Tackling care in remote and regional aged care facilities

It can often appear to those living in the larger Australian cities that many of the housing, health and care issues are confined solely to the major population centres.

This is a mistake, however, as much of Australia is currently dealing with such issues – especially with regards to aged care. So how can we deal with the issue of aged care in regional and other remote areas?

A look at the statistics

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) recently came forward with a report that detailed the aged care population in Victoria, finding that 70.3 per cent were located in major cities, 23.6 per cent in inner regional areas, and 5.9 per cent in outer regional areas. Just 0.2 per cent lived in remote areas.

It's not a majority, but it's certainly a significant number of people located outside of areas that already provide numerous care options, in terms of both health and aged care.

Interestingly, in an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report, the organisation noted a shift toward significantly younger populations in the Australian capital cities. With a population that's continuing to grow older, this points to one thing: a gradual spread outward of the major population centres.

Care for a regional population

Providing care for an elderly population that's decentralised and located in remote and other regional areas is certainly going to prove a challenge for Australia. While there are many rural care options available, there is likely going to be a need for a significant increase to meet demand.

This means attracting carers with the right skill sets to the areas in need of qualified aged care professionals. The NSW Department of Industry has decided to take an initiative here, by explaining some of the benefits of migrating to the regional parts of the state. What's more, a dedicated focus on sustainability can also provide some relief, by reducing the operational costs of facilities.

Other states will need to do the same in the near future, or there is certainly a risk of aged problems becoming seriously difficult to manage.

Aged care faces a number of significant challenges, all of which need to be dealt with in the near future. Reach out to Mirus Australia today to learn more about these issues, and what the right financial sustainability tools and strategies can do to help.