Why Many Feel Current Aged Care Reforms Aren't Enough
Announcement posted by Tall Trees Care Communities 05 Dec 2013
Providers of aged care in Brisbane and Gold Coast areas reveal why Living Longer Living Better isn't sustainable for future generations of aged Australians.
Australia, December 5, 2013 - As many know, the Government's Living Longer Living Better program will be spending $3.7 billion on aged care between now and 2018. Introduced in 2012, Living Longer Living Better was introduced as a “comprehensive 10-year plan to reshape aged care.” However, many feel that the program doesn't do enough because of the short-term and long-term challenges facing aged care.
$3.7 billion sounds like a lot of money to most, with the money allocated to areas that can all use improvements. $955.4 million will be spent on home care improvements such as a support program for home care, Consumer Directed Care, changes in means-testing and more levels of choices among more home care packages. $54.8 million is earmarked for support and respite for carers.
$660.3 million will be spent on residential aged care. Some will go to creating more facilities while some will support aged care services in regional, remote and rural areas. An Aged Care Financing Authority has been created and improvements are slated for the Aged Care Funding Instrument.
$1.2 million will be spent on improving the aged care workforce, while $39.8 million will go to research and consumer support. $80.2 million will be spent to help create “better health connections,” consisting of multidisciplinary care.
$268.4 million is going toward fighting what is now referred to as “the dementia epidemic.” $192.0 million will go to help promote diversity and ensure that people of all backgrounds are provided with aged care.
$256.4 million will be spent on the future of aged care. This includes an Aged Care Financing Authority, an Aged Care Implementation Council and a new “Gateway” to aged care.
Funding for this package is coming from what is being referred to as “redirected funding.”
Phil Usher, co-founder of Tall Trees Communities, likes the motivation behind the reform package, but feels that it is not enough to meet future aged care demands. According to Usher, “I know the reform package is meant to be a 10-year plan but we don't think it's enough for the short-term or long-term future of aged care.”
Usher continued, “Both industry and ABS statistics indicate that the demand for aged care will rise sharply in the coming years. By 2050, there will be twice as many Australians over 65 as there are now. We will need three times as many aged care workers as we have now. Worse yet, more than half of our aged care workers will be of retirement age by 2050, meaning that even more workers will have to be trained and developed. Even in the next 5 years, 100,000 more Australians will require aged care.”
Usher added further: “The bottom line is that the current system won't hold up under the numbers it is about to face. While we like the reform initiative, it is funded by tax dollars reallocated from other programs. We don't see that arrangement as sustainable, even in the next 10 years. The funding is going to have to come from somewhere: who is going to foot the bill?”
Usher concluded, “We need to wake up to the harsh reality that future generations of aged Australians could be without care if something doesn't change.”
Tall Trees provides nursing home and aged care facilities on the Gold Coast and Brisbane areas. Their unique system could create a new paradigm for aged care. For more information, call (07) 3442 9378 or visit their website: http://talltrees.net.au/.
$3.7 billion sounds like a lot of money to most, with the money allocated to areas that can all use improvements. $955.4 million will be spent on home care improvements such as a support program for home care, Consumer Directed Care, changes in means-testing and more levels of choices among more home care packages. $54.8 million is earmarked for support and respite for carers.
$660.3 million will be spent on residential aged care. Some will go to creating more facilities while some will support aged care services in regional, remote and rural areas. An Aged Care Financing Authority has been created and improvements are slated for the Aged Care Funding Instrument.
$1.2 million will be spent on improving the aged care workforce, while $39.8 million will go to research and consumer support. $80.2 million will be spent to help create “better health connections,” consisting of multidisciplinary care.
$268.4 million is going toward fighting what is now referred to as “the dementia epidemic.” $192.0 million will go to help promote diversity and ensure that people of all backgrounds are provided with aged care.
$256.4 million will be spent on the future of aged care. This includes an Aged Care Financing Authority, an Aged Care Implementation Council and a new “Gateway” to aged care.
Funding for this package is coming from what is being referred to as “redirected funding.”
Phil Usher, co-founder of Tall Trees Communities, likes the motivation behind the reform package, but feels that it is not enough to meet future aged care demands. According to Usher, “I know the reform package is meant to be a 10-year plan but we don't think it's enough for the short-term or long-term future of aged care.”
Usher continued, “Both industry and ABS statistics indicate that the demand for aged care will rise sharply in the coming years. By 2050, there will be twice as many Australians over 65 as there are now. We will need three times as many aged care workers as we have now. Worse yet, more than half of our aged care workers will be of retirement age by 2050, meaning that even more workers will have to be trained and developed. Even in the next 5 years, 100,000 more Australians will require aged care.”
Usher added further: “The bottom line is that the current system won't hold up under the numbers it is about to face. While we like the reform initiative, it is funded by tax dollars reallocated from other programs. We don't see that arrangement as sustainable, even in the next 10 years. The funding is going to have to come from somewhere: who is going to foot the bill?”
Usher concluded, “We need to wake up to the harsh reality that future generations of aged Australians could be without care if something doesn't change.”
Tall Trees provides nursing home and aged care facilities on the Gold Coast and Brisbane areas. Their unique system could create a new paradigm for aged care. For more information, call (07) 3442 9378 or visit their website: http://talltrees.net.au/.