More than six weeks later than expected, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has at last released March quarter home care data, revealing 87,597 older Australians were waiting for the level of Home Care they have been assessed as needing.
The number waiting has nearly tripled in three years when the Albanese government came to power, the Home Care Packages Program Data Report 3rd Quarter 2024-25 reveals.
Prue Bowden (pictured right), Australian Unity Group Executive and CEO of Home Health, told the Weekly Source, “At the current trajectory, we’re on track to see 100,000 older Australians on the waitlist by the time Support at Home begins in November.
‘’A waitlist of this size could result in up to 600,000 avoidable hospital bed days per year from falls and other complications that proper home support could prevent.
“We see the personal toll of this every day. People’s health and quality of life are deteriorating while they wait. Families and carers are left to fill the gap, stepping in where the system continues to let them down.
“The government must urgently release new homecare packages. A targeted release of even 20,000 packages would make a tangible, immediate difference to thousands of people and help ease the pressure on overstretched hospitals.”
Roald Versteeg (left), General Manager Policy and Advocacy with Ageing Australia, the peak body for aged care providers, said, “We are concerned that the waitlist is still growing. The current waitlist is likely to be even higher, as the numbers are from March 2025.
"We also know that the waitlist for packages does not paint the full picture, given that the number of people waiting just to be assessed isn’t published.
“Ageing Australia supports calls for an immediate boost of 20,000 Home Care Packages to help bridge the gap, before the start of the Support at Home Program on 1 November.
“Providers have been very clear they have the workforce and the capacity to care for more older Australians in their own homes, but this is impossible without more packages being released.”
Alex Lynch (right), Director of Aged and Community Care at Catholic Health Australia (CHA), the peak body for Catholic aged care providers, said, “As many home care packages as possible should be made available to meet demand from older Australians who need support to age in place.
“Funding Support at Home to meet demand would prevent people having to wait for their care and ultimately save money because delaying care leads to higher needs.”
CHA would like to see Support at Home funded to the extent that community need for in-home care can be achieved.
10 Independent MPs and Senators wrote an open letter to Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler and Aged Care and Seniors Minister Sam Rae, calling for the immediate release of 20,000 Home Care Packages last month. The Ministers have refused to meet with the MPs and Senators.
