Fix Private Health Insurance for Older Australians – Add your voice and SIGN PETITION HERE
With the holiday season around the corner, COTA Australia – the leading advocacy organisation for older people – is calling on all Australians to help combat loneliness by connecting with their older neighbours, friends, and family in their communities.
Most older people want to live in their own homes for as long as they can, not in aged care facilities. This can be achieved for many by finding the right combination of formal and informal support for their individual circumstances.
Older Australians deserve to have their home care package funds going directly to the care they need and deserve – not being used up on things like higher than average profits or inefficient management and administration.
The message was clear – there are areas you are keen to hear more about. COTA Australia’s view that, if required, older people’s preference is to receive aged care services in their own home.
The Agenda covers 12 public policy areas and includes 37 recommendations for the 47th Parliament of Australia.
COTA Australia tonight welcomed the very substantial package of measures in tonight’s Federal Budget that will fire the starting gun on a substantial overhaul of the aged care system over the next five years, supported by additional expenditure of $17.7 Billion over four years.
COTA Chief Executive Ian Yates thanked the Federal Government for responding to COTA’s call for more packages in MYEFO, and also supporters of the Safer at Home campaign.
Safer at Home is calling on the Federal Government to ensure no one is forced to wait longer than 30 days for the home care package they are assessed to need, by funding an additional 60,000 home care packages in this Budget.
The submission provides strong endorsement of human rights to tackle systemic ageism, disempowerment and institutionalisation. It also outlines information related to the performance of My Aged Care and improvements to system access.
COTA Chief Executive Ian Yates says it’s vital to reduce the waiting times for home care packages, aiming for a maximum two-month wait time after assessment before older Australians can receive the level of care for which they have been assessed.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s commitment to delivering a national strategy to support older Australians has been welcomed by COTA Australia, as a crucial bipartisan step towards building a better, fairer nation putting the needs of older people above politics
Older Australians want more choice and control over their home care, clear information about fees and quality, and independent advice to help navigate the system, according to new research hailed by COTA Australia as further proof of the need for stronger consumer rights to be built into aged care.