A Senate committee report has exposed the depth of Australia’s aged care crisis, revealing more than 200,000 older people are currently waiting for home care packages or assessment, prompting urgent calls for the government to accelerate reforms beyond its current package rollout.
The report from the Senate Community Affairs References Committee was welcomed by advocacy groups, who said it validates the daily experience of “delays, rationing and limited transparency” faced by older Australians and their families ahead of landmark system reforms on 1 November.
While the government is fast-tracking an additional 20,000 Home Care Packages, with more than half expected to be allocated this week, stakeholders warn it is not enough to address the systemic failures.
“The fact that we have more than 200,000 older Australians either waiting for home care packages or waiting to be assessed for a package should alarm everyone,” said COTA Australia Chief Executive Patricia Sparrow. “The current backlog undermines independence, health and dignity.”
The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) framed the issue as a fundamental rights failure. “Delay of timely assessment for the need for services is the denial of rights at the first hurdle,” said OPAN CEO Craig Gear. “If we don’t release more Support at Home places as a matter of priority then there is the risk that older people may have no choice but to end up in residential aged care prematurely.”
The Senate report’s key recommendations include releasing all 83,000 packages promised before the next election, publishing regular data on wait times, and working to end the “rationing” of care.
In response, the government highlighted its immediate actions. “Labor’s responding to the growing demand for in-home care by delivering once-in-a-generation reforms that will deliver better aged care to more older Australians,” said Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae. “Labor’s delivery of these packages means more older Australians will get the care they need, when they need it.”
However, clinical providers warned that simply increasing package numbers would not solve deeper issues around the viability of service delivery. The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) praised the report for recommending reviews into service pricing, home modification caps, and assistive technology schemes.
APA National President Rik Dawson called the report “a step in the right direction” but noted that current indicative pricing and service units are placing “unsustainable financial pressure on brokered physiotherapy providers,” which restricts patient access to essential care.
As the 1 November deadline for the new Support at Home program approaches, advocates agree that close monitoring will be critical. “It won’t be perfect from day one, but having a rights-based system is critical,” Sparrow said. “This report points to where we can keep strengthening the agenda.”
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
