Even before the fuel crisis, care providers had already seen a rise in fuel costs, spending as much as $5,100 to $10,000 every month, and some even over $10,000 every month. According to the Community Transport Organisation, more than half of the organisations will become financially unviable when diesel reaches a price of $3.50 per litre. And once it hits $4.00 per litre, over 80% of providers will have to cut their services.
Care providers are at risk of financial collapse; some have had to turn away from their clients. Kiki Paul, CEO of CTO, is asking for help from the government. With the rising fuel prices, older Australians may miss medical appointments, or worse, become dangerously isolated, as they will not have access to community transport.
Aged care workers are also struggling with the fuel crisis. Some have had to skip shifts, which results in care not being provided to older people. Tom Symondson, CEO of Ageing Australia, was straightforward, saying, “If fuel access is disrupted, so is care.”
It’s not just about the price, but also the supply, especially in the remote and rural areas of Australia. According to the government, fuel supplies are secure, but there are some distribution challenges. Ageing Australia urges aged care prioritisation, proposing measures to provide fuel access to aged care workers and providers, such as targeted financial support and rationing measures exemption.