Reforming aged care in Australia: Change and consequence

For the last ten years, the Australian system of services for frail elderly people has been undergoing significant reforms. Prior to that time, a series of government reviews and inquiries had repeatedly identified the same problems, including the dominance of institutional care, the inadequate supply of home and community based services, the lack of co-ordination, the inefficiency, and the unequal distribution of services by geographical area. Changes since the implementation of the Aged Care Reform Strategy in 1985 have been considerable, particularly with regard to the residential care sector. This article is concerned with the policy responses which emerged under the Strategy, and their impact on aged care service delivery in Australia.