Government release 20,000 Home Care Packages

THE Federal Government has announced it will deliver 20,000 Home Care Packages in the next eight weeks.

A further 20,000 packages are set to be released between November and the end of the year, with the remainder of the promised 43,000 to be delivered by mid-2026.

The Australian Government subsidises organisations to provide home care services to eligible older people.

The Home Care Packages Program supports older people with complex needs to stay at home.

They are designed for those with more complex care needs that go beyond what the Commonwealth Home Support Program can provide.

Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold said the release of the Home Care Packages is an overdue step for older Australians.

She said waitlists for Home Care Packages ballooned from 87,000 in March to 108,000 in July, while a further 121,000 older Australians are still waiting to be assessed.

“It should never have come to this,” said Ms Penfold.

“My colleagues and I have been contacted by countless local residents waiting for an assessment and then waiting to get a package.

“It took us (the Coalition) raising it in the Parliament for the Government to act despite the urgent need and the availability of funding. What was missing was the Government’s willingness to act.”

Ms Penfold said she would continue to push for timely aged care delivery and meaningful reforms that “prioritise care over red tape”.

Ageing Australia has welcomed the Government’s decision to immediately release 20,000 home care packages.

“We congratulate the Government on heading our calls, with so many Australians waiting for care in their own homes,” said Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson.

“Providers are ready to act immediately and deliver more packages across Australia.

“As we heard recently, 98 percent of members tell us they have the capacity and are ready to go.

“This is the start of the long road to getting people off wait-lists and getting the care they need.”

Samantha Edmonds, the Director of Policy, Education and Systemic Advocacy at the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), said the announcement is a positive step, but more work must be done to protect and safeguard the interest of older people.

“This is good news especially in advance of the new Aged Care Act commencing on 1 November,” Ms Edmonds said.

“Inadequate in-home care support can push older people into hospital and prematurely into residential aged care, which is unfair and avoidable.

“Once an older person has been approved for the appropriate level of in-home support, they typically wait another 12 months to receive it.

“Untenable delays such as these put older people at significant risk of adverse outcomes.

“Older people should not have to wait more than 30 days for in home support

“These delays have an adverse impact on a person’s dignity and wellbeing. We have a shared responsibility to alleviate this challenge.”