FROM THE EXECUTIVE MANAGER HOMECARE PROGRAMS There have been significant changes in the Aged Care sector following the Aged Care Royal Commission. Some recommendations, such as the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) and the Code of Conduct, have already been implemented, whilst other reforms will be implemented in a staged approach. The Royal Commission was set up in October 2018 to investigate the quality and safety of aged care services in Australia. In 2021, the Royal Commission reported that there was a need to significantly improve the quality of both residential and home care. The Royal Commission found that Australians are living longer than ever, which means their care needs become more complex as they age. It emphasised that the aged care sector must adapt to these changes, requiring expansion and improvement of services. The Aged Care Taskforce was established in June 2023 by the Government to review the aged care system and build on recommendations by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. One of the Task Force’s findings was that older people prefer to stay in their own homes. Therefore, the aged care system should support their ability to live at home for as long as they desire and can do so safely. The Home Care sector currently involves 2 programs, the Home Care Package Program and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, which are not ready to meet the growing needs of older people. People who have accessed the Home Care Package Program under the current system can leave significant funds unspent, while others can wait for months to access services. This is due to existing program constraints and inconsistencies with assessments that may not be well aligned to actual need. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme is an entry level home care program and aims to provide 1 or 2 services to help people to stay independent. Due to the wait list for the Home Care Package Program, people with increasing needs are staying on the Commonwealth Home Support Programme longer and requiring more services. This situation places additional strain on this entry-level program. The new Support at Home Program has been designed to address the issues of the 14
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