Reform needed more than ever
The need for immediate aged care reform was recently called for after last month’s announcement of bed licences. The 2011 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR), which assigns licences to aged care providers to determine the number of older people they can care for, was made at the end of last month.
The need for immediate aged care reform was recently called for after last month’s announcement of bed licences.
The 2011 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR), which assigns licences to aged care providers to determine the number of older people they can care for, was made at the end of last month.
Aged & Community Care Victoria chief executive, Gerard Mansour, welcomed the additional allocation of residential and community care services in Victoria, but added the allocation did not address the “growing mismatch” between available services and needs of older people.
Mr Mansour said the announcement reinforced the “immediate need” for government to embrace aged care reform.
“Unless there is a well-considered reform package to address the serious funding issues for both residential and community care, older Victorians cannot receive any assurance services will be available when they need them,” he said.
According to Mr Mansour, if the aged care system is not sustainable, “[older people] will not have choice or access to services when and where they need them”.
Similarly, Aged Care Association Australia WA chief executive, Anne-Marie Archer criticised the bed allocation, claiming there was a “shortfall” in aged care beds allocated in Western Australia.
Reiterating the “urgent need” for industry reform, Ms Archer alleged the state would continue to be “thousands of beds short”.
“We have an ageing population and a growing demand for services and it will take the industry a long time to turn around the trend we have seen in this state.
“The industry has been working closely with the Commonwealth and consumer groups, but reform can only be affected if it is also supported by both sides of government and the wider community,” she said.
