Residential aged care is safer than staying at home: new research
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More people with a Home Care Package spent time in hospital than those in residential aged care, according to new research published in Australian Health Review, the Journal of the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association.
The study led by Stephanie Harrison, Senior Research Fellow - Epidemiology & Statistics, Registry of Senior Australians, included 203,278 individuals accessing permanent residential aged care (209,639 episodes) and 118,999 accessing home care packages in the community (127,893 episodes).
A higher proportion of people accessing Home Care Packages had an Emergency Department (ED) presentation than people accessing permanent residential aged care.
Individuals with Home Care Packages also had more days in hospital due to unplanned hospitalisations than those in residential aged care.
What do these findings suggest?
While most older Australians want to age in place at home, the reality is for many older, frail people, the family home is not the safest environment to live.
In 2017, one in four people living with dementia moved to residential aged care after a hospitalisation.
Older people and their families need to have a plan in place should their care needs increase and they require more support than can be delivered at home.
You can find more information on AgedCare101 about planning for the ageing journey here.