Dear Juniper Community,

I am writing to you in relation to the recently released final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and to share Juniper’s support for the recently launched It’s Time to Care About Aged Care national campaign. Juniper welcomes the report findings and supports this national campaign.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was established in October 2018, providing opportunity for much-needed constructive discussions about the future of aged care in Australia, and how we as a community need to support people as they age. The final report was released to the public on 1 March 2021. You can read a summary of the report, including its recommendations here.

More than 20 independent reports have called for major reform in aged care over the past two decades, however they have not achieved the necessary action. We now look forward to the Australian Government implementing the Royal Commission’s recommendations that are critical to improving the quality and safety of the aged care system and building a national culture of respect for ageing and older persons in Australia.

Juniper welcomes this final report and will continue to contribute to discussions and support the changes required to help create high quality, safe and sustainable aged care for all Australians. We are committed to implementing the changes required and to further improving our services.

Australia’s aged care sector has united to become the voice that calls for big-picture reform within the aged care sector, forming the campaign by the Australian Aged Care Collaboration. Juniper is proud to be part of this collaboration and share our support for the It’s Time to Care About Aged Care campaign.

Two of the objectives of this campaign aim to address the funding and workforce issues faced by the sector. Our hope for this campaign is that it will be the catalyst for future, positive changes to funding, workforce, accessibility to aged care, regulations and standards. The campaign helps explain the challenges of the current system and we welcome the conversation it will start.

Juniper agrees with the Australian Aged Care Collaboration in their findings that an overhaul of the aged care sector is required if Australia is to deliver the care and services older people need and deserve now and into the future.

Over time, the needs of our ageing population, and those who care for them, has simply exceeded the resources available to us all. This gap will only continue to broaden. More than 4.1 million Australians, almost 16% of the population, are currently aged over 65. By 2057, that will rise to 8.8 million, 22% of the population, and by 2097 it will reach 12.8 million people – or one in four Australians. These reforms will allow the Australians who rely on the aged care system to live comfortably, and with dignity – something we all deserve.

We know change is necessary, but we can’t create this change alone. Older Western Australians need us all to advocate for them. It’s time to care about aged care.

To show that you care, I urge you to show support for the national campaign, It’s Time to Care About Aged Care, and sign the online petition here.

Thank you to everyone who supports these efforts.

With appreciation and gratitude

Chris Hall AM
Chief Executive Officer
Juniper Aged Care