Australia’s Support at Home program has the foundations to succeed but requires further refinement to better support older people ageing independently, according to Inspector-General of Aged Care Natalie Siegel-Brown during a recent Senate inquiry.
Ms Siegel-Brown said the current model places too much emphasis on administration and compliance, while issues such as co-contributions, complex means-testing, assessment processes and assistive technology approvals can create barriers to accessing care. She argued that greater focus on prevention, early intervention and person-centred support would help older Australians remain at home for longer while reducing pressure on the broader health system.
Drawing on international examples, Ms Siegel-Brown pointed to Nordic countries such as Denmark, where investment in home care, assistive technology and early monitoring has successfully reduced reliance on residential aged care. She said Australia already has many of the right elements in place and could strengthen outcomes by simplifying processes and embedding prevention more deeply into the Support at Home program.