Outcome 4: Aged Care and Population Ageing

Outcome 4 aims to ensure that older Australians receive high quality, accessible, and affordable aged care; and carers get the support they need to look after frail older people living at home. Outcome 4 also aims to encourage older people to remain active members of the community.

To help achieve this in 2007–08, the Department managed programs under Outcome 4 which evaluated the community care needs and/or eligibility for residential aged care of frail older people. The Department also delivered programs to help older Australians to access culturally appropriate care, residential and flexible aged care services. Other areas of focus were on increasing the aged care workforce, and supporting people with dementia.

This chapter reports on the major activities undertaken by the Department during the year, addressing each of the key strategic directions and performance indicators published in the Outcome 4 chapters of the 2007–08 Health and Ageing Portfolio Budget Statements and 2007–08 Health and Ageing Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements.

Outcome 4 was managed in 2007–08 by the Ageing and Aged Care Division, the Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance and the Department’s State and Territory Offices. The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency, which produces its own annual report, also contributed to this outcome.