The Summer Foundation has welcomed proposed changes to the Aged Care Act that specify “apart from First Nations persons, or people at risk of homelessness, no other younger persons will be able to access funded aged care services”.
These changes may take place as soon as 1 July 2024.
The past decade has seen plummeting numbers of NDIS participants under 65 entering aged care. The Department of Health and Aged care has made it much harder for young people to enter residential aged care (RAC).
“The number of people under 65 who are not eligible for the NDIS (apart from First Nations persons, or people at risk of homelessness) entering aged care is very small. This makes it a fixable problem,” our position statement says.
We are calling on the government to provide evidence on health support and accommodation needs of people under 65 who are not eligible for the NDIS, to inform new services and solutions. We are also seeking a pilot program with flexible funding to develop bespoke solutions that create the systems change needed to stop young people entering aged care.
Making better use of funding, along with improvements to alternative housing and support options when discharged from hospital will improve health and disability spending, and result in better outcomes overall.