a different issue than the call for an increase in home care packages.
It was suggested that the challenge lies in the fact that the preparedness for the reforms and the provision of standard services are distinctly separate. Therefore, our strong support for postponing the Act was based on uncertainties and unanswered questions regarding what should be included in a home care agreement under the new program, which is essential for us to secure signatures from older individuals on time to facilitate the new program’s delivery.
It was crucial to ensure that the new systems within Services Australia would be equipped to process our invoices, allowing providers to receive payment from the package for the services they are rendering. These considerations necessitated a delay in the reform; however, it is important to note that those engaged in this work are not the same individuals who provide direct care to older adults, and that aspect can continue to develop without the repercussions.
In the wake of the inquiry, Senator Penny Allman-Payne, the Greens Spokesperson for Older People and chair of the inquiry, stated that the Greens are urging the government to promptly release sufficient home care packages for all individuals in need, asserting that this could be accomplished within the week in the Senate.
“There is absolutely no justification for the Government’s inability to release additional packages, other than the obstinacy of a Minister who is clearly out of his depth, and a Labor Party that is incapable of acknowledging their mistakes,” remarked Senator Allman-Payne.
“This system requires individuals to wait for someone else to pass away or transition into residential aged care before they can receive support at home. This is utterly unacceptable,” she further commented.
“Older Australians should not be viewed as commodities; they deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and care. However, this system resembles a cattle yard, with an indifferent Minister overseeing the process,” Senator Allman-Payne elaborated.
“As highlighted by the Royal Commission, the financialization of aged care has proven to be disastrous. It is imperative that we establish an aged care system focused on providing the necessary care at the appropriate time.”
In response to an inquiry regarding the government’s plans to release additional packages before November 1, in light of the fact that over 200,000 individuals are currently awaiting home care, a government spokesperson informed the Australian Ageing Agenda that they recognize the increasing demand for aged care services, which is why the government is undertaking “the most ambitious reforms to aged care in a generation.”
“The home care package program has nearly doubled in size in recent years, expanding to approximately 300,000 individuals compared to 155,000 five years ago,” they stated.
“The new Support at Home program aims to address this demand by delivering the highest quality care to the greatest number of older Australians, representing a comprehensive reform of how we provide in-home care to this demographic.”