SATURDAY Issue 102

Opinion: 130,000+ people living in fear – transformation required but from us, not Canberra

Let’s be clear: aged care doesn’t need another policy tweak. It needs a complete transformation. And it won’t come from Government alone. As we report in this issue, wait times for Home Care Packages are estimated to reach 130,000 by November...

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100,000 Australians – and more – just like Laurie

For three-and-a-half-years, Laurie Sucic barely left her apartment. Not because she didn’t want to – but because she couldn’t - until a professional carer arrived. At 91, Laurie was caring full-time for her husband Nandi, 92, who lives with...

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“I hate begging”: at 91, Laurie’s Home Care Package is ‘not urgent’

Laurie Sucic does not mince words. “I hate begging,” she says, sitting in the neat living room of the unit she shares with her husband, Nandi, in a Sydney retirement village. “You work all your life, and then you have to beg.” At age 91, her...

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“Back to crisis levels”: home care waitlist tipped to hit 130,000 by November

Australia’s home care waitlist is on track to hit a staggering 130,000 people by 1 November, returning the system to the peak crisis levels seen before the Royal Commission into Aged Care. That’s the stark warning from Ian Yates AM, the former...

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Still waiting: the human cost of delay in aged care assessments

When Meghan Hird submitted a referral to My Aged Care for her father in September last year, she never imagined they would still be waiting 10 months later. In that time, her father’s Alzheimer’s has progressed from early signs to mid-stage...

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Survival of the efficient: the new playing field for home care

As the aged care sector prepares for the rollout of the Support at Home program, one reality is becoming clear: the age of inefficiency is over. The long-delayed reforms – now slated for 1 November 2025 – will fundamentally reshape the home care...

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Will older Australians pay for home care? The sector isn’t so sure

With just 119 days until the start of the Support at Home reforms, home care providers are quietly bracing for a critical question the Government has yet to truly confront: will older Australians be willing to pay for the services they’re entitled...

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Where growth lies: home care’s next opportunity

In a sector dominated by reform fatigue, mounting compliance pressure and financial strain, it’s easy to miss the bigger picture: home care in Australia is still a growth market. Despite widespread uncertainty around the rollout of the Support at...

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Is AI the next frontier in home care?

From real-time transcription and intelligent care planning to automated documentation and clinical triage, several forward-looking operators are already investing in AI-driven tools designed to reduce administrative burden and free up frontline...

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Executive spotlight

Over 3,000 operators provide retirement living, aged care and support in the home to more than 1.5 million older Australians. 360,000 staff and 100,000 suppliers are engaged every day. It’s a $30 billion a year sector delivering vital services for...

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Lauren Broomham

04 Jul 2025