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Groundbreaking aged care reform aims to protect the rights of older people, but fears could leave some worse off
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Groundbreaking aged care reform aims to protect the rights of older people, but fears could leave some worse off

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Once-in-a-lifetime aged care reforms have had an impact and promise to improve the quality of care for older Australians, but industry leaders have warned of the challenges ahead.
New rules under the Aged Care Act will now require some care recipients to pay more for support services, in an effort to level the sector and improve the quality of care offered.
While clinical support such as nursing and physiotherapy will still be fully subsidized, services such as showering will now be offered for a fee.
The overhaul will be exceptional, meaning older Australians already in care will not be worse off.

The changes also include updated rights for older Australians around independence, privacy, safety and quality.

‘System is already stretched thin’

Home care provider Dovida, which supports more than 14,000 seniors, welcomed the long-awaited reforms but expressed concern that the sector may not be ready for the proposed changes.

Chief Operating Officer Greg Bartley is particularly concerned about the federal government’s commitment to reduce waiting times to just three months by July 2027, a promise made when the bill was introduced to Parliament in 2024.

“We have to be realistic about what it will take to achieve that. Right now the system is already stretched thin and we believe the government has not made the systemic changes necessary to achieve its own goal,” he said.
“Without urgent attention to infrastructure, workforce and assessment capacity, the three-month target could quickly become another missed milestone for older Australians waiting to continue living safely in their homes.”
Bartley said the government’s ambition was supported, although it needed to be accompanied by action.

“The sector is ready to help achieve the goal, but we need the systems, people and support to make it happen.”

‘I need help for the first time in my life and we can’t get it’

The laws cover residential aged care and home care and stem from the final report of the Royal Commission into the Quality and Safety of Aged Care, which was released in 2021.
More levels of home care will be introduced to ensure people’s packages better match the support they need.
Among those who could be affected by the changes are Lee and Andrew Hodgson.
Until her mid-80s, Lee was fit, healthy and involved in the community through the Older Women’s Network.

“I was president of Queensland for six years. I ran a branch in Gympie for 13 years,” she told SBS News.

But last year, aged 85, she underwent radiotherapy for cancer in her nose, and this year she suffered a heart attack that required several operations, from which she is still recovering.
Because her husband Andrew also suffers from chronic health conditions, daily tasks such as cleaning the house or even showering have become difficult.
The couple was first assessed for home care early last year, before she became ill.
She was reassessed after her cancer treatment – ​​and again recently.
But she said the two hours of cleaning services she ultimately received every two weeks aren’t enough, and even that support is spotty.

“You pay taxes all your life. And when you get to this age here, for the first time in my life I need help and we can’t get it,” she said.

Interest groups are on alert

Craig Gear, CEO of the Elder Persons Advocacy Network, said the changes represent a new approach to aged care.
“It brings improved quality standards, which the Royal Commission found were desperately needed in the aged care system. It also provides greater protection for older people through greater powers of the regulator,” he said.
But he warned that companies were changing their prices for home care in response to the reforms, which could leave some people trying to get into care worse off.

Under the new system, clinical services such as nursing and physiotherapy will be covered by the government, but recipients will have to pay co-payments for non-clinical services, at a rate determined by their income and assets.

For personal care such as showering, assistance with medication, transportation or home adjustments, a fully retired person pays 5 percent of the cost of the services.
Partially retired and self-funded retirees could pay up to 50 percent.
“People coming in with a current package may have less purchasing power,” Gear said.
Gear said that while some people were happy to have their rights enshrined in the legislation, there was also a period of uncertainty.

“Some people feel confused about what this means,” he said.

The Greens voted against the bill when it was passed by parliament in 2024, expressing concerns about the financialization of healthcare.
“Our parents and grandparents deserve to be cared for in their old age, not forced to choose between a shower and a meal every day,” said Senator Penny Allman-Payne.
“Elderly care should not be a profit motive.”
Council on the Aging CEO Patricia Sparrow said some details will become clearer in the coming days as the changes work their way through the system.

“The changes are big and people are trying to accommodate them,” she said.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae said the changes marked a shift for older Australians.
“With these reforms, we are no longer just fixing a broken system,” he said in a statement.
“We are fulfilling a promise to provide dignity, choice and respect to everyone who has made a lifetime of contributions to their community and our country.”
The aged care sector will come under increasing pressure in the coming years as large numbers of baby boomers begin to require more support, and questions remain about the ability of the sector’s workforce to deliver the care required.

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