1.3 Million Australians Benefit from Record Aged Care Funding

The Australian Government spent a record total of $17.1 billion on aged care in 2016-17, for services provided to 1.3 million senior Australians.

This was 5.7 per cent higher than the previous year, when the Commonwealth contributed $16.2 billion to aged care. 

Almost 70 per cent of 2016-17 funding was for residential care, although three quarters of people receiving aged care and support were assisted in their own homes.

The figures are included in the 2016-17 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997, which was tabled in Parliament this week. 

“The report shows that the majority of people using aged care services are accessing home care,” said Minister Wyatt. “This is why the Turnbull Government has rolled out widespread home care reforms, to give customers more choice and control including being able to choose a provider to meet their particular needs.

“Our aim is customer engagement through personalisation, with improved services and access to allow more people to stay in their own homes as they age, putting downward pressure on growing residential aged care requirements.”

The report is produced each year as required by the 1997 legislation.

It notes that at 30 June 2017, 15 per cent of Australia’s population, or 3.8 million people, were aged 65 years and over and 2 per cent, or 499,000 people, were 85 or over.

“The list of key achievements in aged care included in the report highlights the extent of the reform being undertaken by the Turnbull Government,” Minister Wyatt said.

“We are focussed on working with the aged care sector to create an aged care system which is more customer-friendly, accessible and affordable and is able to provide for the diverse needs of our ageing population.

“The Turnbull Government has committed to a record $100 billion aged care investment over the next five years, with funding growing at around six per cent a year.”

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