In September 2024, the Australian Government announced a transformative aged care reform package, the largest in over three decades, promising significant improvements to the quality, sustainability, and accessibility of aged care services across the nation. These reforms, backed by a $5.6 billion investment, aim to address the needs of Australia’s ageing population while ensuring the financial viability of aged care providers.
Set to launch in July 2025, this program will serve around 1.4 million Australians by 2035, offering comprehensive support for clinical care, personal independence, and everyday tasks. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the reforms, how they’re reshaping aged care, and how innovative solutions like LenexaCARE® can play a vital role in this new landscape.
The Vision for Aged Care Reform
The ageing population in Australia has grown significantly in recent years, and the demand for quality aged care services has followed. The government’s reforms address the need for better support, shorter wait times, and personalised care solutions, whether at home or in residential aged care settings.
Here’s a breakdown of the key components of the reform:
- Support at Home Program: This initiative will cater to the increasing demand for home-based care, offering assistance with everything from clinical care to daily living needs. By paying 100% of clinical care costs, the government ensures that older Australians can receive the medical support they need without financial strain.
- Residential Aged Care Funding: With the number of Australians over 85 set to triple by 2050, the government is addressing the significant capital needed to build and upgrade residential facilities. As it stands, 46% of providers made a loss on accommodation services in 2022-23, and these reforms aim to reverse that trend by introducing means-tested contributions for new residents, providing a sustainable funding model for the future.
- Stronger Protections for Older Australians: The new Aged Care Act will implement tougher standards and penalties to protect the rights of older Australians in aged care. Providers will face stricter oversight, with enhanced powers for regulators to investigate and penalise breaches of standards, ensuring accountability at all levels of care.
How LenexaCARE® Aligns with Aged Care Reforms
As the government works to improve care and empower older Australians, innovative solutions like LenexaCARE® can play a crucial role in achieving these goals. Here’s how:
1. Supporting Independence and Preventing Hospital Admissions
The government’s push for Australians to stay in their homes longer is aligned with the need to prevent common health issues such as pressure injuries, which are a major concern in both home and residential care settings. The reforms acknowledge that better clinical care is key to maintaining independence.
LenexaCARE® offers a solution by continuously monitoring a person’s in-bed positioning and movement, helping caregivers prevent pressure injuries, thus reducing the likelihood of hospital admissions and enhancing the quality of life for older Australians.
2. Reducing Burden on Caregivers
One of the major issues facing caregivers in the aged care industry is the time-intensive nature of pressure injury management. Caregivers often spend significant time repositioning to prevent injuries, and this can lead to physical strain, workplace injuries, and inefficiency.
LenexaCARE® provides a smart, data-driven approach to reduce the burden on caregivers by alerting them when repositioning is necessary, streamlining the process and reducing the physical and mental toll of caregiving. This aligns with the reform’s goal of providing tailored, efficient care that benefits both caregivers and recipients.
3. Cost-Effective, Data-Driven Solutions
The government’s reforms also seek to improve the cost-efficiency of aged care services. With a growing focus on utilising assistive technologies like walkers, wheelchairs, and monitoring systems, LenexaCARE® fits seamlessly into the broader push for technology-driven care.
By preventing pressure injuries and reducing the need for hospitalisations or extended stays in residential care facilities, LenexaCARE® not only improves patient outcomes but also lowers overall healthcare costs. With the government’s increased investment in home modifications and assistive technologies, the introduction of tools like LenexaCARE® supports both our elders and the healthcare system.
Reference
Strengthened Quality Standards | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2021). Agedcarequality.gov.au.
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/quality-standards/strengthened-quality-standards
Standard 5: Clinical care | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2024, April 22). Agedcarequality.gov.au.
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resource-library/standard-5-clinical-care
Standard 3: Care and services | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2024, April 22). Agedcarequality.gov.au.
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resource-library/standard-3-care-and-services
Health. (2024, September 12). Once in a generation aged care reforms. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Health. (2024, September 20). About the Aged Care Bill 2024 plain language fact sheet. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
