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Aged care alternatives needed for growing population
28 June 2010.
The Brumby Government must develop an innovative health care blueprint to care for Victoria’s growing older population outside of the state’s already overburdened public hospital system, AMA Victoria President Dr Harry Hemley said today.
The call comes as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Australia’s Health report shows Australians’ life expectancy is almost 84 for women and 79 for men and continues to rise, with almost four per cent of the population now aged over 80.
"Our public hospitals are already strained under the pressure of our growing population yet we see older patients stuck in hospitals because they are not ready to return home and not sure whether they should enter a residential aged care facility," he said.
"These two choices do not suit a number of patients, meaning that patients spend more time in hospital while the choice becomes clearer. We need to give older patients more options for care and ensure they have the support needed to assist in their return home."
AMA Victoria has put a proposal to the Brumby Government to trial an alternative to hospital care for older Victorians who are not sick enough to be in hospital but are not ready to return home.
"A share-house style alternative would provide cheaper, more appropriate care to older Victorians who needed a low level of care but wanted to regain or retain their independence," Dr Hemley said.
Under the proposal, up to eight patients would live in a well-supported share-house or unit. Each patient would have their own private room and access to a shared kitchen, common area and laundry. Patients would be expected to cook and clean form themselves, with support available as necessary.
"The longer older patients remain in hospital, the more difficult it is to readjust to life at home. These ‘step-out’ facilities provide an opportunity for rehabilitations. They can see the physio, do the exercise, have their occupational therapists help them with their cooking and cleaning and get them mobile, rather than lying in a hospital bed or an aged care facility.
"It’s about giving older Victorians the opportunity to keep their independence and return home if they can. Or, alternatively, improving their acceptance of the need to move to residential care."
The facility would be supervised by a general practitioner and have one nurse on- site 24 hours a day. Patients would have access to a range of allied health professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, counsellors, dieticians to assist recovery, as well as access to a communal gymnasium.
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Background:
Victorian local government areas with the highest number and proposition of people aged 75 and over:
|
Municipality |
No. aged 75+ |
|
Greater Geelong |
16,396 |
|
Mornington Peninsula |
13,303 |
|
Whitehorse |
13,083 |
|
Boroondara |
12,749 |
|
Monash |
12,443 |
|
Moreland |
11,660 |
|
Glen Eira |
11,617 |
|
Kingston |
11,043 |
|
Darebin |
10,400 |
|
Banyule |
9,048 |
|
Municipality |
% aged 75+ |
|
Queenscliff |
17.2 |
|
Hindmarsh |
12.7 |
|
Yarriambiack |
11.8 |
|
Buloke |
11.6 |
|
Central Goldfields |
10.7 |
|
Strathbogie |
10.6 |
|
Bass Coast |
10.4 |
|
Loddon |
9.9 |
|
Gannawarra |
9.9 |
|
Benalla |
9.8 |
(source: ABC 2006)
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