AH Peaks Meeting
Aged Care
Overview
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at 30June 2009, 13% of the Australian population were over the age of 65 years and 2 % were aged 85 or older. In June 2006, 154,872 people lived in an aged care facility of whom. 53% were over the age of 85 years, and 69% were assessed as high care. View Older Australia at a glance (external PDF).
With increasing age, there is increasing dependency and frailty and need for timely medical care and support. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reports that in 2008-2009, people 65 years and older accounted for almost one third of all GP visits (65 and older – 30%; 75 and older - 16%). Fifty-five per cent of GPs provided care in residential aged care facilities. (1 % of GP services were to residents in aged care facilities.) View General Practice Activity in Australia 2007-2008 (external PDF). View the full report of GP Activity in Australia 2008-2009 (external PDF).
GPV has an active aged care program to support the linkage of general practice with aged care services. The main funded activity is the Aged Care Access Initiative (ACAI) which provides funding from the Department of Health and Ageing to improve access to allied health clinical services for residents in aged care homes.
GPV also works with the Victorian Department of Health to advise on and support service development for older Victorians as it relates to general practice. Linkages with Carers Victoria, the National Prescribing Service, the Pharmacy Guild, Palliative Care Victoria and Aged and Community Care Victoria are also helpful in encouraging the effective linkage of general practice and aged care services.
For further information contact:
Soenke Tremper, Program Manager, Ph: 03 9341 5261 | Fax: 03 9341 5299 | Email: s.tremper@gpv.org.au