Aged Care … the scorecard
- Collins Hume
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Aged Care Update by Shane Hayes at Family Aged Care Advocates
We are now 4 months into the Government’s new (improved?) aged care reforms.
There are opinions and numbers flying every which way. I thought I’d try to collate where things are at with aged care here in Australia. So here goes …
Home care
About 290,000 people are currently in receipt of a home care package … AND … 835,000 people are in receipt of Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services
Currently around 350,000 people are waiting for some help at home
Wait times from initial My Aged Care Call to assessment to actually receiving funds / getting any help at home is around 12+ months
4,800 people have died in hospital (2024/2025) waiting for help in their home …
CHSP far larger program than home care packages – not part of the recent aged care reforms
There are over 1,000 home care providers to choose from
Currently just over $15,000 per person in unspent home care package funds
Fees paid to providers has decreased from around 30 to 35% … to 10% as part of the recent aged care reforms
Hourly service rates have increased to compensate
Cleaning, allied health, transport, home maintenance and social support are the top 5 home care services provided / wanted by people
Average client hours per week is 5 to 6 hours
Medium-sized (1,000 to 2,500 clients) home care providers are the most profitable.
Residential care
About 200,000 people in residential care now – demand will double over next 20 years
About 740 residential care providers in Australia – all at almost full occupancy
1 in 2 providers are operating at a loss – especially those facilities under 120 beds
Recent aged care changes designed to improve provider financials by increasing resident paid fees and room prices
Average residential care room prices approx. ¾ the median house price
Need 10,000 new beds per year over the next 20 years to meet demand … that’s 1 x 100 bed facility every 3 to 4 days (currently 1,000 new beds a year are actually being built).
A concluding statement from me
Many people simply don’t want to think … or talk about getting older and maybe needing some help. But if / when you need things to move fast … the aged care system moves slow and that can be a real problem. But there are things you can easily do now … just in case.
How can Family Aged Care Advocates help you
Family Aged Care Advocates can help you with the thinking and start the conversation. Give us a call on 0411 264 002 or email Shane Hayes to organise a day and time for a discussion … at your home.
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