Australia's Aged Care Reforms Face Scrutiny Over Costs and Waiting Lists
By Harry Taruva — One year after Australia's new Aged Care Act, concerns persist over rising care costs, lengthy waiting lists, regional shortages and access to quality services.
Harry Taruva 
Melbourne — Australia's aged care reforms are facing questions over rising costs, lengthy waiting lists and access to services, one year after the new Aged Care Act was introduced to strengthen the rights of older people.
La Trobe University Emeritus Professor Hal Swerissen says the legislation's promise of better care is being undermined by barriers that continue to prevent older Australians from accessing support at home and in residential facilities.
The health policy expert said shortages of aged care services were contributing to long waits, particularly in regional communities, while some older patients remained in hospital because suitable care was unavailable.
“The new Aged Care Act was intended to introduce enforceable rights for older people to get the care they wanted,” Prof. Swerissen said.
He said the reforms included a restructured home care programme, mandated levels of nursing care and greater transparency, but argued that implementation had not delivered the intended improvements.
“But rights on paper have delivered barriers in practice as cost cuts replace quality care,” he said.
The cost of residential aged care is another concern, with Swerissen warning that annual out-of-pocket expenses for self-funded retirees can exceed AU$100,000.
He said rising costs were increasingly creating the risk of a two-tier system in which access to quality care is shaped by an older person's financial circumstances.
The Professor also identified problems with the new aged care assessment system and growing administrative demands on families and service providers as areas requiring attention.
