‘Wake-up call’ a win for families

The peak body representing older Australians has applauded the aged-care royal commission’s findings.

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck.

The peak body representing older Australians has applauded the aged-care royal commission’s acknowledgment that substandard care and neglect in the industry was more widespread “than has ever before been recognised” and a fundamental redesign of the system was required.

Council on the Ageing chief executive Ian Yates said it was clear after reading the royal commission’s interim report, released on Thursday, that there would be major changes recommended to give consumers and families more control, place competitive pressure on poor providers and reward good ones.

“This is a wake-up call to Australia,” Mr Yates said.

“(The interim report) has certainly said clearly that governments of both persuasions and at federal and state levels have not given older Australians the ­priority they should have.

“We need governments to take this interim report and the rest of the work of the commission as of the highest priority.

“The commission has indicated they are now going to focus on finding solutions to the problems they’ve identified.”

The royal commission’s three interim findings where immediate action can be taken — to provide more home-care packages, respond to significant over-reliance on chemical restraint in aged care and stop the flow of younger ­people with a disability going into facilities — were widely welcomed by the sector and politicians across the divide.

Agreeing with royal commissioner Lynelle Briggs that Australia “can do better and we will do better”, Aged and Community Services Australia chief executive Patricia Sparrow said the commission had exposed significant problems and challenges.

She said specific care models needed to be investigated and standards set to overhaul the sometimes failing system.

“It’s very important to hear when and how things have gone wrong. But unless we get specific recommendations about how government, providers and the community can work together to better plan for our ageing population, new rules will be meaningless and impossible to realise,” Ms Sparrow said.

“Strengthening and improving aged care in Australia will require more than just new rules. Absolutely critical will be new funding solutions and large-scale community education about ageing and aged care.

“We now need specific hearings and dedicated time to investigate the big-picture solutions. We need in-depth investigation about how to fund the necessary changes and improvements.”

Opposition ageing spokeswoman Julie Collins said the report was a heartbreaking and shocking reminder of the un­acceptable state of Australia’s aged-care system and demanded urgent action on the three interim findings.

“Sixteen thousand older Australians died in just one year while waiting for home care. Nationally there are still 120,000 older Australians waiting for care, many requiring the highest levels of care,” Ms Collins said. “It is shameful that in a wealthy country like Australia, older people can’t get the care they need.”

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said the interim report provided an alarming insight into a sector in desperate need of reform with “deep systemic problems”.