The Australian Government’s new aged care reforms have sparked concern among providers and seniors alike, particularly regarding assisted shopping services.
Adrian Morgan, General Manager of Flexi Care—a not-for-profit home care provider in South Brisbane with over 30 years of experience—warns the changes could significantly impact older Australians who rely on these services for more than just groceries.
Under the reforms, assisted shopping will remain categorised as an “everyday living” service, which means seniors could be required to pay up to 80% of the cost. Even full pensioners will face a minimum contribution of 17.5%, placing additional financial strain on an already vulnerable demographic.
Morgan highlights the affordability challenges this poses, noting that many older Australians on limited incomes will likely forego these services due to the expense. “A lot of pensioners don’t have much money left over,” he said. “We’re expecting that people will say, ‘It’s too expensive. I can’t afford it,’ and stop using the service altogether.”
This could have significant consequences. For many seniors, assisted shopping is not just about purchasing groceries; it is a vital lifeline to the community. It provides them with an opportunity to leave their homes, interact with others, and maintain a degree of social connection. Morgan explained that a trip to the shops often serves as a manageable and meaningful outing for seniors, particularly those who have limited mobility or social opportunities.
“For some people, it’s the only time they regularly leave the house,” Morgan said. “They say hello to people, maybe run into someone they know, or stop for a coffee. It becomes a manageable social outing.”
This connection to the community, he noted, is essential for emotional well-being, and its potential loss under the new reforms is concerning. Morgan also pointed out the physical benefits associated with shopping, as it provides seniors with light exercise and movement that can help combat physical decline.
“It’s not just about collecting groceries; it’s about social connection and exercise. For those who don’t do much socially, the movement involved in shopping helps maintain their physical health,” he added.
Currently, the costs for assisted shopping under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) are modest. Pensioners pay as little as $11 per service, making it accessible even for those with limited financial means. However, the impending reforms will bring higher contributions determined by government-set pricing.
Morgan explained that these increased costs will include not just the service itself but also additional layers of compliance, employee checks, and reporting requirements, all of which will drive up prices. “We don’t know the exact costs yet,” he said, “but they’ll certainly be higher than they are now.”
For seniors receiving Home Care Packages (HCPs)—designed to support those with higher needs—the situation is even more concerning. Waiting lists for these packages can stretch up to 18 months, leaving many without essential services during this time.
“It’s already a reality for some people,” Morgan said, describing instances where staff visit homes only to find empty fridges or milk that is two weeks out of date. “Our team is often asked to check fridges when we visit, and it’s alarming how frequently we see signs of people struggling to manage basic necessities.”
To address these challenges, Morgan has called for assisted shopping services to be reclassified under the “independence” category of the reforms. This would place it alongside general social support services, such as community outings, and reduce the maximum client contribution to 50%.
“The independence category seems more appropriate because this service is about enabling people to maintain social connections and a degree of self-sufficiency,” Morgan explained. He believes this shift is essential for preserving seniors’ independence and well-being.
However, even within the “independence” category, the costs could remain burdensome for many. “For a self-funded retiree, they can still ask you to pay up to 50%—but not 80%,” Morgan noted. “I still think 50% is too high; it shouldn’t be more than 30%, but at the moment, they’re talking about 50% for the independence category.”
Morgan also criticised the administrative complexity of the reforms, which he argues creates unnecessary barriers for seniors seeking support. While the government has emphasised that the changes aim to promote person-centred care, the reality is far from straightforward.
“The whole design is very complex,” he said. “You’ve got to contact My Aged Care, and they’ll direct you to an assessment organisation. That organisation sets up an appointment, writes a report saying what services you can have, and then sends it to the Department of Health and Aged Care for approval. After that, the report gets sent back to you, and you have to find a provider to deliver the service. If you need to be reassessed, you go back on a waiting list—often months long—and through the whole process again.”
Morgan argued that such a convoluted process undermines the goal of person-centred care. “Too many institutions are involved,” he said. “It’s not very person-centred when you make it this difficult for people to access essential services.”
For many older Australians, assisted shopping is more than just a convenience—it is their lifeline to the outside world. The proposed reforms risk severing this connection, leading to increased isolation and a decline in both physical and mental health.
“It’s a real shame if this ends up stopping elderly people from going out to get their own groceries,” Morgan said. “A lot of them are uncomfortable with online shopping, and it’s going to remove another social outing for them. On top of that, I imagine some may even go without shopping altogether.”
Morgan’s concerns highlight the broader risk that these reforms could undermine the principles of independence and dignity that aged care services aim to uphold. As the final pricing structures are revealed, providers like Flexi Care—and the seniors they support—will be watching closely, hoping for a system that balances financial sustainability with the social and physical well-being of Australia’s ageing population.
“These hurdles, both financial and administrative, risk leaving many older Australians behind,” Morgan concluded. “We need a system that values their independence and ensures they can access the services they need without fear of financial strain or bureaucratic roadblocks.”
Working in home care many older people simply look forward to the delivery of groceries and that may be their only human engagement all day
It is a sad fact they want old people to die. If you compare what is paid to help people who identify as disabled to what is spent for elderly care that is obvious. The difference is the elderly are genuinely old and just getting older and more frail. Many (probably half) who access NDIS are simply pigs with their snouts in the trough.