Caring for Older Australians report
Media Release
21 January 2010
Seniors: aged care report first salvo in national debate
Seniors have described the Productivity Commission’s draft report into aged care, Caring for Older Australians, as the first salvo in the debate Australia had to have.
Responding to the 500-page draft report - which includes 42 recommendations across finance, care, housing, research and regulation - National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said it was only the first step towards much-needed reform.
“The one thing providers, unions and consumers can all agree on is that we need a better system for our most vulnerable older Australians,” said O’Neill.
“This draft report is just the start of an extensive consultation process, and, at the moment, there’s a lot of detail to wade through”.
“While seniors welcome the exploration of alternative funding models for a system buckling under the weight of demand, there will be questions around bonds; the government-sponsored reverse mortgage scheme; and including the family home in the assets test,” he said.
“We also want to see more on improved working conditions such as better wages and training opportunities, and smaller nurse-to-patient ratios, which ultimately impact on quality of care”.
According to a 2010 National Seniors-commissioned Access Economic report, in the past five years nursing home quality of care has deteriorated markedly with an increase of residents to staff.
Positive elements coming out of today’s Productivity Commission draft report include recommendations to streamline and individualize services which are currently fragmented and a nightmare to navigate.
“We all grow old, and at some point we will all have to deal with the system either on behalf of family or for ourselves. The Productivity Commission inquiry is a chance to start getting it right for this and future generations,” said O’Neill.
National Seniors will gauge public opinion in coming weeks on the more contentious draft recommendations.
“Older Australians who need aged care now mustn’t panic over talk of bonds and reverse mortgages - this is merely the start of a consultation process that could take years to implement”.
The Productivity Commission will conduct hearings throughout the country in March and April. Its final report is due in June.
Michael is available for comment 0448 125 898
Media enquiries: Sarah Saunders 0409 055 156
With a quarter of a million members Australia-wide, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for the over 50s. It is the fourth largest organisation of its type in the world.
21 January 2010
Seniors: aged care report first salvo in national debate
Seniors have described the Productivity Commission’s draft report into aged care, Caring for Older Australians, as the first salvo in the debate Australia had to have.
Responding to the 500-page draft report - which includes 42 recommendations across finance, care, housing, research and regulation - National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said it was only the first step towards much-needed reform.
“The one thing providers, unions and consumers can all agree on is that we need a better system for our most vulnerable older Australians,” said O’Neill.
“This draft report is just the start of an extensive consultation process, and, at the moment, there’s a lot of detail to wade through”.
“While seniors welcome the exploration of alternative funding models for a system buckling under the weight of demand, there will be questions around bonds; the government-sponsored reverse mortgage scheme; and including the family home in the assets test,” he said.
“We also want to see more on improved working conditions such as better wages and training opportunities, and smaller nurse-to-patient ratios, which ultimately impact on quality of care”.
According to a 2010 National Seniors-commissioned Access Economic report, in the past five years nursing home quality of care has deteriorated markedly with an increase of residents to staff.
Positive elements coming out of today’s Productivity Commission draft report include recommendations to streamline and individualize services which are currently fragmented and a nightmare to navigate.
“We all grow old, and at some point we will all have to deal with the system either on behalf of family or for ourselves. The Productivity Commission inquiry is a chance to start getting it right for this and future generations,” said O’Neill.
National Seniors will gauge public opinion in coming weeks on the more contentious draft recommendations.
“Older Australians who need aged care now mustn’t panic over talk of bonds and reverse mortgages - this is merely the start of a consultation process that could take years to implement”.
The Productivity Commission will conduct hearings throughout the country in March and April. Its final report is due in June.
Michael is available for comment 0448 125 898
Media enquiries: Sarah Saunders 0409 055 156
With a quarter of a million members Australia-wide, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for the over 50s. It is the fourth largest organisation of its type in the world.
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