When you think of the term ‘aged care’, what age group do you have in mind? As a rule, the Australian government defines the aged as those older than 65. However, what you may not realise is that many younger Australians live in permanent residential aged care.
And, while those under 65 living in such facilities are being cared for, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) believes there are more appropriate options. With that in mind, it has released a report: ‘Health services used by younger people living in residential aged care’.
Published yesterday, the report is, as the name suggests, a snapshot of younger people in residential facilities. The AIHW will use the findings of the report to map out pathways for younger people to move to what it describes as “more age-appropriate options”.
The plan is for the Australian government to offer those younger people options with the support they need. This, it says, will “ultimately reduce the number of younger people living in residential aged care”.
As part of the process, the report looks at the circumstances leading to younger Australians landing in aged care facilities. These include, “the unavailability of suitable and timely alternatives for younger people with disability, complex medical conditions, or terminal illness”.
As part of the program, the AIHW is releasing a series of publications to support the transition to age-appropriate alternatives.
Who are the younger Australians in aged care?
Among its key observations the report found that:
- 5,600 people aged under 65 lived in residential aged care at some stage in 2020–21;
- younger people living in residential aged care had, on average, 25 general practitioner attendances in 2020–21;
- in 2020–21, four in 10 younger people living in residential aged care were prescribed antipsychotics;
- almost four in five younger people visited an emergency department while living in residential aged care in 2020–21.
The first of the companion reports, ‘Exploring pathways of younger people living in residential aged care’, produced further findings. It identified common characteristics among the younger Australians in residential care, including:
- around half of the cohort were aged under 60, with the other half aged 60–64);
- dementia was the most commonly recorded health condition at the time of assessment.
Significantly, that companion report also found that few younger people left the care of these facilities to live in other age-appropriate accommodation. Only about 18 per cent moved to age-appropriate accommodation before age 65. As many as 42 per cent of people died during their residential stay. The remaining 42 per cent turned 65 while living there.
How younger people end up in aged care and why they’re better suited elsewhere
Along with the Summer Foundation, the AIHW aims to stop young people with disability being forced into residential aged care. The Summer Foundation helps those affected access the support needed to be in control of where, how and with whom they live. More than 26 people under 65 enter aged care each month, some in their 30s, according to the foundation.
These residents are living with people in their 80s, and many rarely see family or friends. According to the Summer Foundation, it is common for these young people to lose skills and independence.
The Australian government will use the findings in the new report to identify more age-appropriate options to offer younger people. The ultimate goal is to significantly reduce the number of younger Australians living in residential aged care.
Do you know someone aged under 65 living in residential aged care? What has been their experience? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: GPs sound alarm over aged care reform delay
Health disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
Years ago when my Mother was in aged care – for only 15 months – there was a fairly young woman, my guess in her early 30’s in the same facility. When I visited her kids would call in on the way home from school and spend time with her. She was in a dimly lit room sitting in a large wheelable chair. I don’t know what was wrong with her, but it was so sad to see here there.