Aged care is having a challenging time keeping up with the changing needs of Australian seniors. According to the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, older Australians spend a long time in overcrowded emergency departments. There are even instances when they are only able to receive care in corridors, as they await for a hospital bed. Some wait for 8 hours to get a bed while others wait longer than 24 hours.
The problem occurs long before the emergency department. There are older people who can avoid hospital visits, if only they received timely medical care in a residential aged care or at home. Another problem occurs when older people can’t be discharged from the hospital as they do not have a suitable transitional-care option, modification, home-care service, or aged-care place to go to. The “stranded” patients take up beds that can be used for others who are in need.
Practical reforms are proposed to help with the emergency the ageing population is facing. This includes increased residential aged care, quicker access to home care, and improved discharge planning.