In a concerning development for Australia's aged care sector, leaked documents suggest that landmark reforms aimed at improving the quality and safety of aged care services may face significant delays.

This potential setback casts a shadow over efforts to address long standing issues within the industry and ensure the well-being of elderly Australians receiving care.

The sector has been eagerly anticipating the implementation of landmark reforms following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety's recommendations in 2021.

According to leaked internal departmental communications, the transformative changes that were expected to be rolled out by July 1 might now be pushed back by up to a year, with new dates being speculated for either January or July 2025.

Leaked documents indicated potential delays to landmark reforms to Australia’s aged care sector. Credits: Shutterstock

The documents, which have not been officially released to the public, indicated that the implementation date is currently marked as 'TBC' (to be confirmed).

This uncertainty has sparked concern among industry experts and advocates for the elderly, who are anxious about the potential implications of such a delay.

Aged and Community Care Providers Association Chief Executive Tom Symondson expressed apprehension about the delay.

‘We still haven't seen large portions of the legislation, and we haven't seen the rules,’ he stated.

'If we rush it and don't get the transition right or get the training right, we will potentially fail a generation of older people,' he added, highlighting the critical nature of these reforms.

A federal government spokesperson has acknowledged the postponement, suggesting that the government is aiming for a revised target date later this year, which would sidestep the 2025 electoral cycle.

Patricia Sparrow, the Chief Executive of the Council on Ageing, voiced her frustration over the additional wait time for older Australians.

'How long do older people have to wait for rights? They've been waiting for a long time,' she said, reflecting the sentiment of many who feel that the aged care sector has been neglected for too long.

The proposed reforms are set to overhaul the current system, introducing stricter standards for residents' rights and quality of care, and aiming to create a more streamlined and user-friendly framework for aged care services.

Additionally, the draft legislation hints at the introduction of both civil and criminal penalties for staff and directors of aged care facilities who fail to comply with the new standards.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care, which conducted its inquiry between 2018 and 2021, delivered a damning report that exposed the extent of neglect, abuse, and substandard care that residents in nursing homes had endured for years.

As the aged care sector grapples with the potential delay of crucial reforms, concerns over the affordability and accessibility of aged care services loom large.

The prospect of seniors facing increased financial burdens for their care underscored the urgency of addressing systemic challenges within the industry.

In light of the uncertain timeline for reform implementation, it becomes increasingly crucial to safeguard the interests and well-being of elderly Australians, ensuring they receive the quality care they deserve without undue financial strain.

Key Takeaways

• Landmark reforms to Australia's aged care sector are facing potential delays, with a new implementation date possibly set for as late as January or July 2025.
• Leaked documents indicated that the implementation of reforms recommended by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was still uncertain.
• The proposed laws were set to overhaul residents' rights, the quality of care standards, and streamline the system, along with introducing penalties for breaches.
• The delay in reforms raised concerns among industry experts about the impact on the sector and the wellbeing of older Australians.

What are your thoughts on the delay of the aged care reforms? Have you or your loved ones been affected by the current state of the aged care system? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below.

 

[GranniCaz]

Will the bleak decisions of social deprivation made by today’s politicians, bureaucrats and regulators; for or failing our Aged; be reflected in the care conditions which they and their loved ones consequently endure.?
You reap that which you sow!

 

[Marilynshiels13]

Very disappointed I’m been waiting for nearly a year for Home care package and keep getting told that I have to wait how long does it take

 

[gamiry]

Very disappointed I’m been waiting for nearly a year for Home care package and keep getting told that I have to wait how long does it take

what's new about this... I can tell you that you can't even get an assessment in the Bundaberg, Childers and Gin Gin area in under 12-18 months as they are working on people from last JULY. My beloved Advocate works her butt off trying to get help in this area and knows I'm fighting along side her. I've even been in contact with all Pollies and don't even get a reply. In Qld it seems that the Olympics of 2032 are more important than humans beings. For heaven's sake, games are just games HUMANS ARE HUMANS who have earned the right to live NOT JUST EXIST.

 

[elaine41]

"Additionally, the draft legislation hints at the introduction of both civil and criminal penalties for staff and directors of aged care facilities who fail to comply with the new standards." As a retired nurse who cared for aged patients (not in an aged care facility, as such), the risk of being charged either criminally or civilly for failing to comply with some standards which have been set by people who have never worked in an aged care facility so have no understanding of how difficult this can be, I would be out of the system real fast. Nurses have to be protected from these laws set by Canberra until ALL facilities have a full complement of staff & that will not happen in the foreseeable future. There are insufficient registered nurses to staff our hospitals & aged care is definitely not high on the list of places to work after their years at uni learning how to work in a general hospital. Bringing in nurses from non-English speaking countries to care for our aged is not an option either. It is too difficult to understand what many of them are saying to me as I lose my hearing & rely on hearing aids which do not filter out the accents. If/when I end up in an aged care facility I want to be cared for by English speaking staff not someone with an accent which I have to concentrate on to understand.

 

[Clancieblue]

Very disappointed I’m been waiting for nearly a year for Home care package and keep getting told that I have to wait how long does it take

Can I suggest if you haven't already, reach out to a Home Care provider who can often make the process a bit quicker.

 

[Mrs Rita]

I gave evidence at the Royal Commission on how aged people are left behind in regional areas. I am dissatisfied with how slow the results of the Royal Commission are being implemented. If recommendations are being ignored or pushed into the too hard basket, what a waste of taxpayers money.

 

[gamiry]

"Additionally, the draft legislation hints at the introduction of both civil and criminal penalties for staff and directors of aged care facilities who fail to comply with the new standards." As a retired nurse who cared for aged patients (not in an aged care facility, as such), the risk of being charged either criminally or civilly for failing to comply with some standards which have been set by people who have never worked in an aged care facility so have no understanding of how difficult this can be, I would be out of the system real fast. Nurses have to be protected from these laws set by Canberra until ALL facilities have a full complement of staff & that will not happen in the foreseeable future. There are insufficient registered nurses to staff our hospitals & aged care is definitely not high on the list of places to work after their years at uni learning how to work in a general hospital. Bringing in nurses from non-English speaking countries to care for our aged is not an option either. It is too difficult to understand what many of them are saying to me as I lose my hearing & rely on hearing aids which do not filter out the accents. If/when I end up in an aged care facility I want to be cared for by English speaking staff not someone with an accent which I have to concentrate on to understand.

hooray!! someone finally knows what I've been trying to get over to people for years..... Accents and hearing aids do not go together. I even tried to explain to a woman on the phone that I couldn't understand what she was saying and in an abusive voice told me ' I SPEAK PERFECT ENGLISH". Some even think that if they yell you will understand them better. I even explain that I can't lipread on a phone. You may as well talk to the wall.

 

[Clancieblue]

"Additionally, the draft legislation hints at the introduction of both civil and criminal penalties for staff and directors of aged care facilities who fail to comply with the new standards." As a retired nurse who cared for aged patients (not in an aged care facility, as such), the risk of being charged either criminally or civilly for failing to comply with some standards which have been set by people who have never worked in an aged care facility so have no understanding of how difficult this can be, I would be out of the system real fast. Nurses have to be protected from these laws set by Canberra until ALL facilities have a full complement of staff & that will not happen in the foreseeable future. There are insufficient registered nurses to staff our hospitals & aged care is definitely not high on the list of places to work after their years at uni learning how to work in a general hospital. Bringing in nurses from non-English speaking countries to care for our aged is not an option either. It is too difficult to understand what many of them are saying to me as I lose my hearing & rely on hearing aids which do not filter out the accents. If/when I end up in an aged care facility I want to be cared for by English speaking staff not someone with an accent which I have to concentrate on to understand.

Worked in Aged Care 36yrs and believe staff will be harder to get than now if faced with new legislation.
Hard to comply with rules about time spent per patient ,2 nurses on, a resident dying or very ill, so leave them to attend showering of other patient, so as to comply with time per resident rule. Can't happen it's impossible. Politicians need come and do a few shifts.

 

[Noraya]

"Additionally, the draft legislation hints at the introduction of both civil and criminal penalties for staff and directors of aged care facilities who fail to comply with the new standards." As a retired nurse who cared for aged patients (not in an aged care facility, as such), the risk of being charged either criminally or civilly for failing to comply with some standards which have been set by people who have never worked in an aged care facility so have no understanding of how difficult this can be, I would be out of the system real fast. Nurses have to be protected from these laws set by Canberra until ALL facilities have a full complement of staff & that will not happen in the foreseeable future. There are insufficient registered nurses to staff our hospitals & aged care is definitely not high on the list of places to work after their years at uni learning how to work in a general hospital. Bringing in nurses from non-English speaking countries to care for our aged is not an option either. It is too difficult to understand what many of them are saying to me as I lose my hearing & rely on hearing aids which do not filter out the accents. If/when I end up in an aged care facility I want to be cared for by English speaking staff not someone with an accent which I have to concentrate on to understand.

I ve been working in Community Care for 20 years. I know my English is good, but I never lost my accent. Most people understand me easily, but I can see it s harder with a hearing problem/aid. Unfortunately as has been pointed out by others: native english speaking people dont want to work in underpaid, demanding jobs in aged care. And it is hard work, physically as well as mentally demanding. you get abused on a daily basis on top of all that by people with dementia, you come home too exhausted to even eat! If you ll have to deal with the threat of criminal and/or civil law offence on top of that I think it will be even harder to get English speakers, and you will only get people who are not fully qualified but desperate for work, coming mostly from 3rd world countries. I hope I will die before I need to go into a nursing home!

 

[mOiOz]

It's an absolute disgrace! As if extending services to an unknown date isn't bad enough, it seems that getting older and more incompetent doesn't matter either - some of my services have been cut by MORE THAN HALF, since the last 2 years. Waiting 20 weeks or more for an Assessment, then up to 6 months for a decision!!!
Promised coupons to reduce costs for household chores have "Run Out"...!
It's not as if the Baby Boomer generation just arrived... the government has had many years to facilitate and plan for this generation to be included in the Aged Care category.
This is not the time in our lives when we need added coping stress.
What's their excuse now, turning our Golden Years into Fears and Tears???????

 

[gamiry]

It's an absolute disgrace! As if extending services to an unknown date isn't bad enough, it seems that getting older and more incompetent doesn't matter either - some of my services have been cut by MORE THAN HALF, since the last 2 years. Waiting 20 weeks or more for an Assessment, then up to 6 months for a decision!!!
Promised coupons to reduce costs for household chores have "Run Out"...!
It's not as if the Baby Boomer generation just arrived... the government has had many years to facilitate and plan for this generation to be included in the Aged Care category.
This is not the time in our lives when we need added coping stress.
What's their excuse now, turning our Golden Years into Fears and Tears???????

only 20 weeks for an assessment ... People in the Burnett Shire would love that. As I've said earlier, 12 -18 months just for an assessment and an outcome if it ever arrives. Anyone would think we oldies just popped up from a hole in the ground. Wonder what will happen to Pollies when they get to our age. Heaven help them.

 

[Clancieblue]

I ve been working in Community Care for 20 years. I know my English is good, but I never lost my accent. Most people understand me easily, but I can see it s harder with a hearing problem/aid. Unfortunately as has been pointed out by others: native english speaking people dont want to work in underpaid, demanding jobs in aged care. And it is hard work, physically as well as mentally demanding. you get abused on a daily basis on top of all that by people with dementia, you come home too exhausted to even eat! If you ll have to deal with the threat of criminal and/or civil law offence on top of that I think it will be even harder to get English speakers, and you will only get people who are not fully qualified but desperate for work, coming mostly from 3rd world countries. I hope I will die before I need to go into a nursing home!

I hear you loud and clear, and English is my only language.

 

[Clancieblue]

only 20 weeks for an assessment ... People in the Burnett Shire would love that. As I've said earlier, 12 -18 months just for an assessment and an outcome if it ever arrives. Anyone would think we oldies just popped up from a hole in the ground. Wonder what will happen to Pollies when they get to our age. Heaven help them.

If you have an aged care provider in your area don't wait to be assessed ,reach out to them. Sometimes they can help .

 

[IAN3005]

They are hoping that a12 month's delay will see the demise of people waiting for aged care...

 

[mOiOz]

They are hoping that a12 month's delay will see the demise of people waiting for aged care...

IDIOTS...!!!

 

[Gsr]

I’m sure the older generation is not high on the priority list for governments. Hopefully they will all end up in aged care facilities and be treated as badly as everyone else. I agree we need some politicians to work a minimum of a week of dayshift, a week of afternoon shift and a week of dogwatch shifts in an aged care facility. I bet there would be a much quicker implementation of the reforms if this happened. They should also receive the same pay as every other employee. It would be a good reality check for them. but it will never happen, pollies are too “precious“ to get out of their comfort zones.

 

[starrysnan]

Very disappointed I’m been waiting for nearly a year for Home care package and keep getting told that I have to wait how long does it take

Unfortunately with so many on the waiting list it often takes a year or more by which time your needs may have changed to a higher level. I was told by an assessor that the wait involves someone else passing away before funding becomes available. This is not good enough for our aged citizens.

 

[moke]

Many of us elderly worked hard all our working lives and paid plenty of TAXES that kept the government going, regardles of all the problems here perhaps a decent AGED PENSION to keep up with the cost of life today would help with the cost of Aged Care if only on a pension aged care costs are extreemly difficult to handle any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mOiOz]

Many of us elderly worked hard all our working lives and paid plenty of TAXES that kept the government going, regardles of all the problems here perhaps a decent AGED PENSION to keep up with the cost of life today would help with the cost of Aged Care if only on a pension aged care costs are extreemly difficult to handle any help would be greatly appreciated.

Not to mention the amount of vets that put their lives on the line...