The blueprint for a more compassionate, equitable and sustainable aged care system
THE passing of the long-awaited and much necessitated Aged Care Bill in the Australian Senate on November 25 marks a significant moment in the country’s aged care sector. Promising to transform the quality and accessibility of care for older Australians, the new Bill addresses decades of underinvestment and criticism in the sector as well as responds to key recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Following a robust and extensive consultation process with consumers, providers, unions, workers, accountants, economists and members of parliament, the new Aged Care Act will take effect from July 1, 2025. Placing the future and wellbeing of older Australians at the heart of the reforms, the new Aged Care Act takes a rights-based approach which places the dignity, respect and fairness owed to aged care recipients front and centre.
Through the introduction of a Statement of Rights, the new Act will ensure the right of older people to receive quality care, guaranteeing their safety and enabling them to voice any concern or complaint free from retribution. Crucially, this rights-based approach marks a transformative shift away from a system focused on providers to one that puts the needs and entitlements of consumers first. In addition, the Act will operate under a tougher regulatory framework, ensuring a higher standard of care whilst operating with greater transparency and accountability.
Investing $4.3B in the expansion of the Support at Home program, the new Act will also support more older Australians to live at home for longer. Designed to reduce the pressure on the existing system and address long wait times for services, this program will provide funding for home care services, assistive technology, and modifications to homes, while also creating 300,000 additional home care places over the next decade.
The program will also remove caps on essential services like cleaning and gardening, offering more flexibility for older Australians to maintain their independence and quality of life at home. This is particularly important as many seniors wish to stay in their homes and communities as they age, maintaining their lifestyles and dignity.
With a largely welcome response from aged care providers, the New Aged Care Act will nonetheless require a lengthy and complex transition period. Nevertheless, the new reforms are a long-overdue step in the right direction paving the way for an aged care sector that is more equitable, compassionate and sustainable.
