Role of aged care advocates is changing. There is a widening gap between the needs of older people for services that allow them to stay living at home, and putting those services in place for them. We hear from many older people that they have been waiting for months for a high-level home care package. Without the support of carers, they cannot cope. A growing number of older people do not have families or friends to help them navigate the system, and advocates are needing to meet older clients to assist with accessing the My Aged Care gateway to find out what services are available or suitable to them.

Our Advisory service assists with a wide range of issues affecting older people. The most common of these are to do with accessing home care, contracts and care agreements, explaining basic fee structures (including exit fees and unlawful fees), personal care and quality of care, Consumer Directed Care and choices, respite, and transport for medical, social and cultural needs.