Council supports aged care recommendations saying ‘sometimes people die before getting off the list’

Council has supported the aged care commissions recommendations and said entitlement to aged care should be ‘universal’ and reach regional areas. DETAILS:

It’s a significant concern for families and individuals as Australia’s demographic continues to age - how to best support our elderly when they can no longer support themselves.

It’s a significant concern for families and individuals as Australia’s demographic continues to age - how to best support our elderly when they can no longer support themselves.

One of the strongest recommendations to come out of the Royal Commission into Aged Care was the need for universal entitlement to aged care, noting in particular that people living in regional, rural and remote areas should have better access to aged care than they do.

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday, Lockyer Valley councillors endorsed the 148 recommendations of the Final Report as part of a motion put by the National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association.

Councillor Janice Holstein said at the meeting how important it was for elderly residents to receive care, noting for many local residents it was “very difficult to receive assistance”.

Cr Holstein highlighted the federal government's desire for the elderly to remain in their homes for as long as possible but said their “needs to be the resources in regional areas”.

“Sometimes people pass away before they even get to the top of the list,” Cr Holstein said, noting the lengthy wait times for people to receive care.

Even more concerning was Cr Holstein’s comment that even when residents are approved, care organisations do not have the resources to travel to remote areas and focus on city regions instead.

“It’s an issue particularly for our area,” Cr Holstein said.

Mayor Tanya Milligan was absent from Wednesday’s meeting as she was in Canberra for the South East Queensland Council of Mayors delegation that advocates for a joint partnership between all levels of government to identify and deliver infrastructure and economic opportunities to the South East Queensland Region.

Cr Milligan along with her counterparts will meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday to discuss Brisbane’s bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games.

Originally published as Council supports aged care recommendations saying ‘sometimes people die before getting off the list’