Aged care services
August 8, 2014
A NEW report from the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare
(AIHW) found that the use of aged
care services in 12 months was
reported as growing by more than a
third, from 642,000 to 874,000.
‘Patterns in use of aged care:
2002-03 to 2010-11’, looked at
the use of aged care services
and the uptake of care following
assessment by people aged 65+
between 2002-03 and 2010-11.
It found over the study period
in a standard day, about one in six
people aged 65 or over used aged
care services with about 5% living
in residential aged care.
Service use was increasingly
common with increasing age, as
expected, with 58% of people 85
and over access care services on 30
Sep 2010, the report found.
AIHW spokesperson Dr Pamela
Kinnear said the growth in client
numbers was greater than the
growth in the population, which
meant it did not just result from
the growing numbers of very old
people.
“Rather, much of the increase was
due to greater use of community
care programs.”
To access residential aged care,
care packages and transition care,
an approval must be obtained
through the Aged Care Assessment
Program but approval does not
necessarily mean that the service
will be used.
“Whether a person takes up
approved care depends on a range
of factors, and varies with the
characteristics, health profile and
personal circumstances of the
individual involved.”
CLICK HERE to see the report.
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