LEADING CARE FOR OLDER AUSTRALIANS Glenn Rees, CEO Alzheimer’s Australia 20 August 2012

Looking forward, looking back Living Longer Living Better is the first major reform to aged care since the 1980s Consumer choice is still at the forefront of the reform agenda Consumer advocacy organisations need to be more active

THEMES Priority areas: Expansion of community care and particularly respite. Empowerment of consumers through consumer directed care. A commitment to serious monitoring of care outcomes. Maintaining a focus on dementia care.

COMMUNITY CARE Administrative challenges

COMMUNITY CARE How many packages are needed? The differences between the levels of care? What services will be included? The adequacies of the supplement for dementia care? The relationship between packages, NRCP and HACC?

COMMUNITY CARE The distribution of packages in 2020 as set out in Living Longer Living Better 54% 28% 9% 9% Home Care Packages

CONSUMER DIRECTED CARE Achieving cultural change in the sector Empowering consumers Respite ‘cashing out’ trial

QUALITY National set of quality indicators Transparency for consumers Translating research into practice is a priority

DEMENTIA Dementia has now been made a National Health Priority Area alongside other chronic diseases For the first time in the history of Australian health policy, dementia will be addressed not only in aged care but in national health policy A new focus on: Timely diagnosis Safer hospitals Dementia risk reduction

INVESTMENT IN DEMENTIA RESEARCH Government investment in dementia research through NHMRC was $24 million in 2011-2012. Less than every other national health priority area other than asthma

FIGHT DEMENTIA CAMPAIGN Living Longer, Living Better is the result of many years of advocacy and developing an evidence base Reforms do not hold all the answers Increased funding for dementia research

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Advocating for the expansion of community care and respite, empowerment of consumers, and a commitment to quality of care Where will we be ten years from now?