01/05/2026
For tens of thousands of older Australians, the wait for the home care they need is no longer being measured in weeks, it’s now stretching to nearly a year.
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, older Australians are currently waiting around 300–330 days for both initial assessments and reassessments of Support at Home packages.
This marks a significant increase from the figures reported in the Productivity Commission’s 2026 Report on Government Services, which recorded a median assessment wait time of just 27 days in 2024–25 and an average of 245 days between assessment approval and service commencement.
These new figures came to light in response to a question from Federal Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston during the Senate Inquiry into Support at Home.
The Department confirmed that extended wait times now affect all older Australians approved for Support at Home, whether receiving care for the first time or moving to a higher level of support. Those with medium priority face waits of 240–270 days, high-priority cases 45–75 days, and urgent cases are generally addressed within a month.
The implications are clear: for far too many older Australians, the wait for essential care is unacceptably long, and meaningful reform is urgently needed.
More than 200,000 older Australians are currently on the home care waitlist, a number that continues to grow. Without timely support, older Australians face reduced independence, a higher risk of hospitalisation, and unnecessary or premature entry into residential aged care.
People receiving home care are more likely to be admitted to hospital than those in residential care, yet despite calls from across the sector they are still not being given the support they need to remain safely at home.
Juniper will continue to advocate for timely, adequate, and person-centred support for older Australians, ensuring that no one is left waiting for the care they urgently need.
The current delays are not just statistics, they represent real people whose independence, health, and quality of life are at risk.
Meaningful reform is essential, and the findings of the Senate Inquiry must translate into action so that every older Australian can access the right care, at the right time, in their own home.
Submissions for the Senate Inquiry are due by 31 July and a final report is expected on 24 November.
