A flagship Australian government programme intended to provide safe care for the elderly in their own homes is instead placing them at serious risk of harm and neglect, a damning new report has uncovered.
The 'Support at Home' programme, a cornerstone of the Labor government's aged care policy, is reportedly failing its most vulnerable participants. Instead of offering a safe alternative to hospitalisation, the scheme is plagued by critical flaws that are pushing older Australians towards emergency departments, exacerbating the strain on the public health system.
A System in Crisis: From Safety Net to Safety Risk
Alarming evidence suggests that the programme's complex assessment tools and funding models are fundamentally unfit for purpose. They are failing to identify the high-risk needs of elderly participants, leading to severe gaps in essential care.
Experts and health professionals warn that this isn't just a bureaucratic failure; it's a human one. Older people with complex medical conditions are being left without adequate support for basic daily tasks, medication management, and clinical care, directly jeopardising their health and safety.
The Domino Effect on Australia's Hospitals
The failures of the 'Support at Home' programme are creating a dangerous domino effect. The very crisis it was designed to prevent—hospital overcrowding—is being made worse.
When elderly patients do not receive adequate care at home, their health deteriorates, leading to a higher rate of ambulance call-outs, emergency department presentations, and avoidable hospital admissions. This places an unsustainable burden on already stretched hospital resources and staff.
Calls for Urgent Intervention and Policy Overhaul
The report has triggered urgent calls for the federal government to halt the programme's rollout and initiate a comprehensive review. Stakeholders across the health and aged care sector are demanding immediate action to redesign the system, arguing that the current path is unsustainable and dangerous.
There is a growing consensus that the programme needs a fundamental rethink, with a greater emphasis on simplicity, adequate funding, and a genuine focus on the complex needs of the elderly to ensure their well-being and dignity are protected.
