Fighting for better aged care

Catholic Health Australia, the organisation that represents Catholic hospitals and aged care services nationally, is using this weekend’s Eden Monaro by-election as an opportunity to put aged care on the political map.

It is running an advertising campaign – entitled Fight for Better Aged Care – to raise awareness of the need for better aged care services.

Data shows that almost 70 per cent of aged care homes in rural and regional NSW are in danger of closing because of severe funding shortages. People living in the NSW’s Southern Highland Aged Care Planning Region are also struggling to receive home care packages. Around 1,200 older people who have been assessed as needing home care support are either receiving no services or are receiving fewer services than their assessed need.

In the wake of the interim report by the Aged Care Royal Commission CHA has been pushing for greater funding for the sector.

And it has garnered support from the community. A survey conducted solely in the Eden-Monaro region asked nearly 700 people if the government should provide the aged care system with more funding. More than eighty percent agreed with the need for more funding, with just five per cent disagreeing.

Patrick Garcia, Chief Executive of CHA, said: “Older Australians are being let down because the aged sector is operating on life support. Funding has not kept up with demand or with what older Australians deserve at this time in their lives, and costs are rising faster than funding.”

“Evidence shows there is overwhelming support to fix our aged care system and for it to be properly funded. It’s time to call on our politicians at this critical time and put aged care on the political map.”