Conversations at the Wharf

Is the aged care system ready for the baby boomers and the 40% increase in people expecting Aged Care

In this expert panel video discussion, sector leaders deliver a blunt assessment of Australia’s readiness for the incoming baby boomer surge, and the forecast isn’t pretty.

by Weekly Source

Published November 17, 2025

In this expert panel video discussion, sector leaders deliver a blunt assessment of Australia’s readiness for the incoming baby boomer surge, and the forecast isn’t pretty. With demand for aged care set to jump by 40%, the panel agrees the system is nowhere near prepared.

Across residential care and home care, the story is the same: not enough beds, not enough workforce, and nowhere near enough infrastructure to deliver the higher-level clinical support older Australians will expect. Providers have improved over the past five years, but the panel warns that the next generation of consumers will demand more choice, more control and significantly better experiences, and the system isn’t built for that yet.

The biggest alarm bell? Time. The shortfall in beds and services isn’t decades away, it’s within the next five years. Without smarter models, faster development and a genuine gerontology-focused approach, Australia will struggle to meet the needs of its ageing population.

Watch the full video conversation as our expert panel unpacks the challenge and what must change before the wave hits.

Conversations at the Wharf panel speakers: