Older Australians “abandoned” by confusing home care support system: report
Home care packages for elderly Australians have been slammed by advocacy groups, who say the system is too complicated for those it’s supposed to help.
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Older Australians are “being abandoned” by government-funded support packages designed to keep them at home, an advocacy groups says.
A report from the Consumer Policy Research Centre has found that the federal government’s “home care package” system is often too complex for older people.
The packages subsidise the cost of home help, including showering, managing medicines, basic chores and home maintenance.
The centre’s survey of 502 Australians found that 60 per cent of those using the system needed help to choose a service provider, mostly relying on a healthcare professional or family and friends.
Almost a third did not know the level of support they were funded to receive, and 36 per cent struggled to understand the fees and charges.
Centre chief executive Lauren Solomon said “older Australians are being abandoned by the system” meant to help them continue living at home.
“What we have here is a system that has not been built for the people trying to access it,” she said.
“For those older people without adequate family or healthcare support, it’s unclear whether they would even be aware of the available Home Care Package support, let alone be able to access the system.
“We need to fix the way older people and their carers are accessing the system. It needs to be easier, fairer and a lot more transparent.”
The Victorian Access and Support Network has about 80 support workers to help older people navigate the system, which co-ordinator Gabriele Rukas said could take “months and months”.
Ms Rukas said vulnerable elderly people, including those who spoke little English, were at risk of falling prey to “dodgy” service providers.
She had heard reports of elderly people being signed up for a new iPad or TV without realising the cost would be taken from their subsidies.
“It is the vulnerable people who won’t raise their voices who fall through the gaps,” she said.
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Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said “trusted professionals” were helping people use My Aged Care, the system where packages would be compared, chosen and managed.
He said from mid-last year all providers were required to publish prices on the website, allowing people to more easily compare services.
“The Government is continuing to identify and implement opportunities to make My Aged Care as user friendly as possible for all older Australians and their carers,” he said.
“The determination of the Government to improve the aged care system is demonstrated by the calling of Royal Commission which will provide an extensive interrogation of the sector and recommendations to improve it.
“Reports such as this can provide valuable input into that process.”