According to reports, over 4,000 older Australians have died while waiting for the appropriate funding from the Support at Home program. This program, which was rolled out on 1 November 2025, replaced Home Care Packages, but nearly 95,000 people have yet to receive funding.
On 31 December 2025, it is reported that 131,366 Australians were waiting for the approval of their home care package. Of this number, 36,403 were able to receive 60% of their funding. The average wait time to get 60% of funding is now 9 months.
An example of how challenging it is for older Australians to wait for the new Support at Home funding is a 99-year-old couple, Frank and Valma. They were told it will take up to 12 months for them to receive their new funding, which will make them 100 years old by then. To get Support at Home funding, participants require an assessment. And the couple, Frank and Velma, required an upgrade. Trouble is, they are not classified as a priority.
To learn more about this aged care crisis, visit cathnews.com.