The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has sought and received from Government an extension of 6 months. While the Interim Report is expected in October 2019, this extension will push the Final Report planned for April 2020 to later that year.

Seán Rooney, Chief Executive Officer of Leading Aged Services Australia (LASA) commented that the extra time will allow for a deeper investigation of the many complex issues in Aged Care and their solutions. However, there are a number of critical issues facing the sector that must be addressed now.

“The aged care sector fully supports the Royal Commission’s hearings, roundtable discussions and consultation around the country”, Mr Rooney said.

“This is a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to make the aged care system better for all older Australians, now and into the future, and we must get it right. However, we cannot delay action on making the aged care system better right now, by addressing the key issues of access to services, funding of services, quality of services and supporting the workforce that delivers these services”.

Mr Rooney continued, “Urgent action before Christmas this year is required to avert the increasing risk of service failures, job losses and missed care while the Royal Commission considers long term reforms”. “We all want a safe, high quality and high performing aged care system. Older Australians need it and older Australians deserve nothing less”.

LASA is an operator representative and lobbying organisation on behalf of many of Australia’s aged care and retirement village operators of which Allambie Heights Village Ltd. is a member.

Ciarán Foley commented, “It is of concern that a recent report has demonstrated that in past months the number of residential aged care facilities across Australia operating their business at a financial loss has increased from 42% to 44%”. He again urges all residents who can and certainly their relatives, staff, Board Directors and Contractors dependent on our Industry, to contact their local Councillors, State MPs to inform them of their concerns about the funding of our Industry but most importantly to contact their local Federal MPs because Aged Care is a Federally funded service and advise them of the crisis in funding of aged care.

Apathy is not an option in this matter. It’s too important and everyone has got to join the argument to ensure that our Industry and our older Australians are appropriately funded.