We are delighted to share the new GOLTC Long-Term Care system profile for Australia, written by Karen Watson and Moira Dunsmore from the University of Sydney.

Highlights from the LTC system profile for Australia:

• Emphasis on choice and home-based care. Home care packages are allocated directly to consumers who choose their providers.
• Access to aged care services is through a standardised assessment.
• Funding is from a mix of federal, state and private contributions, making navigation complex.
• User fees are means-tested with an annual and a lifetime cap on contributions. The means test for residential care includes a portion of  the value of their home after two years of residential  accommodation.
• There are substantial waiting lists for Home Care Packages.
• There is a workforce shortage, exacerbated by lower comparable pay, limited scope of practice and  minimal career growth opportunities
• The residential care sector is adopting new models of care that emphasize person-centred approaches, technology integration and workforce innovations.
• A new Aged Care Act introduced in November 2024 aimed to improve quality, accountability and integrity in the system.

Click here to read the LTC system profile for Australia.

Click here to see all the GOLTC system profiles.