The Senior
AUSTRALIA’S aged care system is facing growing pressure from rising demand, lengthy wait times and an ageing population, but experts say there is still plenty to be positive about when compared to systems around the world.
While many older Australians have voiced frustration over increasing costs and delays in accessing support, academics argue Australia’s aged care model remains among the strongest internationally.
University of Sydney healthy ageing expert Professor Lee-Fay Low said Australia’s universal approach to aged care compares favourably with nations such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Canada.
“Once you’re in residential aged care or receiving support at home, you are generally getting a pretty good service,” Professor Low said.
Australia’s system allows all residents aged 65 and over to access government-funded aged care regardless of income, with additional support services such as home assistance, meals and social support available through means-tested programs.
Compared with countries such as the United States, where access to long-term care often depends heavily on personal finances and family support, Australia’s model provides a far broader safety net.
However, experts warn the system’s biggest weakness is no longer the quality of care itself, but the ability to access it.
Australians are increasingly choosing to age in their own homes rather than move into residential aged care facilities, reflecting both personal preference and government policy.
“I’ve never met anyone who has said they would prefer to be in a nursing home,” Professor Low said.
The shift towards ageing at home has accelerated over the past decade as governments attempt to balance the wishes of older Australians with the rising cost of building and operating residential aged care facilities.
Supporting people in their own homes is generally less expensive than residential care and often allows older Australians to maintain greater independence and connection to their communities.
Yet demand is now increasingly outstripping supply.
Current wait times average around 12 months for in-home aged care support packages and 13 months for residential aged care placements, leaving many older Australians without the assistance they need.
University of Sydney Professor Yun-Hee Jeon said delays in accessing care were having serious consequences for both individuals and the health system.
Research led by Professor Jeon found older Australians who experienced delays in receiving home care were about 20 per cent more likely to require hospitalisation or enter residential aged care within a year.
