The federal government’s reforms to aged care will be implemented in a few months, but there’s some trepidation among some older Australians about the possible repercussions. Under the changes all home care recipients will be subjected to co-payments for services like showering, cleaning and gardening. The government’s reassurance of shorter waiting times and subsidies for those unable to afford the payments has been met with some scepticism.
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00:00Christina Tabanis is an advocate and carer for her mum who has Alzheimer's.
00:09We all hope to grow old and we all hope that we have the right supports around us.
00:15Christina's mum's home care package means they have help from carers 16 hours a week.
00:21They've been promised they'll be no worse off under government changes to aged care.
00:26But Christina is worried about what it'll mean for those new to the system,
00:31particularly full pensioners like her mum.
00:34They're already struggling, they're already on their financial limitations
00:39and they work their whole lives, they've paid their taxes.
00:43The reforms aim to shorten wait times and lift funding for highest need cases.
00:49Older Australians won't have to contribute to the cost of clinical care,
00:53but things like showering and cleaning will attract a contribution from the client
00:59of between 5 and 80%, depending on their income.
01:04There's so many questions still to be answered.
01:07Jim Moraitis runs an aged care education and advocacy service.
01:12He's concerned the cost of co-contributions will mean some older Australians will cut back on help.
01:19What the community is saying is what this feels like is more bureaucracy to navigate
01:25in order to access the support services that they need.
01:28The Older Persons Advocacy Network says there are positives to the reforms,
01:34but tweaks are needed.
01:36People are concerned about the non-clinical care aspects.
01:41We think the showers should be considered as part of clinical care,
01:45but that's not a luxury.
01:46In a statement, the Department of Health and Aged Care says people on existing packages
01:51up until September last year aren't subject to the changes and will be no worse off.
01:57It says the government will step in and support anyone who can't afford the new fees.
02:03But Christina Tabana says applying for financial hardship help can be difficult.
02:09It's degrading, I mean they've worked all their lives and now that they're older they have to sit there and justify their existence.
02:18Raising questions on behalf of older Australians needing support to stay at home.
02:24I don't think so.
02:25And I think the good thing is it is because the comment would be better for them to hides the market.
02:26Anyway it's happening for us.
02:27I think the way it's going to be difficult,
02:28we can't do it for people to try to afford to…
02:29We're all very curious.
02:30… we'll do it for people's life.
02:31… and begin to look at the question.
02:32We can't wait to find ourselves.
02:33We just want to sit on the question.
02:34However, we can break ourselves up now.
02:35Now, we can't write yourself up in a moment.
02:36We can't wait to ask ourselves.
02:37We can't wait for yourself to see the work we can do it.
02:38If you don't forget yourself,
02:39….
02:40We can't remember any work.
02:41We can't wait for people to go.
02:42You can't wait to find ourselves.