New data from the Productivity Commission highlights growing pressure across Australia’s aged care system, with waiting times for home care packages and residential places increasing sharply over the past year.
Between 2023–24 and 2024–25, the median wait time for a home care package more than doubled, stretching from under four months to over eight months. While high-priority cases remained relatively stable, medium-priority clients experienced the steepest delays, with wait times extending close to a year. At the same time, waits for permanent residential care places also increased, contributing to thousands of older Australians remaining in hospital while awaiting appropriate care.
These delays reflect the combined impact of population ageing, workforce constraints and funding complexity. For providers, they also underscore the importance of efficient intake, planning and service coordination once care becomes available.
As reforms such as Support at Home reshape delivery models, digital systems play a critical role in helping providers manage demand, prioritise services and maintain visibility across care pathways. Platforms like CareVision are designed to support this complexity, enabling providers to respond faster, coordinate services more effectively and focus resources where they are needed most—supporting better outcomes for older Australians despite system-wide pressures.