Aged care doesn’t have to be a bitter pill to swallow

Technologies like AI can provide a few years more of happiness and health at home for our older Australians.

The fact that Australia’s aged care system is broken cannot be disputed. The horrifying stories that continue to come to light through the Royal Commission hearings show over and over again a system that is completely overwhelmed and under-resourced. This situation will, most certainly, worsen unless we begin to undertake a radically different approach to aged care.

In the wake of the Royal Commission’s interim report, the Federal Government announced an extra half a billion dollars in funding for the sector. But this is a short term solution at best. Australia simply does not have the tax base to continue to support the funding needed to improve aged care facilities to acceptable levels. According to government figures, there are four and a half people under 65 to every person over 65, but that is expected to halve over the next decade. And, even with a surge in Government funding, the situation will worsen as the Baby Boomers continue to move into their retirement years because there simply aren’t enough people to look after them. Not to mention that most of these people will opt to stay in their own homes as long as possible which means they’ll enter aged care facilities as high-need patients.

This is a structural and productivity problem that can only be resolved through innovation. Instead of desperately searching for ways to improve aged care facilities, the Government needs to be focused on ways to allow older people to stay safely and comfortably in their homes for longer. It makes complete sense. Survey after survey shows that this is what most older people want and it is infinitely more cost effective for Governments and families.

Technology that can enable this to happen is currently available. Artificial intelligence means that homes can become “smart” enough to learn a person’s daily routine. It can then alert carers and family members if there are deviations from that routine – like not getting out of bed by a certain time or not commencing meal preparation activities such as opening the fridge at different times of day. It means families that aren’t geographically close to their loved older ones can check in regularly to make sure they are OK. Families can monitor their loved ones, notice any irregular shifts in patterns or behaviours and see whether those individual need more support. Add to this voice-based virtual assistants that can help older Australians remember to take medication and turn off appliances, as well as wearable devices that track biometrics and there is an entire AI-based care framework that ensures older people can stay where they really want to be.

Currently, the Government does provide some funding for this type of care but more is needed. The journey from application to implementation is so particularly arduous and confusing that a recent report by independent think tank Consumer Policy Research Centre found the majority of applicants were totally confused by the application process and were unable to navigate it without significant help. Furthermore, the Government needs to consider providing support for new forms of individual based funding, including policies that allow for people to draw down on home equity to fund certain healthcare related expenses.

This is obviously unacceptable. Older Australians should not be subjected to this stress and confusion at a stage of their lives when they need our help the most. Very few Australians actually want to go into aged care. It is almost always a last resort and a heartbreaking conclusion to years of deliberation. For many, it spells the beginning of decline. If technology like AI can provide even a few years more of happiness and health at home for our older Australians, the Government needs to start supporting it now.

Jason Waller is the CEO and Managing Director at InteliCare.