‘It is neglect’: more than 100,000 older Australians waiting for approved at-home care

Lengthy wait could prematurely force some into residential facilities, aged care groups warn

More than 100,000 older Australians are waiting for at-home care packages they have already been approved for, with aged care groups warning the stagnating waiting list could prematurely force some into residential facilities.

Updated figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released on Monday show 103,599 Australians were waiting for a home care package they had been approved for at the end of March, meaning the waitlist had shrunk by just 838 places since the end of December 2019.