Older residents left to languish on waiting lists

The new figures come just weeks after it was revealed almost 30,000 older Australians passed away in just two years while waiting for a home care package.

Aged care generic seniors elderly.

BLAIR MP Shayne Neumann has slammed disturbing new figures reveal some older Australians have been waiting up to 34 months for the highest level of home care.

The time it takes to enter a nursing home after an assessment has also blown out by 50 per cent.

The new figures come just weeks after it was revealed almost 30,000 older Australians passed away in just two years while waiting for a home care package.

"With more than 100,000 older Australians waiting for home care under the Liberal Government, this is the inevitable consequence of its failure," Mr Neumann said.

"The Productivity Commission's Report on Government Services also shows the wait to enter residential care has blown out by almost 50 per cent in two years.

"Older Australians are now experiencing a median wait time of 152 days to get into a nursing home after being approved for care.

"Behind these shocking figures are the terrible stories of older Australians and their loved ones desperately trying to get care."

Mr Neumann said his office regularly received complaints from constituents who were waiting long periods for home care packages.

"We know more than 100,000 older Australians are waiting for home care under the Liberals, including many in Ipswich, the Somerset Region and Karana Downs region," he said.

"As waiting times have blown out, the Government has simply announced one stop gap measure after another, instead of properly fixing this issue, despite its own Royal Commission's Interim Report telling it to fix home care wait lists.

"The latest announcement before Christmas of 10,000 more home care packages is just another band aid solution for a system that is broken.

"The Liberals have been asleep at the wheel for six years, with four ministers and billions ripped out while Australia's aged care system has lurched from one crisis to another.

"Scott Morrison and his government must do better to ensure older Australians in Blair get the quality aged care services they deserve, when they need it.

"Older Australians and their loved ones can't afford to wait any longer," Mr Neumann said."

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