Older West Australians deserve choice and control
not a system that decides for them
Western Australia’s aged care system needs to move from reacting to crisis to empowering people to live well – with genuine choice and control – Council on the Ageing WA (COTA WA) says.
COTA WA Chair Dr Carmen Lawrence AO said older people deserve a system that supports their choices, not one that makes decisions for them.
The call comes ahead of Thursday’s CEDA forum Charting the Future of Aged Care, where Dr Lawrence will join sector leaders to discuss the system’s future.
“Too often, an older person’s first encounter with aged care is from a hospital bed, where the default pathway becomes residential care,” Dr Lawrence said. “For most people, that’s not what they want. Many want to stay in their own homes or downsize within their community – but they need practical support to make that possible.”
She said the challenge is not building more facilities, but building a system that helps people live well in their communities for as long as they choose.
COTA WA is calling for leadership and coordinated action across all levels of government to:
- Invest in early psychosocial supports and planning to prevent crisis admissions to residential care.
- Support local governments to design safe, age-friendly communities that keep people active and connected.
- Provide practical pathways to help older people downsize or adapt their homes.
- Embed the principles of the new rights-based Aged Care Act 2024 across programs and policies – ensuring older people’s rights to make informed decisions are respected, especially in hospital or health crises.
“This isn’t about blame – it’s about leadership,” Dr Lawrence said. “Older people can’t do it alone. They need all levels of government working together to make choice and control real.”
ENDS
Media contact: Alana Mew, 0419 929 722
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