Perhaps the disrespect shown by the Government sector towards older Australians could be replaced by increased respect.

Older Australians really need a champion to advocate for them and listen to them and I am afraid they have not had one since the john Howard era.

in Aged care the split between Hicare dementia secure wards  and other older people  in care is just not managed well .

Carers time on the floor is lessened by the federal Government regulations which require time off the patient care to fulfill the wills of the bureaucracy or the employee.

Much is said about carer training and while training is important the nature of these people and there connection to Aged people is to me the most important skill.

I was very dissapointed about the language used by the Federal Government in-regard to the home care packages funding. As someone who was in the conga line for a home care package but in the end the Alztheimers moved too quickly hence my beautifull wife is now in a nursing home I am made to feel guilty for taking that step.It maybe of interest to the Government that there is zero help for the partners of those suffering of Dementia. I do not want sympathy but I spend 11 hours a day at the Agedcare home and then another 2 hours at home most nights washing her clothes .

I am a self funded retiree who is regularly means tested and pay a tax to the Government.I am grateful that our bank account will survive for a few more years.

sorry for being a bit long

a simple thin

Oops 4th para last word should be employer not employee.

sorry to carers.

Unfortunately many people misunderstand the relationship between Federal and State responsibilities, particularly in relation to aged care but I am not going to go into all of them here.

The Federal Government inspects facilities on a regular basis, not often enough, and the facilities are advised prior to an assessment, so they get their house in order. Really they should be checked at least once a year, and not be given any prior notice.

The States are responsible for staff training, much of which is provided by private training facilities. Unfortunately many of the staff trained in these facilities do not attain a satisfactory level of skill necessary to care for residents of Nursing Homes. Too many of the staff trained in these facilities are people using the system, whereby there is a shortage of workers, to stay in Australia, and they have neither the desire, the care abilities, or the language skill to adequate preform at a satisfactory level.

Firstly we need to look at the structure of "Aged Care".

There a number of levels, Over 55 Villages, Retirement communities, Hostel Care, and Nursing Home Care.

Over 55, and some Retirement communities are essentially normal commercial housing options.

Some organisations combine various levels, particularly retirement communities, hostels and nursing homes.

Where once many of them were not for profit, and concerned with the welfare of the residents, many are now owned by for profit businesses, who try to outdo each other with excessively up-market resort style facilities, many of which are totally unnecessary, but allow them to charge much higher fees.

Retirement Communities should not be part of the Aged Care System as the only aspect of care is to have a call bell system and a nurse available.

Hostels are similar to Retirement Communities except they need to have meals available to residents, both in a dining area and their room. They also trained staff to assist them in their daily life, and to have activities and mobility assistance.

Nursing homes are totally another issue. They cater for people who are unable to care for themselves, which can be manifest in a number of ways.

Really Nursing Homes should be part of the HOSPITAL SYSTEM and even then as hospitals have different wards, and levels of nursing care so should Nursing Homes

Those different aspects such as incontinance, dementia, non-ambiant, paralysis, and people with conditions such as MS, MND, etc., should all be treated differently with differing hands-on nurse patient ratios (not total staff ratios)

I don't take much stock in any criticisms by an organisation which has a self interest in obtaining better pay and conditions for those who are paying money into that organisation.