HOME CARE SECRECEY HURTING OLDER AUSTRALIANS

Vulnerable older Australians are being kept in the dark over access to vital aged care services.

A national prioritisation list for the Home Care Packages Program for over 65s was introduced in February but the Government is still refusing to tell people where they are in the queue or how long they must wait to receive a package.

An undersupply of packages, particularly level four packages for those with high needs, has also left older people waiting many months for the care they need.

Minister Ken Wyatt recently admitted that more than 200 people have been identified as waiting over two years for home care packages.

It is understood that as many as 20 of those extremely vulnerable people are still waiting.

Minister Wyatt first promised to release wait time data in July and following that failure recommitted to do so by the end of August.

It is now well past time that this Government showed respect for older Australians and provided some transparency.

At the very least Minster Wyatt should admit what everyone is thinking – he simply has no idea.

A Report by Leading Aged Services Australia, today, has also detailed 17 other critical failures with the implementation of the home care changes.

Labor has called on the Government to release additional packages but so far we don’t even know the extent of wait times.

Vulnerable older people are being forced out of their homes and into residential facilities as their health deteriorates while waiting for support from the Turnbull Government.

Most Australians want to grow old at home, but the inaction of the Turnbull Government is removing that choice for too many.