A closer look at the challenges in Aged Care

Innovior have been working with a number of Aged Care providers across Australia and as we enter the new financial year I thought it may be insightful to summarise the common challenges and complexities that are being grappled with for the demands of caring for Australia's aging population.

As life expectancy increases and the proportion of our elderly citizens grows, the challenges and demands have become increasingly prominent. This includes residential aged care facilities, home care services, and other forms of support tailored to the elderly. The challenge lies in meeting this increasing demand while maintaining high standards of care and ensuring accessibility for all older Australians.

Financial Stability

Inflation is currently presenting unprecedented challenges to economic growth. Ensuring that aged care services are financially sustainable involves balancing affordability for users with adequate funding to maintain quality standards and support a skilled workforce. This challenge is exacerbated by the diverse financial circumstances of older Australians, ranging from those who can afford private care to those relying heavily on government subsidies.

Workforce Issues & Quality of Care

Ensuring quality of care is a paramount concern in aged care. Adequate staffing levels, staff training, and oversight are crucial to addressing these concerns and improving the overall quality of care.

The aged care workforce itself faces challenges. There is a growing need for skilled caregivers, nurses, and allied health professionals with expertise in geriatric care. Recruitment and retention of staff in aged care can be difficult due to factors such as low wages, high workload, and emotional stress associated with caring for elderly individuals with complex needs.

Navigating Complex Regulatory Frameworks

Navigating the complex regulatory frameworks can be daunting for providers, consumers, and caregivers alike. Compliance with regulations is crucial for ensuring the safety, rights, and dignity of elderly individuals receiving care.

Recent reforms and recommendations stemming from the Royal Commission aim to streamline and strengthen regulatory oversight to better protect older Australians and improve transparency within the sector - all regulatory reforms impose additional tasks, risks and costs on providers and need to be carefully implemented and managed.

A Future Outlook

As the population continues to age, addressing these challenges becomes increasingly urgent. Improving quality of care, ensuring financial sustainability, navigating regulatory complexities, and enhancing access to services in rural and remote areas are all critical steps towards building a robust and responsive aged care system that meets the needs of older Australians with dignity and respect.

Some of the projects Innovior have helped clients deliver:

• Client management and communications (onboarding and workforce recruitment and retention)
• Service co-ordination (scheduling and rostering)
• Assisting integration
• Data Analytics & reporting
• Financial management and billing (including budget fulfilment and utilisation programs)
• Compliance and QA

If you'd like to learn more about how we have benefited Aged Care organisations and explore potential ways we can assist your facility please reach out to me directly either [email protected] or call me on 0452 185 811.