The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has released its first background paper on Australia’s current aged care system.

As foreshadowed at the preliminary hearing on 18 January 2019, the Royal Commission intends to publish background papers from time to time on issues relevant to the work of the Royal Commission.

Background Paper 1 is called Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system. It outlines different aspects of the aged care system, the services currently being delivered in Australia and the areas in need of substantial reform.

The paper touches on the findings of previous reports, studies and surveys into the sector and addresses a number of issues including:

• cultural perceptions of ageing and older Australians
• expectations for care
• the current modes of care available
• access
• funding and accreditation
• quality monitoring.

Background Paper 1 – Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system (.pdf)