Some general issues from the aged care review
Warren Hogan
University of Technology Sydney
Contact Email:   Warren.Hoganuts.edu.au

The purpose of this contribution is an examination of some broad issues emerging from the recent review of aged care in Australia. Attention is directed to four major spheres of interest. First, there is an appraisal about who bears the risks in the operation of the aged care arrangements in Australia at present and how might these risks be redistributed between the Australian Government, the suppliers of aged care services and the users of those services. The second theme is about the influences and interests bearing upon the development and application of policy measures. The third feature is about the way in which users of aged care services contribute to the funding of aged care facilities. This is a very complicated issue because it combines matters bearing upon provision of accommodation with the protection of the funds placed in these bonds by people who are of an age where the prospects of restoring any losses arising from financial failure are miniscule. The fourth aspect is about the ways the interests of users should be represented and protected especially when those users are not capable of judging all their needs owing to illness, for example associated with Alzheimer’s/Dementias.

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