Older Aussies ignored with disability launch
DisabilityCare Australia, the national disability insurance scheme, was launched last week to help give greater support to Australians with significant and permanent disability; however older Australians reportedly remain disadvantaged by the system.
DisabilityCare Australia, the national disability insurance scheme, was launched last week to help give greater support to Australians with significant and permanent disability; however older Australians reportedly remain disadvantaged by the system.
The scheme was launched in four launch sites, including the Hunter area in New South Wales, Geelong and the Barwon area in Victoria, for children in South Australia and in Tasmania for young people.
While described as a ‘historic’ day for Australians living with disabilities, seniors lobby group, National Seniors, is still demanding the removal of the discriminatory age limit which effectively shuts the over 65s out of the scheme.
Under the current scheme, if you acquire a severe disability at 64 years of age, you’ll be covered for life under DisabilityCare Australia.
But if you acquire exactly the same disability at age 65 years, you’ll be shunted into the second rate user pays aged care system.
