“Many of the challenges in our health care system could be addressed through better coordination and funding for in-home aged care,” Dale told The Weekly SOURCE.
“Home care that is truly hospital substitution could be a significant part of the response to demands on the health and aged care systems.”
In our latest interview with residential care and home care CEOs about what they would like to see from our federal politicians as we head into a Federal election, Dale said Government investment in home care has seen “long term success” in many overseas countries “where the funding priority isn’t always a new hospital ward”.
“Australia is behind other nations in home care, however with leadership, policy and funding shifts, we can lead the way. A robust community care system can reduce admissions to hospitals - the evidence is clear,” she said.
See and hear Silverchain CEO Dale Fisher AM at LEADERS SUMMIT 2025 in Sydney next month. Register here.
“End the postcode lottery for accessing palliative care”
There is a "significant disconnect” in Australia between what people want for end-of-life care and the reality, Dale said.
“There is inadequate government support of palliative care services in the home, which effectively operates as a postcode lottery,” she said.
“According to the Productivity Commission, 70% of Australians would prefer to die at home, yet Western Australia is the only state close to meeting this goal.
“Through our partnership with the Western Australian Government, Silverchain’s palliative care service enables approximately 60% of our WA clients to die in their own home.
“The new End of Life Pathway within Support at Home is a welcome improvement and more can be done to ensure this model of care supports people to access the care they need.
“There must be adequate funding for General Practitioners to provide the medical oversight the End of Life Pathway in Support at Home, to ensure effective community partnerships with the client’s home care provider.”
Cut home care wait time
Dale would also like to see bipartisan support in Government for "reasonable" waiting time for Support at Home assessments and funding.
Older Australians should be able to "access care in the place they choose” to the extent that their health doesn’t “deteriorate significantly” while they wait, she said.
Previous articles in The Weekly SOURCE's 'political wishlist' series':
- Memory support units hitting capacity, warns Lutheran Services CEO Nick Ryan, in his Federal Election ‘political wishlist’
- Ahead of the Federal Election, The SOURCE asks mecwacare CEO Anne McCormack for her aged care wishlist
- Ahead of the Federal Election, The SOURCE asks CEOs for their aged care wishlist with Byron Cannon CEO LDK Seniors' Living
