Older Australians die waiting for aged-care approval, nurse warns
Nurse Fiona Antony says some clients have died before getting their home-care packages. Urgent reviews take months to process.
A registered nurse from the south-west showed the federal government a hard truth. Some older people die before their aged-care packages are approved.
Fiona Antony runs Florence at Home, a community nursing service. Ms Antony described a vulnerable client with serious health problems.
With proper support, this person improved greatly. The client's home-care budget ran out and needed urgent review.
So they waited months for a new assessment. Ms Antony sent an urgent request in August.
It still has not been reviewed. She warned that even after a new assessment, extra funding takes many months to arrive.
Health can decline in days, but the system takes months to respond.
- August
- Month urgent request submitted
- Fiona Antony
- Nurse service owner
- Florence at Home
- Business name
- Started 18 months ago
- Years in community nursing
Why it mattersDelays in aged-care funding can make a huge difference. Someone might stay independent at home, or they might lose critical support when they need it most.
AustraliaThousands of older Australians rely on home-care packages to live safely at home, but approval and review delays leave many without timely help.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 d ago
