Push for greater focus on aged care and ageing at 2020 Summit

Those involved in ageing issues have prepared a paper arguing for a greater focus on ageing and aged care issues in the health stream at the 2020 Summit starting in Canberra tomorrow, 19 April.

Gerontologist Dr Anna Howe from Victoria and Dr Catherine Yelland from Queensland have coordinated the preparation of a submission identifying ageing and aged care priorities.

It was circulated to other delegates interested in ageing issues and took into account views of the Australian Association of Gerontology, and submissions to the summit lodged by a number of not-for-profit agencies and peak bodies.

It points out  the lack of attention to aged care in the background paper prepared for the health stream group discussion and calls for ageing and aged care to be recognised in all elements of a national health strategy for the future.

It identified seven priority areas but acknowledged that the list was ‘by no means exhaustive’.

The priorities are:

1. Make ageing and aged care a priority in a National Health and Aged Care strategy for the future (addressing attitudes towards older people as users of health and aged care services, and also addresssing disadvantages, as well as recognising diversity in ageing);

2. Promote active and healthy ageing;

3. Enhance access to assistive technology;

4. Extend the scope of aged care in a long term national health and aged care strategy (including the changing roles  and potential of aged care providers, filling in gaps and extending the range of services, and
workforce development);

5. Implement measures to ensure efficient and sustainable funding;

6. Involve stakeholders in policy development; and

7. Dementia – acknowledging the need to expand existing range of dementia care services, funding levels, research and support for carers.

The full submission can be found on the 2020 summit website – www.australia2020.gov.au