According to the recent Aged Care Demographics report published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 6,436 older people died in 2025–2026 waiting for Support at Home funding that they had already been assessed as needing.
This represents a stark 34 per cent increase compared to 2024–2025. On average, that is 17 people a day – 17 people dying every single day waiting for the home care funding they desperately need, yet the Government maintains that Support at Home is working.
In addition, over 100,000 people remain in the queue for ongoing Support at Home funding, facing an average wait time of 297 days. Considering the average age of people entering the home care system is over 80 years old (and only slightly higher for permanent residential aged care), these delays are crucial. They have been assessed as needing care and needing it now.
Demand for aged care services has increased across the board and will continue to grow as our population ages. However, federal government funding simply is not keeping pace. Combined with severe backlogs in carrying out assessments and long wait times for approved funding, state hospitals are becoming overloaded acting as temporary aged care homes while vulnerable individuals wait for a residential place.
Despite these broader systemic challenges, there is welcome news for local families seeking quality residential aged care options in Brisbane. Two outstanding new homes are scheduled to open in early November: Rockpool Aged Care at Hamilton Northshore and Regis Aged Care at Toowong.
Both homes offer unique, high-quality environments. Having had the opportunity to tour them prior to their opening, I highly encourage anyone considering residential care for themselves or a loved one to visit while places are still available, as demand will undoubtedly be high.
As we know the start of the journey into aged care begins with an assessment by the Single Assessment Service using the Integrated Assessment Tool (governed by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing). In October 2026, the Commonwealth Ombudsman released a detailed 104-page report highlighting major flaws in the design and operation of this system. In a nutshell, the ombudsman investigated widespread public concerns, including:
- Automated assessment decisions that cannot be overridden by clinical experts
- The severe risk of significantly under-assessing an older person’s actual care needs
- Substantial assessment wait times and slow review processes
- A shortage of qualified assessors to meet growing demand
The ombudsman issued clear recommendations and stated the department should consider and work towards implementing these as soon as practical. The federal government has announced an independent review of the Integrated Assessment Tool however the risk remains that more older Australians will suffer or die while we wait for change.
A sensible, immediate solution would be to allow human clinical override ensuring the accurate assessment of an older person’s care needs whilst the formal review takes place. The full Commonwealth Ombudsman report is available at ombudsman.gov.au.
Navigating aged care, whether this be for help at home or permanent residential aged care, can feel daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone. Forward planning and taking that first step to reach out for guidance can make all the difference for you and your loved ones. By staying informed and advocating for our elders, we can ensure they receive the dignity, respect, and care they truly deserve and help to reduce stress for families.
This article by Julia McCarthy appeared in the November 2026 edition of Village Voice.