The Federal Government has allocated an additional $1 billion into the aged care sector, to help 10,000 Australians live at home for longer.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the 10,000 home care packages, valued at more than $850 million, will be released to support the country’s ageing population.
Numbers of Australians aged more than 70 has increased 28 per cent since 2012 and people on home care packaged has jumped by 200 per cent.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified access to at home care as a systemic failure of the system, with more than 100,000 Australians waiting for home care.
The latest investment brings the number of home care packages to 50,000, at $3.3b, since the Royal Commission’s interim report was tabled in October 2019.
It adds to the $21.3b investment into aged care from the Federal Government in 2019-20 – up from $13.3b in 2012-13.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the new packages would increase the number of Australians receiving in-home care support to about 195,600 by 30 June 2021.
“The latest investment underlines our commitment to help older Australians live at home for longer,” he said.
“It’s an important measure that can be instrumental to overall health and wellbeing and offer reassurance to families that their loved one is receiving appropriate care.”
The funding adds to the government’s $132.3m for the aged care sector as part of its response to the Royal Commission.
