Around 40 people attended our recent Community Talk, including many members of the Western Endeavour Rotary Club, all to hear Vanessa Maitland of Viridian Advisory talk about the changes that are taking place in Aged Care funding. At present the Government funds services both in home care and in residential care, but the system is complex, confusing and cumbersome. All access to the system is limited to the MyAgedCare website, and there is no face to face interaction. Consequently waiting times for packages range from 7 to 34 months, by which time some people are likely to be in a crisis situation. A Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety issued its Final Report at the end of February this year, and it recommended that a new Act should be brought in within 2 years to ensure a universal right to high quality, safe and timely support for older people. This means that the preferences and needs of older people will drive the delivery of aged care, and the Government will fund the system to ensure its sustainability (expected to cost around $17.7 billion). An Australian Aged Care Commission will be established as well as a Pricing Authority and an Advisory Council. The Pricing Authority will determine prices which will compensate efficient care delivery costs. The objective is also to embed high quality care into the system so that the needs and aspirations of older people are met, with bed licences becoming linked to the individual in need rather than to the provider of services. Hopefully this comprehensive reform will be rolled out sooner rather than later