91-year-old Laurie Sucic, of Narraweena, 18km northeast of Sydney’s CBD, is one of over 90,000 people who have been assessed and waiting for a Home Care Package.
Laurie, who has been receiving a 12-week Short Term Restorative Care Federal Government-funded program from HammondCare, has been told she will not get her package until July next year. In addition, Laurie cares for her husband who has Parkinson's Disease.
The announcement by Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler that the rollout of 83,000 new Home Care Packages meant to begin on 1 July 2025 was being delayed until 1 November 2025, will not improve Laurie's situation. The decision has been condemned by home care operators.
Home care operators throughout Australia have potential customers assessed as needing a package who want their service but cannot access a package.
"This is incredibly disappointing as I cannot understand why people should have to wait for care simply because the government could not organise the Support at Home system in time," Nathan Betteridge, Co-Founder and Director, Five Good Friends, said.
"There is a perfectly good home care package program ready to help these people. This must be a cost driven decision."
Retirement village operators have residents who are in need of a package, or whose health has declined and have been accessed as needing an upgraded package.
Daniel Gannon, Executive Director of the Retirement Living Council, the first peak body to publicly call for a delay of the new Aged Care Act, said Federal Government has a duty of care for older Australians.
"We know the backlog for this crucial support already stretches beyond a year, and older Australians stranded on this list cannot afford to keep waiting and hoping for help. Clients need support and operators need answers, meaning that reform to the way this system is structured could help more people receive the care they need."
Coalition spokeswoman for health and aged care, Senator Anne Ruston, said skyrocketing wait times will only get worse now the Government has delayed the new packages they promised.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that the Albanese Government would purposely delay releasing new home care packages into the system, at a time when they have overseen a tripling of the wait list in 18 months alone,” she said.
The Weekly SOURCE's story on the delay of the promised 83,000 Home Care Packages drew 36 comments on LinkedIn.
Nick Loudon, Envigor Home Care Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said: "Giving a collective kick in the guts like that to all the older people of Australia, deemed to be in immediate need of support - totally unconscionable."
Meghan Hird, Vision Australia's National Business Lead - Home Care Packages, said: "Older Australians are waiting - and waiting far too long - for assessments under the new Single Assessment Service (SAS).
"This was meant to be the game-changer. SAS was supposed to go live in December 2024, with the promise of faster access, streamlined processes and a united gateway to care. But here we are - six months later - and the system isn't ready. I've heard from assessors still waiting for training. Others have already walked away due to a lack of structure, clarity, or support.
"People just like my Dad are still waiting. Waiting without the support they were promised. I am seeing this from both a professional and personal perspective and its pretty dire to be truthful.
This isn’t just an operational delay—it’s a human one.
"These are not just clients or cases. They are our parents, grandparents, neighbours, and community members. They deserve better than to be lost in transition."
Sophie Morell, Chief Executive Officer at My Support Australia, said: "This going to see demand on our already stretched healthcare system and emergency departments buckle."
Marcia Octoman, SA Health Operations Manager - Country Health Connect I Eyre & Far North LHN, said: "How many aged care deaths are you willing to record against your tenure?"
