Last week to participate in ACAR consultations

Federal Government is attempting to receive feedback from peak bodies, primary health networks, local councils, consumer groups, approved providers and Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) around the unmet needs of residential aged care and the types of people whose needs should be a focus in the 2020 ACAR.

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck, says the Government is committed to aged care place targets and investing in quality building stock.

“The consultations will help identify unmet needs for residential aged care in terms of both geographic locations and the types of people whose needs should be targeted,” says Minister Colbeck.

“Increasing the number of residential places in areas where they are in short supply will help to ensure people have a safe option, as close to home as possible.

“We also want to make sure that care is accessible for people who may be missing out, whether it’s because they are homeless, they have dementia, or they come from different cultural backgrounds.”

The 2020 ACAR is offering 10,000 residential aged care places, 750 short term restorative care places, and up to $60 million in capital grants for residential aged care.

ACARs help the Government to plan the number of residential aged care and short term restorative care places it subsidises, increase subsidised places to meet the needs of older Australians, balance subsidised places in city, regional and remote areas, focus on priority needs, and ensure providers of subsidised aged care meet high standards of care.

Residential aged care and flexible care approved providers can apply to the 2020 ACAR, with applications opening in March 2020, to potentially receive subsidised residential aged care places and/or short term restorative care places or capital grants for residential aged care.

Minister Colbeck added that any improvements or changes to the current allocation system for residential aged care places are currently being considered, but they will still maintain a supply of residential care places.

“It can take a number of years for places to be brought online after they are allocated. The 2020 ACAR is an important element of meeting future need for residential care in Australia,” says Minister Colbeck.

The consultation period for the 2020 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) finishes on Friday, 31 January. 

To partake in the Department of Health consultation, click here.