Aged care to get $550m boost and 10,000 home-care packages

The PM will today unveil a $552.9m boost to aged care and the release of 10,000 high-level home-care packages.

Scott Morrison will announce a boost to aged care today.. Picture: Kym Smith.

A $552.9 million boost to aged care funding and the release of 10,000 high-level home-care packages will be unveiled by Scott Morrison today.

The care packages will allow older Australians to access doctors, nurses, and meal support in their own homes from early 2019 and will be partnered with a $101.9 million boost to supplements for aged care providers.

“Older Australians have built our country and they deserve our respect and support for the choices they want to make,” the Prime Minister said today.

“We know many older Australians want to stay in their own home and this package delivers just that support and high-level care at home.

“This means doctors, nurses and complex care at home, alongside nutrition and meal support and help getting around.”

Aged care was one of Mr Morrison’s key priorities when he became Prime Minister in August and he has already established a royal commission into the aged care industry.

And the $101.9 million increase in the viability supplement, to offset higher care costs in the regions, is set to benefit more 550 aged care services who provide up to 13,500 residential aged care places.

GPs will also receive $98 million more under today’s announcement to attend residential aged care homes and there will a $9.3 million boost to the homeless supplement.

“This announcement builds on the commitment we have already made during the past year of 20,000 additional in home care places,” Mr Morrison said.

“As a nation we must continue to support our older Australians and I remain absolutely committed to doing more.”

Opposition aged care spokeswoman Julie Collins said Mr Morrison’s funding boost did not make up for previous cuts to the sector or shorten current waiting lists for home care packages.

“Scott Morrison’s announcement on home care for older Australians is too little too late,” she said.

“There are more than 120,000 older Australians stuck on a waiting list for a home care package. Today’s announcement is a drop in the ocean.

“Morrison cut $1.2 billion from aged care in his first budget as Treasurer. This doesn’t even reverse Morrison’s cuts.”