The federal Health Department has released data revealing around 50,000 people are only in aged care because they cannot get support to stay at home, with aged care advocates pressuring the Morrison government to unveil more home care packages in Tuesday’s federal budget.
As of Wednesday, only seven home care recipients had died from COVID-19 while more than 665 aged care residents have died from the virus in the same period.
Official figures provided to a Senate estimates committee show almost 19,000 older Australians waiting for home care were forced into a nursing home in 2018-19 because they could not get the care they needed at home.
In this episode, national editor Tory Maguire is joined by federal health reporter Dana McCauley to discuss the likelihood of the government increasing funding of at-home care for the elderly.

The federal Health Department has released data revealing around 50,000 people are only in aged care because they cannot get support to stay at home, with aged care advocates pressuring the Morrison government to unveil more home care packages in Tuesday&rsquo;s federal budget. As of Wednesday, only seven home care recipients had died from COVID-19 while more than 665 aged care residents have died from the virus in the same period. Official figures provided to a Senate estimates committee show almost 19,000 older Australians waiting for home care were forced into a nursing home in 2018-19 because they could not get the care they needed at home. In this episode, national editor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/by/tory-maguire-h0yjtc" data-stringify-link="https://www.smh.com.au/by/tory-maguire-h0yjtc" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Tory Maguire</a>&nbsp;is joined by federal health reporter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/by/dana-mccauley-h13i1b" data-stringify-link="https://www.smh.com.au/by/dana-mccauley-h13i1b" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Dana McCauley</a>&nbsp;to discuss the likelihood of the government increasing funding of at-home care for the elderly.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

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