A new survey released by National Seniors in partnership with the EveryAGE counts campaign shows older Australians are being locked out of the discussion on reforming aged care.
The survey spoke to more than 4,500 older Australians and found that
- Australian seniors are passionate about older people being involved at all levels of aged care system redesign.
- Seniors feel that current opportunities for them to be involved as co-designers of age care are minimal.
- Seniors are wise and wary of tokenistic gestures of engagement such as consultation processes that invite contributions but do not act on them.
- Seniors are not just aged care providers or recipients. Many have valuable experience and expertise they can contribute in making changes to the aged care system.
The survey comes after the final report from the Royal Commission into Aged Care released in March found almost a third of aged care residents had suffered from substandard care, while up to 18 per cent of residents had been either physically or sexually assaulted.
“Australia will only get aged care reform right if older people are given the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution” Co-Chair and Director of EveryAGE Counts Marlene Krasovitsky said.
Dr Krasovitsky said older people have been excluded from aged care reforms as a result of ageism.
"Of course, older people can and must be co-designers of the aged care system. The reason they have been largely excluded to date can be put down to ageism, pure and simple," EveryAGE Counts Director Marlene Krasovitsky said.
"Older people bring perspective, insight and in many cases valuable expertise to the design process. They must be around the table.”
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