August 2010 Rockingham Ramblings - Cardwell Care

programs with admission to residential aged care becoming a “last
option” or shorter team solution.
This has changed the face of the industry in that the nursing home care
model is progressively becoming a “palliative care model” and hostels will
in essence be phased out as this group will increasingly be cared for in
the community through various programs.
There are six types of aged care services (four residential and two being
community based):
1. Low care (also called Hostel)
2. High care (also called Nursing Home)
3. Extra service (First class accommodation & services)
4. Respite care (Short Term Residence)
5. Community care
6. Flexible Care
The vast majority of Australians prefer to remain in their homes as long
as possible. Community care is less costly to deliver and Federal
Government’s support has greatly reduced the level of demand for
residential low care services.
Australia’s population is ageing – 2.6 million today to 4.1 million in 2021.
Over the next twenty years, the number of Australians who are 70 and
over will grow at a rate of 3.3 times faster than the growth of the total
population. The number of people who will be in the 70+ end of the
spectrum will be higher due to decreasing birth rates and
longer life expectancy.
The ageing population of those aged 65 and above made up 13% of
Australia’s population in 2007. ABS projections show that this will
increase to between 23 -25% of the population by 2056.
While there were only 2,503 people aged 100 years and over at the last
Census, by 2055 this figure is expected to increase to be around 78,000
aged 100 years or more.
Furthermore the new Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) is weighted
to the high care end with an emphasis on dementia and complex nursing
care. Low care facilities are starting to feel the impact of the reduced
funding.
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