Another 6000 high-level home care packages are set to be released this year to meet the ever-increasing demand across the country, as a new report revealed that thousands of Australians are currently unable to access them.
It comes as a Department of Health report released this week revealed the high amount of elderly Australians who had applied for a home care package and yet were still waiting to receive one from the government.
The report states that over 53,000 people are currently waiting to be assigned a package, and another 35,000 are living on a lower-level package, despite their current needs requiring them to have a higher-level package instead.
Chief Executive of the Council of Aging Australians, Ian Yates said the lack of available packages was “far greater than expected”, and that things would need to change quickly to address the growing problem.
To counter the issue, Minister of Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, announced on Thursday that an additional 6000 high-level packages would become available this financial year.
He explained that introducing these packages would be cost-neutral because the high-level packages would become available by converting them from unused low-level packages.
As of June 2016, there were 10,600 unoccupied Level 1 and Level 2 packages.
It comes at a time when more and more elderly Australians are requiring higher levels of care, prompting many experts to say that there should be a change in focus to better meet the demand for those requiring high-level care.
Just this week, a report known as the Tune Review was released which stated its belief and recommendation that there should be a larger focus on providing high-level packages.
It suggested one way to do this was to temporarily re-allocate unoccupied residential places to home care.
Elsewhere, Aged and Community Services Australia CEO Pat Sparrow said that the figures revealed in the Department of Health’s revealed provided further evidence that the government should increase its overall investment in home care.
“Aged and Community Services Australia wants to see a balanced aged care system that supports the care needs of all older Australians allowing those with higher care needs to access services but not at the expense of those requiring lower level care,” she said.
Also this week, the government announced it would be dramatically updating its My Aged Care system, which provides information to Australians wishing to access all manner of care services.
Support will be streamlined through a $20 million investment into the program. It is hoped the additional funding will promote better public access to services for people, especially those living in rural, regional and remote areas of the country.
We here at Home Caring are a Bondi Junction based home care service that always aims to provide the best care available for you. If you would like to know how our team can help, get in contact today.
The Albanese Labor Government has introduced a landmark Aged Care Bill, marking a once-in-a-generation reform to prioritise the rights, safety and dignity of older Australians.
From 1 July 2025, the new Aged Care Act will bring significant changes, including:
-Tougher regulatory standards to ensure higher
accountability
-Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards for improved
care delivery
-A dedicated Statement of Rights for older Australians
-A $4.3 billion Support at Home program to help seniors live independently at home for longer
These reforms align with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, focusing on better complaint handling, greater participant choice, improved funding and enhanced fairness and quality across the sector.
If you’d like to learn more about how these changes impact you or your loved ones, Home Caring can guide you through the details. Please call us on 1300 875 377 for personalised support and assistance.
Read more 📱- health.gov.au/aged-care-act
#AgedCareReforms #SupportingOlderAustralians #australianhealthandagedcare #AHAC
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Even as we head into the final month of the year our incredible Home Caring teams show no signs of slowing down! Fueled by their passion for helping others they’ve been working tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of our clients. Last weekend our Home Caring Vermont HomeCaring Narre Warren Home Caring Footscray HomeCaring Mornington Peninsula Home Caring St Albans Eltham and Bellarine teams all came together to showcase their dedication and expertise at the Melbourne Disability Expo.
The expo was an amazing opportunity for our teams to connect with the local community, meet new faces and raise awareness about the vital work we do. From sharing insights into our services to forming meaningful connections all of our Melbourne teams went above and beyond to make the event a resounding success. It’s clear that when you’re passionate about your work, it never feels like a job – and this passion was on full display throughout the weekend. A big thank you to everyone involved for representing Home Caring with such heart and dedication! 🩵
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Happy Friday HC fam!
It’s been a busy and productive week here at Home Caring with only forty days till the end of the year we are full steam ahead! One highlight was the team-building and networking session with our amazing Home Caring Bankstown team. The workshop was a huge success bringing everyone together to learn, grow and strengthen our skills.
These sessions are such a valuable part of what we do as they foster connection, build efficiency and empower us to deliver the best care to our clients. As we all know being a support worker can sometimes feel isolating but moments like these remind us of the incredible community we’re all a part of.
Let’s all carry that energy into the weekend—it’s going to be a hot one, so stay cool and take care! 🩵
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Happy Sunday HC fam! Recently our Home Caring Vermont team had the privilege of attending the 20th anniversary celebration of Hope City Mission, a vital organisation making a profound difference in our community. As proud sponsors we deeply admire their unwavering dedication to providing food relief, support and hope to those in need. Hope City Mission’s initiatives extend far and wide from their compassionate crisis support programs to sustainable efforts like planting seedlings, whose produce directly benefits people facing hardship. It’s a joy to stand beside them in their mission to uplift lives and foster resilience.
Our sponsorship reflects Home Caring’s core value of giving without expecting anything in return. We’re thrilled to have contributed to initiatives like installing a sprinkler system to nurture their community garden, where fresh produce is grown for those living in crisis. Supporting Hope City Mission means investing in kindness, growth and care and we couldn’t be prouder to play a part in their incredible journey. Here’s to creating positive change together! 🩵
#happysunday #welovewecare
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