Devastating cuts to direct aged care services continue
Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) spokesperson Beth Cameron says the additional $1.2 billion cuts to direct care services reveals the Turnbull Government and Minister Ley are in denial about the true cost of providing complex care to Australian seniors.
As intended under the Living Longer Living Better Reforms, Australians are living longer, healthier lives and accessing care in the comfort of their homes. When our seniors enter residential age care, they do so with more advanced chronic health conditions and more complex service and care needs.
“Increasing numbers of senior Australians, due to a rapidly ageing population, are now requiring more complex care than ever before.And, with complex care comes more cost,” Ms Cameron says.
“The 2015 Intergenerational Report tells us that there are around 3.1 million Australians today aged 65 to 84, this figure is projected to skyrocket to 7.0 million by 2054-55.
“These projections are creating an unprecedented demand for aged care services.”
Ms Cameron says the cumulative effect of $3.1 billion in cuts to aged care funding under the Coalition Government will have a devastating impact on the provision of aged care services to seniors. The sector is already experiencing financial difficulties with about 38 per cent of aged care providers currently deemed financially unviable.
“The additional Viability Supplement funding, and changes to business tax arrangements announced today are welcome, however in the face of $3.1 billion in cuts, it will have a marginal impact on lifting the financial viability of many providers,” according to Ms Cameron.
“Our seniors living in remote and rural areas will not be able to age in place and will need to travel long distances, far from families and friends, to receive the care they deserve, which should be provided close to home.
“The Coalition Government needs to accept responsibility for appropriately funding the aged care Australian’s seniors have come to expect and deserve,” Ms Cameron says.