Why the care you get can depend on where you live
A major new study has revealed big differences in the quality of aged care across Australia. While some providers deliver safe, timely support, others leave people waiting months for help or relying on too many medications. The research found four in five home care clients wait over six months for services, and just 3 per cent receive a medicines review. The provider you choose can make a big difference to safety, dignity and quality of life.
![<p>Senior couple are sitting on a bench in their garden after going for a walk. [Source DGLimages, iStock]</p>](https://agedcareguide-assets.imgix.net/news/articles/wp/iStock-1130453233.jpg?fm=pjpg&format=auto&w=550&q=65)
Senior couple are sitting on a bench in their garden after going for a walk. [Source DGLimages, iStock]
A new national study has found that the quality of aged care in Australia can vary a lot, and for older people and their families, that difference can mean everything.
Some providers deliver timely, attentive support. Others leave people waiting far too long for help or rely on medications in ways that raise serious questions. While government reforms have aimed to lift standards, the results show there is still a long way to go.
The research, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, looked at the care received by more than half a million older Australians in 2019. Around 250,000 were living in aged care homes, while just over 314,000 were receiving home care.
What the researchers found was confronting.
In aged care homes, over 13 per cent were using antibiotics at rates considered too high. Nearly one in five sent more residents than expected to emergency departments. More than 12 per cent had high “sedative loads”, raising concerns about whether medication was being used to calm people rather than to treat their health needs.
For people receiving care at home, the gaps were even clearer. Four in five were waiting longer than six months to get the help they had been approved for. In some services, the delays were even longer. Very few, just 3 per cent, had a medicines review to check for harmful drug interactions, even though these reviews can be lifesaving.
The study also found that people in home care were more likely than those in aged care homes to end up in hospital because of issues like delirium, dementia or malnutrition. These are not small problems, and for many families, they will feel very familiar.
“Areas such as antibiotic usage, emergency presentations and sedative load stand out as prime targets for quality improvement,” the study’s authors said.
What does this mean for you or your loved one? It shows that the standard of care is not the same everywhere. The provider you are with, and even the region you live in, can make a big difference to how quickly you get help and how safe that care is.
If you or a family member is waiting too long, or you are worried about the care being provided, it is worth speaking up. Ask questions. Request reviews. If you can, compare services. The data from this study is a reminder that choice matters, and it is okay to expect better.
