$910 Million Boost Creates Over 17,000 New Aged Care Places

Thousands of Australians will benefit from a substantial increase in funding for aged care services, with the Australian Government announcing 17,385 new aged care places worth an estimated $910 million. 

Announcing the results of the 2015 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) and new arrangements for the 2016 ACAR, Minister for Aged Care Sussan Ley said the additional funding would benefit thousands of older Australians. 

Of the 17,385 new places, 10,940 include new residential aged care places worth an estimated $678.3 million and 6,445 new home care places, worth an estimated $232.4 million. 

“These new home care places help our elderly remain in their own home and receive the care they need, which is particularly important for anyone with high-level needs,” Ms Ley said. 

“The Turnbull Government is also investing an additional $67 million in capital grants across the nation to help approved providers establish new services or upgrade existing facilities.” 

This is the last ACAR to include home care places. From February 2017 funding will follow the consumer not the provider, allowing people to choose the care which suits their individual needs and then direct funding to that provider. 

“Australians want greater choice and control over the care they receive and the changes to home care we’ve created do exactly that,” Minister Wyatt said.

Applications for the 2016 ACAR round will commence in June and focus on the provision of residential aged care places and capital funding, as well as introducing, for the first time, short-term restorative care places. 

Short-term restorative care provides an eight week programme, designed with the care recipient, which provides re-ablement and restorative care services in a home setting, a residential setting, or combination of the two.

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