The peak body for aged care providers on Tuesday called on all political parties to ensure aged care remains a national priority in the 3 May Federal Election.
“The number one priority for aged care providers is improving the lives of older Australians. Unfortunately, we face chronic workforce shortages and challenges attracting and retaining workers, on top of financial sustainability pressures,” Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said.
Ageing Australia said there is an estimated shortage of 4,043 Registered Nurses in residential aged care alone, with the shortage to blow out to 17,550 by 2035. There is also currently an expected shortfall of up to 35,000 direct care workers, said the peak body.
“To address the workforce crisis, we’re calling for streamlined migration, strengthened education and training and a boost to incentives for regional providers to attract the workers needed,” Tom said, with its concerns reflecting its pre-Budget 2025 demands.
The CEO also wants the chronic shortage of Home Care Packages fixed.
“We know that people are sometimes waiting over a year for the home care package they need," Tom said.
"With increasing demand, the official waitlist of 81,000 packages is set to blow out over the coming months and we’ll need many, many more."
The CEO stopped short of joining Catholic Health Australia in seeking a delay in the implementation of the new Aged Care Act. The Retirement Living Council has gone further, stating the Act must be held up.
“We all want these reforms to succeed but the current timelines are so tight they border on the impossible," Tom said.
“Entire computer systems will need to be upgraded or replaced at massive expense to providers, yet we still don’t have the information or funds to get on with the job," Tom said.
“Failure is not an option. The last thing we want to see is an older person receiving a lower level of care on July 1, just because we rushed reforms. The runway is getting shorter by the day.”
See the video of Tom at LEADERS SUMMIT 2025 now available to watch on The Weekly SOURCE website: theweeklysource.com.au/leaders-summit-2025.
