In its 2019 Interim Report, the Royal Commission into Aged Care called on the Government to work to reduce the number of younger people living in residential care – now the latest numbers are out and they show the Government is making progress towards its goals.
Back in 2019, there were over 5,800 people aged 65 or younger living in aged care homes.
Today, that number has dropped to just over 4,100 – a 20 per cent decline.
The number of people aged under 45 living in aged care homes has fallen to 105 people – a 24.5 per cent decrease from 2020.
The number of people aged under 65 being admitted to residential care has also slowed – in January to March this year, 165 people under the age of 65 were admitted to permanent residential care – a 42.3 per cent decrease on the same period in 2020.
The Government has been working to reduce the number of younger people (under the age of 65) going into residential aged care, and to help younger people who are already in residential aged care to move into age-appropriate accommodation with the supports they need.
Its Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy 2020–25 has set three targets, apart from in exceptional circumstances, to achieve this goal:
- no people under the age of 65 entering residential aged care by 2022
- no people under the age of 45 living in residential aged care by 2022
- no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care by 2025
Good to know the targets are making a difference.
