The release of an additional 20,000 Home Care packages by the Federal Government was welcome news, but has highlighted just how long many older Australians have awaited appropriate care.
Yarra Junction resident Margaret Baker spoke to the Star Mail in August 2024 about delays accessing any local providers she had faced after being assessed and approved for help in her garden and home.
Speaking again to the Star Mail following the announcement, Ms Baker said she was first assessed and approved for physio in 2022 before her circumstances changed in 2024.
“I rang My Aged Care in early June and was told that someone would contact me but if I had not heard from anyone within four weeks to ring a number they gave me, which I had to do on the 1st of July, to discover as of the 1st of July, they no longer did assessments so I rang my aged care and they told me I had been assigned to APM East Metro (an assessor),” she said.
“I finally spoke to someone who informed me that they did not have my file, they thought it had been passed to Access Care Network Australia (ACNA) so I rang them, waiting on hold for ages and I was told they did not have my file and I needed to ring My Aged Care I did this on the 7th of August to inform me she would resubmit my information to ACNA and to wait a few days, then give them a call.”
Ms Baker was finally able to arrange an appointment with ACNA over the phone again on 14 August 2024.
“Linda (ACNA employee) arrived on time and was helpful and she advised me, I needed a full comprehensive assessment, which is what I thought I was getting, but it was only an assessment,”
“She confirmed that I needed domestic cleaning, gutter cleaning, garden maintenance, but they did not have anyone registered in my area so I ended up with no help and on the list for a full comprehensive assessment,”
“What makes it difficult is you’ve got to go through the whole spiel every time and don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of people out there worse off than me…how can they do this assessment and say you are not eligible over a phone call, that doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Ms Baker was assessed for a Level 2 Home Care Package on 18 October 2024 and only received a letter two weeks ago to advise she had been approved for the package, over 10 months since she was assessed.
Managing director of home care provider Nurse Next Door in Melbourne’s Outer East Debbie Hill said they absolutely welcome the release of 20,000 additional Home Care Packages.
“This is a much-needed boost for older Australians waiting to receive care in their own homes, for context, there are over 108,000 seniors already approved for a home care package who are still on the waitlist – a number that highlights how urgent the situation is,” she said.
“Each new package means one more elderly person can finally access support services at home, improving their quality of life and easing the strain on their families.”
The Federal Government’s Support at Home program will replace the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Program from 1 November this year.
Ms Hill said the delay of the Support at Home program from July to November pushed back the rollout of new packages, leaving many older Australians in limbo.
“Even a few months is a long time to wait when someone is frail and at risk of falls or rapid decline, these additional packages will help bridge that gap, ensuring more people receive the right care now, rather than waiting until November until the new system starts,” she said.
“For families, it will ease the burden of caring alone, and for the system, it helps reduce avoidable hospital admissions, importantly, it also means the new Aged Care Act can start on stronger footing, with fewer people on the waitlist,”
“Overall, we see the release of these 20,000 home care packages as an extremely positive and welcome move, it demonstrates that the government is listening and responding to the urgent needs of older people in the community and most importantly, it means that right now, more seniors will get the care they need in the comfort of their own homes, rather than waiting in uncertainty.”
