Human rights fundamental to aged care reform

Source:  Australian Ageing Agenda  9th August 2012

Age Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Ryan, has released an Australian Human Rights Commission position paper this week entitled, Respect and choice: A human rights approach for ageing and health, which outlines a human rights approach for the implementation the federal government’s aged care reform package, Living Longer Living Better.

While welcoming the recent package of reforms, Commissioner Ryan said it was important that these new arrangements were built on a fundamental human rights approach.

“By adopting a human rights approach, we will be able to expect services that are available, accessible, appropriate and of good quality,” Commissioner Ryan said. “We also want to see effective monitoring mechanisms and ensure accountability.”

The report says that, while the aged care sector has long been concerned with equitable access to services and participation, sector policy “tends to speak in terms of priorities and goals rather than in terms of rights.” more