Minister describes ageing challenge in Australia
The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler said the ageing challenge facing Australia was “still unfolding” and that it is,“ along with climate change, the really big social challenge for this decade, that we’ve got to come to grips with”.
Speaking on the ABS Statewide morning radio program he said the government was addressing the challenge in a number of areas, including the health reform process as well as aged care reforms from the Productivity Commission.
“We also need to look at our workplace culture so that people, if they wish, after 65, are able to continue to make a contribution, to look at our community culture to see ways in which people over 65 can continue to contribute through mentoring, through volunteering, a range of things that many of them have been doing for many, many years and do today as well.
“These opportunities are going to expand and we should exploit those opportunities as a community, because these people have a great deal of experience and a great deal of knowledge and wisdom to contribute. “
He predicted a “huge expansion of community care, which is people being provided with care at their home. At the moment that is almost all face to face care, so carers visiting a person’s home.
“With information technology and communication technology revolutions, the roll out of the National Broadband Network, there are going to be opportunities for remote care to be provided at home through eHealth solutions as well.
“That’s going to be the big thing, more independent living for longer by people. And that’s certainly what older Australians are telling us very clearly that they want.”
