The ABC’s Naomi Woodley reports (23.5.16) on calls from an alliance of aged care proponents for greater emphasis during the election campaign on the housing and services needs of older Australians.’An alliance of 48 aged care consumers, providers and staff groups say both major parties need to promise to address the shortfall in residential places and home care services.’The National Aged Care Alliance says it is launching a campaign because both the Coalition and Labor have so far been silent on the care needs of older Australians.'”Too often in elections older Australians don’t get the priority that they should,” Council on the Ageing (COTA) chief executive Ian Yates said.
‘”We have had elections in the near past when neither party actually issued an aged care policy, so we are asking the parties to be much more explicit with the Australian people about what we’re doing for the care of older Australians, much earlier in the campaign”.’
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- Ageing in a housing crisis: growing numbers of older Australians are facing a bleak future
Australians want more funding for higher-quality aged care – and most are willing to pay extra tax to achieve it
Julie Ratcliffe writes in The Conversation (23.7.20) that new research shows Australians recognise the fundamental importance of additional investment in the aged care sector to boost the quality of care.
‘It’s often said the true measure of any society is how well it treats its most vulnerable members. By this measure, Australia is falling woefully short. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recently highlighted shocking instances of abuse and neglect involving our most vulnerable older citizens.
‘The aged care sector represents a multibillion-dollar industry, predominantly publicly funded. But during the proceedings of the royal commission, it’s been characterised as a sector receiving significant underinvestment and delivering substandard care.
‘It has failed to keep up with community expectations and the changing needs of our older population.’
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- Labor’s budget reply goes big on aged care, similar on much else »
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- Age of reason: Govt promises ‘significant, meaningful’ payrise for care workers »
- Government to spend $11.3 billion over four years to fund 15% pay rise for aged care workers
- Labor opens door to more aged care self-funding as minister declares ‘baby boomers are coming’
- Aged-care funding reforms must ensure users pay their fair share
- Money’s tight for young people. Adding a Medicare-style levy to everyone’s tax bill is the wrong way to increase aged-care funding
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