As our population ages, the demand for aged care services is growing. This presents great challenges and opportunities for governments, healthcare providers, and the wider community.

One of the foremost concerns is how to ensure ageing Australians can receive the support and care they need - which may be a particular concern for those who are already struggling financially.

The cost of aged care is soaring, and 2023's budget announced on May 9th reflected this.
It revealed that this sector was now the fifth-largest area of Australian government expenditure, rising to a shocking $29.6bn from the 2020-21 figure of $24.8bn.

That number is estimated to grow to $35.8bn by 2025-26.

Aged care expenses on the budget will rise by 23 per cent in the fiscal year 2022–2023. Credit: Shutterstock.

This is largely attributed to our ageing population, with the number of aged care recipients increasing by 3.5 per cent from 2020 to 2021, bringing the total number up to 1.5 million.

That figure is expected to increase by another two per cent by 2032.

The increasing expenses have put a lot of pressure on our Federal Budget. But the Albanese government have made clear its intentions to improve the aged care sector after the Royal Commission discovered that it had significant problems like poor care and abuse.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells stated that the decision to increase funding is part of the Albanese government's effort to ‘restore dignity’ to the aged care sector, which has suffered from years of underfunding.

She remarked: ‘However, properly funding our aged care sector comes at a price – with costs to increase in the budget by 23 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year.’

‘Aged care has been plagued by a decade of inadequate funding which, in addition to the impact of the pandemic, has led to compounded cost pressures.’

According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Australians should prepare for a budget that has been constrained by increasing expenses.

He explained: ‘Whether it’s the interest cost on a trillion dollars of Liberal debt, the NDIS, aged care, health care or the rising cost of national security, the budget is under pressure from every angle.’

‘Within the considerable constraints we’re facing on the budget right now, we’ll do what we can to help Australians, and we’ll do it in a targeted, methodical, responsible and affordable way.’

‘The Albanese government is ambitious for aged care and determined to reform the sector for long-term success and sustainability.’

The admission that aged care was causing significant budgetary pressure coincides with the closure of several homes nationwide due to their inability to meet new government regulations.

Specifically, three facilities in Sydney and three in Perth will shut down before July 1 for failing to meet the requirement of having a registered nurse on-site around the clock.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared that he had high aspirations for aged care and would not apologise for them.

Pensioners who are finding it hard to make ends meet welcome the additional funding for aged care. Additionally, it is worth noting that a lack of funding has resulted in aged-care providers abandoning regional communities.

Suppose you’re a senior who relies on aged care services or is preparing for your future living arrangements. In that case, it’s important to be aware of the available funding for you and create a financial plan to ensure you can afford the care you need.

Seek advice from financial professionals and stay informed about government policies to ensure you’re prepared for future changes to aged care costs.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it’s high time for the government to increase funding for aged care?

 

[Cool Lynda]

As our population ages, the demand for aged care services is growing. This presents great challenges and opportunities for governments, healthcare providers, and the wider community.

One of the foremost concerns is how to ensure ageing Australians can receive the support and care they need - which may be a particular concern for those who are already struggling financially.

The cost of aged care is soaring, and 2023's budget announced on May 9th reflected this.
It revealed that this sector was now the fifth-largest area of Australian government expenditure, rising to a shocking $29.6bn from the 2020-21 figure of $24.8bn.

That number is estimated to grow to $35.8bn by 2025-26.

View attachment 17743

Aged care expenses on the budget will rise by 23 per cent in the fiscal year 2022–2023. Credit: Shutterstock.

This is largely attributed to our ageing population, with the number of aged care recipients increasing by 3.5 per cent from 2020 to 2021, bringing the total number up to 1.5 million.

That figure is expected to increase by another two per cent by 2032.

The increasing expenses have put a lot of pressure on our Federal Budget. But the Albanese government have made clear its intentions to improve the aged care sector after the Royal Commission discovered that it had significant problems like poor care and abuse.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells stated that the decision to increase funding is part of the Albanese government's effort to ‘restore dignity’ to the aged care sector, which has suffered from years of underfunding.

She remarked: ‘However, properly funding our aged care sector comes at a price – with costs to increase in the budget by 23 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year.’

‘Aged care has been plagued by a decade of inadequate funding which, in addition to the impact of the pandemic, has led to compounded cost pressures.’

According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Australians should prepare for a budget that has been constrained by increasing expenses.

He explained: ‘Whether it’s the interest cost on a trillion dollars of Liberal debt, the NDIS, aged care, health care or the rising cost of national security, the budget is under pressure from every angle.’

‘Within the considerable constraints we’re facing on the budget right now, we’ll do what we can to help Australians, and we’ll do it in a targeted, methodical, responsible and affordable way.’

‘The Albanese government is ambitious for aged care and determined to reform the sector for long-term success and sustainability.’

The admission that aged care was causing significant budgetary pressure coincides with the closure of several homes nationwide due to their inability to meet new government regulations.

Specifically, three facilities in Sydney and three in Perth will shut down before July 1 for failing to meet the requirement of having a registered nurse on-site around the clock.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared that he had high aspirations for aged care and would not apologise for them.

Pensioners who are finding it hard to make ends meet welcome the additional funding for aged care. Additionally, it is worth noting that a lack of funding has resulted in aged-care providers abandoning regional communities.

Suppose you’re a senior who relies on aged care services or is preparing for your future living arrangements. In that case, it’s important to be aware of the available funding for you and create a financial plan to ensure you can afford the care you need.

Seek advice from financial professionals and stay informed about government policies to ensure you’re prepared for future changes to aged care costs.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it’s high time for the government to increase funding for aged care?

I worked in Aged Care, in Vic and QLD some years ago. I was disgusted with the level of care and the food that was provided. Both under Labor governance. I am not expecting any realm improvement, as ALP do not give a care about the people of Australia . I won't go on .. my BP is rising.
Retired Registered Nurse.

 

[Catherines]

I think you read it wrong.

I am a proud indigenous man of indigenous heritage mother and my father was a norwegian man a sailor whom was stuck in Australia after his appendix had ruptured he was operated on in W.A and his ship sailed home late 1948 but would pick him up when they returned some 10 to 12 months later my mum was a barmaid at the hotel he had his lodgings at she taught him to read and write and speak english and they fell in love he ended up working at the hotel himself and he never returned to his homeland and they had 5 children together me being the eldest my parents worked very hard all their lives and we had a great upbringing both passed away in their own homes that they worked hard for and never had any government assistance except they were able to buy their NSW housing commission home in the late 60s and just survived their final years with usung their super and part pension payment we the children looked after them in later years but were taken early by heart attack father and cancer mum both in their early 70s. So basically they worked hard mum a registered midwife and dad a club manager and paid taxes their whole lives and never got to enjoy the final years of so called retirement and NEVER HAD recieved any benefits by being a indigenous person. Myself a retired pensioner and identified as indigenous do not recieve anything different with my own pension to what other Australians recieved and take offence to your comment. You are sadly ill-informed and comments like these only adds to the prejudice discrimination shown to Indigenous Australians.

I too think you have misread the comment.

 

[Gsr]

But you get it at a younger age

Not sure about that, I am indigenous heritage and I couldn’t get a pension til I was sixty five and a half, same as everybody else my age. Anyway I will believe the extra funding for aged care when I actually see it happening and see the benefits of it to the clients in the facilities, and the extra staffing facilities should be able to afford with the extra money.

 

[myopinion]

To keep people out of aged care homes the government is throughing money at MyAgedCare. But the problem here is the providers ae taking a large amount of it and the people who need it are not seeing enough of it.

 

[Jakepuss]

As our population ages, the demand for aged care services is growing. This presents great challenges and opportunities for governments, healthcare providers, and the wider community.

One of the foremost concerns is how to ensure ageing Australians can receive the support and care they need - which may be a particular concern for those who are already struggling financially.

The cost of aged care is soaring, and 2023's budget announced on May 9th reflected this.
It revealed that this sector was now the fifth-largest area of Australian government expenditure, rising to a shocking $29.6bn from the 2020-21 figure of $24.8bn.

That number is estimated to grow to $35.8bn by 2025-26.

View attachment 17743

Aged care expenses on the budget will rise by 23 per cent in the fiscal year 2022–2023. Credit: Shutterstock.

This is largely attributed to our ageing population, with the number of aged care recipients increasing by 3.5 per cent from 2020 to 2021, bringing the total number up to 1.5 million.

That figure is expected to increase by another two per cent by 2032.

The increasing expenses have put a lot of pressure on our Federal Budget. But the Albanese government have made clear its intentions to improve the aged care sector after the Royal Commission discovered that it had significant problems like poor care and abuse.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells stated that the decision to increase funding is part of the Albanese government's effort to ‘restore dignity’ to the aged care sector, which has suffered from years of underfunding.

She remarked: ‘However, properly funding our aged care sector comes at a price – with costs to increase in the budget by 23 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year.’

‘Aged care has been plagued by a decade of inadequate funding which, in addition to the impact of the pandemic, has led to compounded cost pressures.’

According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Australians should prepare for a budget that has been constrained by increasing expenses.

He explained: ‘Whether it’s the interest cost on a trillion dollars of Liberal debt, the NDIS, aged care, health care or the rising cost of national security, the budget is under pressure from every angle.’

‘Within the considerable constraints we’re facing on the budget right now, we’ll do what we can to help Australians, and we’ll do it in a targeted, methodical, responsible and affordable way.’

‘The Albanese government is ambitious for aged care and determined to reform the sector for long-term success and sustainability.’

The admission that aged care was causing significant budgetary pressure coincides with the closure of several homes nationwide due to their inability to meet new government regulations.

Specifically, three facilities in Sydney and three in Perth will shut down before July 1 for failing to meet the requirement of having a registered nurse on-site around the clock.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared that he had high aspirations for aged care and would not apologise for them.

Pensioners who are finding it hard to make ends meet welcome the additional funding for aged care. Additionally, it is worth noting that a lack of funding has resulted in aged-care providers abandoning regional communities.

Suppose you’re a senior who relies on aged care services or is preparing for your future living arrangements. In that case, it’s important to be aware of the available funding for you and create a financial plan to ensure you can afford the care you need.

Seek advice from financial professionals and stay informed about government policies to ensure you’re prepared for future changes to aged care costs.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it’s high time for the government to increase funding for aged care?

I'll settle for the pine box rather than being in those places.
Work till you drop and the flies will find you. Huge difference between living and existing!

 

[Feeling young?]

Major Funding in Aged Care

The government have got it wrong. More staff are needed the pay is ridiculous. The pay should be across the board for NDIS and AGED CARE
Support workers should be paid by scale of care.
Why would a support worker do high care support when for the same amount per hour can take a client out shopping, coffee socially. I work in Aged Care home service and staff won’t work if it’s high care at home. The government should take control of levels of work related pay per hour. Then this will make a difference with the shortage of workers.
AGED CARE FUNDING v NDIS FUNDING should be the same.

 

[benallacath]

I am a proud indigenous man of indigenous heritage mother and my father was a norwegian man a sailor whom was stuck in Australia after his appendix had ruptured he was operated on in W.A and his ship sailed home late 1948 but would pick him up when they returned some 10 to 12 months later my mum was a barmaid at the hotel he had his lodgings at she taught him to read and write and speak english and they fell in love he ended up working at the hotel himself and he never returned to his homeland and they had 5 children together me being the eldest my parents worked very hard all their lives and we had a great upbringing both passed away in their own homes that they worked hard for and never had any government assistance except they were able to buy their NSW housing commission home in the late 60s and just survived their final years with usung their super and part pension payment we the children looked after them in later years but were taken early by heart attack father and cancer mum both in their early 70s. So basically they worked hard mum a registered midwife and dad a club manager and paid taxes their whole lives and never got to enjoy the final years of so called retirement and NEVER HAD recieved any benefits by being a indigenous person. Myself a retired pensioner and identified as indigenous do not recieve anything different with my own pension to what other Australians recieved and take offence to your comment. You are sadly ill-informed and comments like these only adds to the prejudice discrimination shown to Indigenous Australians.

I don't think you read my message properly

 

[benallacath]

Why are there so many Retirement Villages just for the ones who have a house to trade for care what about people like me, renters? Profit, of course! It is about time these villages were made to take on renters as well as the more affluent oldies. We are just as worthy as the richer ones just not so lucky on the work front. Or as in my case, certain circumstances stopped us from owning a house, especially after a divorce where nothing was given in the settlement for the care of the family through lies on someone else's behalf. I am sure I am not the only one missing out in that case. Make at least a third of the housing rentals still the shareholders will garner a profit, maybe not such a large one as now but think of all the extra people they could cater for!

I am a renter in an Retirement Village (owned by the community).