Opposition's aged care policy

Press release
2 August 2010

Seniors: Convalescent care and beds welcome start for system in crisis

Older Australians have welcomed the Coalition’s plans to introduce 20,000 convalescence places and bring 3,000 currently idle aged care beds into operation, but say staffing and home care options also need urgent attention.

National Seniors Australia chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said that despite critics suggesting the package is short term, older Australians and their families would not knock it.

“In this election campaign National Seniors is calling for immediate action for the families currently in a system that’s already at breaking point,” he said.

“The Productivity Commission’s Age Care inquiry isn’t scheduled to report back until April 2011, and, from there, reforms arising from the findings will take several years to roll out”.

“Our most vulnerable Australians need help now,” he said.

“These new convalescent places will allow older patients the time to properly recover from procedures such as hip replacements before being sent home or into institutional care.

“What’s missing from the Coalition’s announcement are measures to address chronic staffing shortages. There’s no point in having extra beds without the staff”.

“We also need more home support. Home care is a win-win - it saves the public purse billions and allows us to age at home in our accommodation of choice,” he said.

In this election National Seniors is calling for funding boosts in sub acute (convalescent), respite, dental and aged care.

The seniors vote is 45 per cent of the Australian electorate. Of that, 25 percent or 1.5 million are undecided.

Media contact: 07 3233 9105

In the lead-up to the poll, National Seniors is holding marginal seat forums in Bennelong, Eden Monaro, Paterson (NSW); Longman, Ryan, Bowman (Qld); Deakin, La Trobe (Vic); Hasluck (WA); Sturt (SA); and Bass (Tasmania). For details, call 0409 055 156.

With around 280,000 members - working and retired - across the country, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for older Australians. It is the fourth largest group of its kind in the world.