Law Talks Episode: New home care packages released, but will it be enough to clear the waitlist?

Robyn: Good morning and welcome to law talks here on 4CRB. Well, today we’re talking about an issue that touches the lives of many in our community, access to aged care services, particularly home care packages.

As our population ages, more and more Australians are choosing to remain living independently in their own homes, but the support systems in place to help them do that have been under pressure for some time. As many of our listeners may know, the Australian government recently delayed the rollout of the new Support at Home programme from July to November 25.

And while reforms are underway, many families are still facing long wait times, confusion, and uncertainty about what help is available and when.

Joining us today is Bindy Marshall, Aged Care Paralegal and Accredited Aged Care Professional from Attwood Marshall Lawyers, and we’ll be discussing what’s changing in the aged care system, why some of these delays are happening, and most importantly, what older Australians and their families can be doing now to respond and get the right support in place.

Bindy, welcome to the program, thanks for joining us.

Bindy: Thanks for having me, Robyn.

Robyn: Well, Bindy, we know the roll out of the new Support at Home programme has now been pushed back to November 25.

Can you explain what’s behind these delays and what that means for older Australians and their families in the meantime?

Bindy: Sure. Look, there’s no surprise that the reforms are very complex, more complex than we’ve faced before. And I think the challenges with all providers to adapt to the new changes has just proved to be a little bit more challenging than they were probably prepared for. I do believe that the rollout has had to be paused just to give the government a little bit more time to get it right and put the rules in place for those clients. As you said before, it’s better to get it right the first time round than have a clunky system roll out.

In the meantime, families do need to continue to register with my aged care. And seek support.

Robyn: It’s great news that we do finally have some reform in this space, and it is a very ambitious plan and hopefully it gets there soon. Bindy, in the meantime, we understand the government has just released an additional 20,000 home care packages to help address the ongoing shortage. Can you explain what impact this will have for those currently waiting for support?

Bindy: Look, it is good news, Robyn. We know that there are many people waiting to receive services. So, 20,000 home care packages will help a lot of people, but it won’t completely clear the wait list just yet.

Robyn: Can you help us understand what is happening in this sector because this may affect many of our listeners?

Bindy: Sure. As we all know, the aged care sector has been given a big shake up, which was much needed. We’re eagerly anticipating the new Aged Care Act coming into effect in November this year. And the new Aged Care Act was originally meant to be rolled out on the 1st of July, as we just discussed.

However, the sector needed more time to prepare for its implementation. There are a lot of moving pieces. The changes are designed to give people more choice in residential care, placing their rights and their independence at the forefront and introducing a single assessment system for easier access to service.

When it comes to home care packages, unfortunately, the wait list has always been there and remains an issue the sector is trying to overcome.

In the announcements for the new reforms, the government committed to funding 83,000 new home care packages for the 2025-26 year, which was a marked increase on the 24,000 they released in the 2024-25 year.

But due to the delay of the reforms, it meant the release of the home care packages was also paused and it has also had a further impact on the ever-growing wait list.

Robyn: Bindy, how many people are presently on the wait list?

Bindy: Over 200,000 people are waiting to receive their home care package and to get the support they need.

As a result of this, it contributes to the overloading of our hospitals who are already at capacity within their geriatric wards. And to paint a clear picture, at the end of July, there was 121,596 people who were still waiting for an ACAT assessment, and more than 87,000 people who have been assessed but not yet received their package.

Robyn: What do you think the solution is for this?

Bindy: The wait list needs urgent attention and should remain a priority and in an ideal world it would be great to see the government clear the backlog and provide relief to people by releasing another 150,000 home care packages, not releasing the packages in staggered batches as they’ve done previously.

Robyn: Is the Commonwealth Home Support Programme providing any relief for the people approved for low level care?

Bindy: No, no, unfortunately it’s not. Many people who have been assessed are unfortunately finding out that there’s no providers available for the services that they’re approving, and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme will be phased out by the 1st of July 2027, and officially transition to the support at Home programme.

Robyn: So, Bindy, as we’ve discussed, the government have released 20,000 packages now, when are they likely to release further packages?

Bindy: Look, they have confirmed that they will release another 43,000 packages in the first half of next year. But Christmas usually is the time that families get together and come and see mum or dad and they see that they’re not doing so well and then the process of applying for packages starts. So, I would expect that that wait list will probably grow over this for.

Robyn: Sure. Okay. Bindy, do you have any final advice for our listeners if they are thinking that they must start considering their options as the need for aged care services is looming?

Bindy: Definitely. As an Aged Care Accredited Professional who is on the ground helping people find the support that they need and navigate the system, the key message I try to drive home is how important it is to plan early. When you start getting assessments done, getting on these wait lists and understanding what support is available sooner rather than later. And give yourself the greater control of the outcome and resources that might be available to you.

Unfortunately, most of the time people are not applying for this type of support until their health has taken a turn or something unexpected has happen. And you need the care obviously urgently. It’s better to act sooner rather than later. In addition to getting your ACAT assessment done, get some legal and financial advice from an Accredited Aged Care Professional to understand what costs you might be up for, what services will be available, or how best to plan for the future and avoid any nasty surprises along the way.

We all know the aged care sector is changing rapidly and there are more changes to come, so making sure you speak to a trusted adviser who can help you navigate can make all the difference to ensure your best interests are protected and you are confident with the decisions you’re making.

Robyn: Well that wraps up today’s discussion. And while the delays and changes in the system can be frustrating, today’s conversation reminds us that there are things you can do to be proactive, whether it’s organising an ACAT assessment, getting legal or financial advice or simply starting the conversation with your loved ones, planning early makes a big difference. A big thanks to Bindy Marshall from Attwood Marshall Lawyers for helping us unpack some of the complexities around the home care, aged care reform and how families can start preparing now rather than waiting until crisis hits. Thanks for joining us, Bindy.

Bindy: Thanks for having me, Robyn.

Robyn: You’ve been listening to law talks here on 4CRB, which you can hear every Friday morning from 9 o’clock, and if you missed any part of today’s chat, we’ll have a replay available on our website 4CRB.com.