The new Aged Care Act must deliver for my father and millions like him

When the new Aged Care Act begins on November 1 it marks the start of a new era for aged care in Australia. It’s a once in a generation opportunity for Australia to build an aged care system fit for purpose. 

As the CEO of a national, for purpose aged care organisation, I’m enthusiastic for this change, but it coincides with a very personal time for me: my dad is living with Parkinsons and I’m mindful how this period of transition will impact my fathers ongoing care needs.  

As the disease has progressed, his care needs have changed, and, along with my family, I’ve been helping him navigate the aged care system like so many other Australians.

He’s finding it complex, confusing and he and my mum are struggling to weigh up dad’s needs now, his needs in the future and how these all align with the evolving aged care system in front of them. 

Dad is clear he wants to stay at home with mum, accessing home care services enabling him to age at home alongside his wife, my mum, and where he can stay connected with this community.  But with limited packages and large wait times for home care, I don’t know if the care he needs will be ready when we need it.

Because of these concerns, Dad may be forced to find a bed in an aged care home earlier than he wants or needs. 

If my family is finding this tough, I can’t imagine what it’s like for those without an aged care CEO in the family! 

I worry for the tens of thousands of Australian families who are navigating the aged care system through this period of change to make these decisions with their loved ones. 

Let me be clear, the new Act is a great step forward for the care of older Australians, and marks the conclusion of years of reviews, a royal commission and many consultations. 

But the hard work starts now. We must make these reforms work on the ground. I'm hopeful that as the new Aged Care Act kicks in today/tomorrow, my family and thousands of others will have better options. 

The system is designed to empower older Australians to stay in their homes and communities with care that's easy to access. Transitions to aged care homes will be made respectfully when someone requires it.   

I'm optimistic about what lies ahead. However, this optimism must be tempered with realism about the scale of change and the risks that arise if implementation falters.

The centrepiece of these reforms, the Support at Home program, represents a fundamental restructure of how Australians access care in their own homes. 

The funding arrangements that have been in place for the Home Care Package system has not worked, with over 124,000 Australians waiting for packages and wait times exceeding a year in some cases. 

People are deteriorating, ending up in the hospital and dying before their package ever arrives, or being forced into residential care prematurely because home support arrived too late. 

The new Act's framework aligns with how Australians actually want to age. The emphasis on home-based support, with seamless pathways to retirement living and residential care when needed, reflects modern expectations rather than fighting them.

These are worthy goals and would be a triumph for our aged care system. But it’s just one part of the incoming changes that will add complexity for those navigating the aged care system as we transition. 

Importantly, older people like my mum and dad are trying to figure out how much it will cost and whether they will get quality services and an optimal level of care during this period of enormous disruption and change. 

Despite my concerns about transition, I’m hopeful that the new aged care act is a positive change. 

That we are creating a rights-based, empowering aged care system that people want to work in, that families can navigate with confidence, that's built on financially sustainable foundations and can set up the sector to lead the way with innovation, care and quality. 

For my dad, for the 15,000 families BaptistCare walks alongside, and for the millions more Australians facing these decisions in coming years, we need to work together through this transition to create an aged care sector that works. 

Charles Moore is CEO of BaptistCare, one of Australia's largest integrated care and service provider, operating across six states with 12,000 employees caring for more than 67,000 customers.