Older Australians are grappling with prolonged delays in accessing essential home care services, as the demand for support continues to outstrip supply. With wait times for entry-level home care packages predicted to stretch from one week to six months by mid-2025, many seniors risk losing the independence these services enable.
The Albanese government has allocated $531 million to fund an additional 24,100 home care packages this financial year. However, new reports reveal that the growing demand—fuelled by Australia’s ageing population—is leading to significant bottlenecks, with approximately 80,000 individuals currently waiting for care.
The federal government’s strategy prioritises reducing wait times for high-level care packages, which often serve those with the most critical needs. This reallocation, however, has resulted in longer delays for lower-level packages, which provide essential daily assistance such as cleaning, meal preparation, and gardening.
For individuals approved for Level 1 packages, the wait time is expected to increase incrementally, reaching six months by June 2025. Meanwhile, the wait for Level 3 packages is forecast to slightly improve from 7.5 months to six months in the same period.
While people classified as needing urgent high-priority care are typically granted packages within a month, advocates argue that no one should have to wait more than 30 days for support.
Council on the Ageing (COTA) CEO Patricia Sparrow highlighted the risks posed by these extended delays in the Herald Sun. “Without support, people may be forced into residential care earlier than necessary or even face the worst-case scenario—dying while waiting for assistance,” she said. In 2023-24 alone, more than 3,380 Australians passed away before receiving their approved home care package.
The opposition has criticised the government’s handling of the issue. Senator Anne Ruston accused Labor of “intentionally blowing out wait lists for some to reduce them for others,” calling for more robust solutions, including additional packages and measures to address the workforce shortages plaguing the sector.
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells defended the government’s approach, citing a fourfold increase in the number of Australians accessing home care over the past decade. The $4.3 billion Support at Home program, set to replace existing home care packages from July 2025, aims to streamline services and reduce wait times to an average of three months by 2027.
While this long-term reform offers hope, immediate concerns remain. Advocates are pressing for urgent action to ensure timely support, noting that delays undermine the very purpose of home care—helping older Australians maintain their independence and quality of life.
As the federal government works to pass critical aged care reforms, questions linger about how it will address the twin challenges of rising demand and workforce shortages. For now, thousands of older Australians are left in limbo, awaiting the assistance they desperately need to stay in their own homes.
