Aged Care Reforms

Do you need Aged Care Placement or Advocacy Services? We can help you now.

The 5 Pillars of Aged Care Reform

As a result of the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care, the Commonwealth has undertaken plans to dramatically reform the aged care sector.

The government’s aged care reform plan is focused around 5 pillars:

• Home Care Reforms – supporting senior Australians who choose to remain in their own home
• Residential care services and sustainability reforms – improving and simplifying residential aged care services and access
• Residential care quality and safety reforms – improving residential aged care quality and safety
• Aged Care Workforce Reforms – supporting and growing a better skilled care workforce
• Aged Care Governance Reforms – new legislation and stronger governance.

Aged Care Reform Timetable

The Australian Government will apply these initiatives over 5 years:

2021

• 40,000 more home care packages released.
• 325 Services Australia centres to provide assistance and information about aged care services.
• Aged care specialists in 70 Service Australia centres.
• Extra support for informal carers.
• Supplement of $10 per resident per day.
• Homeless and viability supplements continued increase.
• New monitoring, compliance and intervention to help providers build financial sustainability, capability and resilience.
• Improvements to dementia, diversity, food and nutrition services.
• Stronger clinical care standards.
• Up to 120,000 more GP in-reach services for aged care residents.
• Increase dementia care capability and training.
• Palliative care services expanded.
• Up to 6,000 new personal care workers.
• Surge workforce increase in regional and rural locations.
• Initial rollout of expanded regional network.
• Establish a Council of Elders and National Aged Care Advisory Council.

2022

• Another 40,000 home care packages released.
• 8,400 more respite services available.
• Single assessment workforce introduced.
• Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model begun.
• Average care minutes increased to 200 minutes per day, including 40 minutes of registered nurse time and 16 hours per day on site.
• Structural Adjustment Program to increase provider viability.
• Better reporting for comparison between services (star rating).
• Primary Health Network (PHN)-led telehealth and out-of-hours services.
• Expanded Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
• 1,500 more Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission site audits.
• Up to 7,000 new personal care workers.
• 33,800 additional training places rolled out.
• Registered nurse incentive and financial support schemes.

2023

• 500 Community Care Finders to give specialised support for accessing aged care services.
• New support at home program.
• Mandatory minimum care times.
• Review of Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
• New Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority.
• New Aged Care Act.

2024

• Residential care places allocated directly to senior Australians.
• Residential Aged Care Accommodation Framework to improve accessibility and dementia-friendly design.
• National Aged Care Data Strategy available.
• Continued growth of aged care workforce.

2025

• Improved service sustainability that ensures Senior Australian’s care needs are met.
• Improved aged care workforce staff levels, skill mix and training.
• Strong and effective governance of aged care in place.

Royal Commission Aged Care Final Report

Download RCAC Final Report:

1:   Recommendations (4.20 Mb)
2:   Current System (1.83 Mb)
3a: New System (2.65 Mb)
3b: New System (3.53 Mb)
4a: Hearings (6.56 Mb)
4b: Hearings (9.14 Mb)
4c: Hearings (8.82 Mb)
5:   Appendices (5.98 Mb)

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Aged Care Reform Now

Aged Care Connect is a member of Aged Care Reform Now

Aged Care Reform Now (ACRN):

• is an online community of people with the shared vision of a high quality Australian Aged Care sector.
• is rapidly growing in membership numbers.
• consists of current care recipients, family members, friends, aged care workers, aged care advocates and others who are passionate about social justice.
• members come together to contribute to, and lobby government for, meaningful Aged Care Reform.

ACRN aim is to develop sustainable solutions, not amplify problems. ACRN believe it is only by working together – with care recipients, families, staff, aged care providers, peak bodies, health related unions, academics, Health Department bureaucrats, and politicians – that frail older Australians will receive the appropriate care and support they need.

ACRN membership is FREE and has as an active Facebook group. You can join ACRN at:
ACRN Facebook Page.

If you’re not on Facebook, you can still access ACRN at:
agedcarereformnow.com.au

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Individualised Placement Plan

An individual placement plan is developed for each of our family clients.

The placement plan contains detailed client requirements and family preferences, shortlist of suitable facilities and a timetable of work completed and planned to achieve the successful placement outcome.

Our family clients can request the current status of the tasks on the plan. This formal approach helps with communication between all interested parties, including social workers in the hospital.

We also request feedback from families of our services and where we can continually improve and revise our service for future family clients.

Seek independent and experienced assistance.

Covid-19 and the findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care have increased awareness regarding quality services in aged care homes.

This has reinforced the benefit to seek independent and experienced assistance when placing your loved one into any aged care home.