In 2020, the out of sight, out of mind attitude to older Australians had deadly consequences. By the end of Australia’s second wave in October 2020, there had been about 2,000 COVID-19 cases and 680 deaths in residential aged care – mostly in Victoria – accounting for about 75 per cent of Australia’s COVID-19 death toll. This rate of deaths in residential care is much higher than many comparable countries.
In October of this year, Anika Stobart, Associate, and Kat Clay, Head of Digital Communication, discussed the rights of older Australians on the podcast, and our proposed rights-based framework for reforming the aged care system. This time, they discuss Grattan’s newest report: Reforming aged care: a practical plan for a rights-based system.