Free webinars this month are expected to help older Aussies better understand the aged care system

Key points:

• Older Australians are waiting up to 15 months to receive support through Home Care Packages in what is a ‘dire situation,’ according to the Acting CEO of Council on the Ageing Australia Corey Irlam
• Proveda, an aged care provider in New South Wales, is running three webinars to help older Australians and their carers understand the current Australian aged care system and how to navigate it
• One client of Proveda, Anne* emphasised the importance of improving wait times — her mother with dementia is waiting for a reassessment of support needs and does not currently have enough support

Current wait times to receive support in Home Care Packages are now as high as 15 months for Level 4 Packages, leaving some older Australians in a ‘dire situation,’ according to Acting Chief Executive Officer of Council on the Ageing Australia Corey Irlam.

Approximately 76,000 older Australians are still waiting to access support through Home Care Packages, as per Senator Anne Ruston’s address to the Senate in November 2024, leaving many people questioning the wait times.

However, Proveda, an aged care provider in New South Wales, is launching a series of free webinars to help older Australians better understand the current aged care system and what they need to do to get appropriate support.

Over three sessions, aged care experts in each session will cover different topics and will allow extra time for questions to be asked by attendees in Zoom’s chat function. 

• Thursday, January 23 2025, 12pm – 1pm (AEST) — Webinar 1: Understanding the Aged Care System;
• Thursday, January 30 2025, 12pm – 1pm (AEST) — Webinar 2: Preparing for Your Aged Care Assessment; and
• Thursday, February 6 2025, 12pm – 1pm (AEST) — Webinar 3: Choosing the Right Aged Care Provider.

To register for the free webinars, visit the Proveda website and enter your name and email address. A Zoom link will be sent the day before each event you have registered for. 

It’s a good idea to create a Zoom account before the webinar to ensure you don’t miss any information or your chance to ask a question. You can do this by visiting the Zoom website and completing the registration. 

In the Understanding the Aged Care System webinar, experts will discuss topics including how to get funding for home support and how to access aged care services and current government-funded programs and packages.

Topics covered in the second webinar, Preparing for Your Aged Care Assessment, will include: what to expect during your assessment, how to prepare for your assessment, approximate approval wait times and if any support is available while waiting for your aged care support approval. 

In the final instalment of this free webinar series, Choosing the Right Aged Care Provider, experts will cover what to consider when searching for providers, the differences between providers and what fees and charges to expect. 

The Aged Care Guide can help you search for in-home aged care providers across Australia to suit your needs for free. Keep up to date with what’s changing in aged care in 2025 and how the changes could affect you as an older Australian. 

Anne* has been looking after her mother with dementia and highlighted the concerns she had when her mother was placed on the waitlist for a reassessment of her needs. 

“It’s been very stressful and hard to watch Mum lose her independence more each day while we await a reassessment,” she said.

“I can’t always be there to ensure she will be okay as she goes about her daily activities and we don’t have continuous support with her current package. 

“You feel stuck when there’s nothing you can do to speed up the process and no one can provide an accurate timeline.”

*name has been changed to maintain privacy.

In December 2024, the Australian Government announced an additional $440 million dollars would be invested into the upcoming Support at Home program on top of the previously established $4.3 billion dollars in September 2024.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of Council on the Ageing Australia Corey Irlam commented on the investment in aged care, but raised concerns it won’t be enough to support the thousands of Australians who are currently waiting for support.

“Getting timely support when you first make the decision to accept support to remain in your home is vital,” he said.

“It’s demoralising for older people waiting so long after they finally admit to themselves they need a little help to remain safe at home and particularly impacts those who deteriorate faster because they didn’t get the support they needed sooner.

“Current wait times in Home Care Packages of 12 – 15 months for a Level 4 Home Care Package is simply not acceptable.”

Changes are also expected when the new Aged Care Act comes into force on July 1, 2025, including the commencement of the Support at Home program. Learn more about the changes, how your super could affect government support and what’s happening and when with the Aged Care Guide.

Are you waiting for an assessment to receive appropriate aged care to suit your needs?

Let the team at Talking Aged Care know on social media. 

For more information and news in the aged care industry, subscribe to our free newsletter. 

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