Ageing Australia, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) are calling on Governments at all levels to head off a looming national crisis in aged care capacity, which is spilling over to hospitals and community-based healthcare.

Currently more than 3,300 older Australians are facing delayed discharge from hospitals, a 35% increase in just one year, while others are waiting in emergency departments because they have nowhere to go.

Residential aged care is effectively full, and more than 200,000 older people are waiting for a Support at Home Package. When they do get a package, it only covers a percentage of the care they need for up to 16 weeks.

Australia needs to build 10,000 aged care beds a year to keep up with demand, but last year less than 1,000 were completed.

This is placing enormous pressure on the healthcare system, both in hospital and in the community.

More and more patients are unable to get the care they need, which is resulting in avoidable hospital admissions, avoidable healthcare issues, and premature decline in health. This is a poor outcome for older people, a poor outcome for families, and a poor outcome for the healthcare system.

“With a rapidly ageing population, caring for older people and keeping them supported, happy, healthy and out of hospitals must be the top priority for all states and territories, and the Federal Government,” Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said.

“The reforms and the new Act were supposed to make aged care more sustainable and investable, but that investment in new beds simply isn’t happening. Worse still, two-thirds of aged care providers are losing money, which makes maintaining current beds hard let alone funding expansions.

“We were shocked to see that the increase to residential care funding announced this week, at only 2.55%, is not just below the 4.75% increase to aged care wages, it is below inflation. With residential care already underfunded, this real terms cut makes the situation even worse.

“On top of this, home care providers cannot make ends meet, and Support at Home packages are not keeping up with demand.

“Unless something is done to substantially increase aged care capacity, build more beds and deliver more Support at Home Packages, more and more older Australians risk early or avoidable admission to hospital, not to mention delayed discharge. This isn’t good for older people and it places further pressure on the health system.

“Many older people admitted to hospital after a medical episode like a stroke or a fall cannot leave without a residential care bed or a Support at Home package. Until then, they remain in hospital, sometimes for more than a year.

“We also need to invest in ‘step-down care’ or specialist services, helping patients who are well enough for hospital discharge, but still have needs that are too high for an aged care home.”

Emergency departments are not designed for older people to have such long stays, said Australasian College for Emergency Medicine President Dr Peter Allely.

“We need an aged care system that can meet the needs of older Australians, with enough capacity and the right kind of care,” he said.

“This isn’t a distant problem. It’s affecting people right now, and it’s going to get bigger as our population ages.

“As emergency physicians, we’re caring for older patients in emergency departments for far longer than they were ever designed for.

“Emergency departments are noisy, busy, and constantly moving. They’re not the right place for older people with dementia, frailty, or complex needs to spend extended periods of time.

“Every day we see people who are frightened, confused, and unwell, often separated from loved ones, familiar routines, faces and supports.

“Recent figures show there are almost 3300 older people stranded in hospital beds waiting for aged care placement across the nation, a 35 per cent increase in only six months.”

Dr Michael Wright, the president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, says if aged care is feeling the pinch, so are GPs.

“General practitioners see every day the challenges older patients and their families face when they’re unable to access the care and support they need. Delays can have a significant impact on a person’s health, independence and quality of life,” he says.

“This is not just an aged care issue, it’s a whole-of-health system issue. Pressures in aged care flow through to general practice, emergency departments and hospitals, placing additional strain on an already stretched system.

“We need all levels of government to work together to expand aged care capacity, improve access to Support at Home packages and ensure older Australians can receive high-quality, timely care in their communities.

“Older Australians should be able to access the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Unfortunately, too many people are falling through the cracks because aged care services cannot keep pace with growing demand.

“Investing in aged care capacity is an investment in better health outcomes for older people, reduced pressure on hospitals, and a more sustainable healthcare system for everyone.”