Push to cut aged-care wait list

NSA Central Queensland Zone Chairman Keith Haack brought the forum to the coast. Facillitator Matthew Clark looks on.

Alistair Brightman Fraaged

FRASER Coast seniors confronted with a massive two-year waiting list for aged-care facilities hope that a proposed national overhaul of the aged-care system will change that.

The waiting list was a burning issue yesterday among about 70 local seniors, industry workers and carers who attended yesterday’s National Seniors Australia forum.

The forum was called in response to findings of the federal Productivity Commission.

The Productivity Commission has proposed a new body that would overhaul the aged-care industry and strip away all regulatory functions from the Department of Health and Ageing.

Hervey Bay joined Melbourne and Perth as the only places in Australia where National Seniors Australia has held forums.

These forums will provide a major part of the NSA’s response to the commission’s report.

The report has proposed a single body to act as an entry point to aged-care facilities called the Australian Seniors Gateway Agency. It has also suggested a new bonds scheme that would use people’s homes to fund their care.

Mr Matwijiw said these forums had repeatedly shown seniors were desperate for a break-down of the proposals that were easier to understand than the 570-page commission report.

Almost every table at the forum, each filled with people with personal experiences with aged care, believed a government levy similar to the Medicare levy should be used to fund care.

Colin Skerritt presented the opinions of his table and said he had helped four relatives through aged care over the last decade.

Mr Matwijiw said ideas like Mr Skerritt’s would be collated by NSA and presented to the commission.