Recent News

Rod

Are you entitled to aged care?

Imagine if you had reached the age at which you qualify for the Australian aged pension and you went into Centrelink and were told “I’m sorry, but you miss out because only 116 people out of every 1000 people of pension age actually get a pension. All the pensions for this area are taken at the moment and you will have to wait until there is a vacancy.”

Obviously this is an absurd scenario – or is it?… Read more

Bed gridlock as aged-care homes fill up

Dozens of elderly people are stuck in Canberra’s hospitals waiting for places in aged care facilities as homes opened last year reach capacity much earlier than expected.

Care providers say they are caught between blockages in the system and the expectations of residents and their families.

According to ACT Health, there were a total of 52 elderly patients awaiting placement in the public system in mid May, including 29 patients at the Canberra Hospital.… Read more

Flora

Earlville, QLD

I am following up on my story submitted last year. I have received an income increase of 0.6% and my retirement village fees increased by 5.4%. I am now starting to wonder when, with these increases, I will no longer be able to afford to live in a retirement village.

I thought I was secure and could now relax in my old age??… Read more

Boomers demand more from aged care

With over 3.6 million people expected to need health assistance as part of the future aged care system, industry stakeholders must discuss the issues posed by an ageing population. By Amie Larter

It was a round-table discussion in 2012 that began the dialogue. Just Better Care convened a meeting to bring together the private sector and government to sit down and discuss what they believe would be the biggest issues facing the aged care industry.… Read more

Aged care bills – now for the Senate

Intensive lobbying from aged care providers and other stakeholder groups for a range of amendments to the five aged care bills currently before the parliament has been rewarded with a number of recommendations making it into the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs’ inquiry into the five aged care bills which underpin the Government’s Living Longer, Living Better [LLLB] reform package.… Read more

Tracey

– Chandler, QLD

My father suffered from Parkinsons for approx 50 years of age, so he was on a disability pension and didn’t have any money and lived in a council flat in Leyburn (middle of nowhere) as rent was only $60/week. When he was 69 he couldn’t urinate and was in strife, someone took him to a local doctor in Clifton and sent him home “nothing wrong with him apparently”, ended up at the closest Hospital in Millmerran and we found out he had prostate cancer, they inserted a cathetheter and advised they couldn’t keep him in hospital and sent him to the nursing home in Millmerran as a respite patient.… Read more

Flora

– Earlville, QLD
I see the politicians have received a 3% wage increase. I received a 0.1% increase and, guess what, the retirement village I live in increased my fees by over 7%. I wonder about their ethics. But, someone warned me once that ethics have no place in the business world!!… Read more

Paul

– Stirling, WA

Not accidentally, I haven’t had much to do with aged care facilities and ‘really old’ people for most of my life. Inscribed associations from my early childhood – of grandparents and great aunts kept away, in pleasantly horrible ‘homes’ that felt nothing like one. Artificial legs propped against walls, tired wheelchairs squeaking across stained lino, smells, old-people smells, disenfectant smells, bland food smells.… Read more

Lois

– Victor Harbor, SA

I am 87 and my partner is 90 years – we are very happy at Rosetta village but could loose our driving licenses which would mean we would be severely restricted with transport. We would like to move back to Adelaide – if possible near the beach in a Retirement Village,

At this age, we would prefer not to have to enter into a purchase agreement, but think it would be wonderful if some of these Villages offered rental to this age group.… Read more

Stephen

– Murray bridge, SA

Welcome to all who will follow my story and others stories that must follow.

I have been working in and around the Aged Care industry for over forty (40) years I have seen many changes during this time, some that assist the aged for the better; but to many that leave them wondering, what is to become of me now?… Read more