Ian Yates, Chief Executive of COTA (Councils on the Ageing) Australia, joins Michael to discuss the concerning issue of age care prompted by Paul Keating stating this week that the Federal Government could give loans to elderly people for home care which would be paid back from their estate following their passing which he likened to the HECS loans given to university students that are only paid back once they graduate and reach an income threshold.

 

Mr Yates says overall staffing levels need to increase to improve standards of care and with more than 100,000 people waiting as long as 18 months for home care, many are forced into residential care prematurely.

 

"Many thousands of people die while waiting. The government should fund home care packages to ensure no one waits more than a month to get it and that would cost $2.5 billion a year."

 

Staffing numbers and skills training also needed to improve. "We are going to have to spend billions of dollars more on staffing," Mr Yates said.

Ian&nbsp;Yates,&nbsp;Chief Executive of COTA (Councils on the Ageing) Australia, joins Michael to discuss the concerning issue of age care prompted by Paul Keating stating this week that the Federal Government could give loans to elderly people for home care which would be paid back from their estate following their passing which he likened to the HECS loans given to university students that are only paid back once they graduate and reach an income threshold.
&nbsp;
Mr Yates says overall staffing levels need to increase to improve standards of care and with more than 100,000 people waiting as long as 18 months for home care, many are forced into residential care prematurely.
&nbsp;
"Many thousands of people die while waiting. The government should fund home care packages to ensure no one waits more than a month to get it and that would cost $2.5 billion a year."
&nbsp;
Staffing numbers and skills training also needed to improve. "We are going to have to spend billions of dollars more on staffing," Mr Yates said.

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