The former CEO of Illawarra-based aged care provider Warrigal, a role he held for 21 years, says Australia's aged care system is not prepared for the wave of Baby Boomers set to hit it over the next decade.
With those born in 1945, the first Baby Boomers, are on the cusp of turning 80, Mark told ABC, "There's a large wave of people coming."
"Our service systems aren't prepared, our hospitals aren't prepared, our aged care services aren't prepared," Mark said.
"We should have known this for a long time. We should have seen this coming."
His comments follow reports the number of patients stuck in NSW hospitals waiting for an aged care bed has reached 830. A further 300 patients are waiting for NDIS-supported accommodation. Aged care bed shortages are particularly dire in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven Local Health Districts.
Mark said only about 500 aged care beds have been added in the Illawarra in the last decade, approximately the same number that have been lost due to being too old, or changed from shared to single rooms. The region is now short 1,000 aged care beds.
Earlier this year, a draft report by Community Industry Group, the peak body for Not For Profit community organisations in the NSW Illawarra Shoalhaven, seen by The Weekly SOURCE, revealed only 25 aged care beds were added in the region over the last decade, with 1,025 new beds needed.
