Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, the leading advocacy organisation for older people, welcomes today's $440M investment into the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to support in-home aged care, but urge the Government to do more for the tens of thousands who still need support.
Corey Irlam, Acting CEO of COTA Australia, says, "We welcome all efforts to reduce the wait times and continue to call on Government to lock in a plan so that no one waits more than 30 days for their Support at Home package, from the moment they apply until the day their first service commences.
"Today's CHSP funding ensures thousands more older Australians will be supported to live independently in their homes, but it won't be enough to clear the decks of the more than 58,000 Australians waiting for a home care package that look to CHSP for interim support while waiting for any supports.
"Getting timely support when you first make the decision to accept support to remain in your home is vital. It's demoralising for older people waiting so long after they finally admit to themselves they need a little help to remain safe at home, and particularly impacts those who deteriorate faster because they didn't get the support they needed sooner.
"This investment will help CHSP providers we know are stretched thin, with the latest available My Aged Care data extract showing only one in three providers saying they have availability for new clients and only 20% saying they have availability for in-home domestic assistance.
Today's announcement builds on the Government's MYEFO announcement last week of an additional $101M for 7,615 new home care packages (HCP), bringing the total number of new home care packages this financial year to 31,715. As of September 2024 more than 70,000 Australians were waiting for a home care package at their assessed level of need.
"These are significant amounts that will improve the independence and quality of life for our older folks, but we cannot stop here.
"The Federal Government must have a plan in place to ensure no Australian is kept waiting longer than 30 days for the support and independence they deserve."
"Current wait times in Home Care Packages of 12-15 months for a Level 4 Home Care Package is simply not acceptable."
"This month's announcements of over half a billion dollars in new investments is a massive step forward in addressing a dire need for older Australians, but more will need to be done to ensure we can provide timely in-home care that truly delivers for older Australians," says Irlam.
