Australian Unity opens Ballina branch as demand for home care surges
Australian Unity has opened a new Ballina branch to help address rising demand for home care in the Northern Rivers, where 2,000 older residents remain on the waitlist for government-funded support.
Australian Unity Home Health, the nation’s largest provider of home health and care services, has opened a new branch on Clark Street to help meet rising demand for support-at-home services across the Northern Rivers.
The region is facing a growing care gap, with around 2,000 locals currently waiting for home care funding – about 15 per cent of eligible residents who have been assessed as needing support but are yet to receive government funding.
The Ballina branch will initially house around 118 staff and support approximately 1,188 older Australians, with numbers expected to double as the ageing population drives further demand.
To mark the opening, Australian Unity hosted a community day offering free health checks and on-site guidance to help residents understand the forthcoming Support at Home program and how to access government-funded services.
Elizabeth Albury, General Manager of Service Delivery at Australian Unity Home Health, said the Northern Rivers region reflects the scale of the nationwide aged care reform challenge.
“Thousands of Northern Rivers residents are waiting for care while the population continues to age. Within a few years, almost a third of the community will be over 65,” Ms Albury said.
“We know many residents are aware of the reforms but unsure how the new rules apply to them. Most want to stay in the homes they’ve lived in for decades, and with the right support, they can.
“If we don’t get this right, pressure will continue to build on the hospital system and older people in this region will be left behind.”
Ms Albury said the cost of inaction is already significant, with New South Wales taxpayers paying an estimated $1.2 million per day due to delayed hospital discharges.
“Many older patients remain in hospital beds not because they need acute care, but because appropriate aged care isn’t available. This is disastrous for those patients and for others who struggle to access acute services as a result.
“High-quality home care keeps people well at home and enables safer, faster discharge when hospital treatment is needed.”
The new Ballina branch is a key part of Australian Unity’s strategy to strengthen local care networks, expand its skilled workforce and ensure older Australians in regional communities can access the services they’ve been assessed as needing – so they can live and age well at home and stay connected to their communities.
