Older Australians and their carers tell Government what they want from the new Aged Care Act

Older Australians and those close to them want human rights embedded in a new Aged Care Act, according to a submission to the government being released today.

13 organisations, including advocacy organisations for older people and carers, have today released the findings of their joint inquiry into the Foundation of the Aged Care Act based on direct information from older Australians and other key stakeholders.

The Federal Government has committed to implementing the Royal Commission recommendation to develop a rights based aged care act and has been consulting widely on what a new Aged Care Act should look like.

Key findings presented to the Federal Government in the submission include:

• Mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing the rights of older people need to be implemented.

• A change culture implementation plan is recommended to outline how rights will be embedded into daily aged care operations.

• A future complaints system must be person-centred, robust and effective, with alternative was of handling complaints, overseen by a statutory Complaints Commissioner.

• Supported decision-making must be the foundation of decision-making in aged care, with an assumption that older people can make decisions for themselves.