Dementia patients warned off seeking home care in case Australia’s aged care algorithm cuts funding
Documents reveal that Australian health officials were warned that a new aged care assessment algorithm might be causing dementia patients to receive reduced support. Advocacy groups have cautioned families against seeking reassessments, fearing that the automated system could downgrade their care packages despite worsening health conditions.
Why it matters
It raises significant ethical and practical concerns regarding the use of automated algorithms in sensitive public health and social welfare decision-making.
Home support can help prevent avoidable hospital admissions, deterioration and early entry into residential aged care. Home support can help prevent avoidable hospital admissions, deterioration and early entry into residential aged care. Health Dementia patients warned off seeking home care in case Australia’s aged care algorithm cuts funding Exclusive: FoI documents show senior health officials were warned of concerns about assessment tool weeks after it launched
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Prefer the Guardian on Google People with dementia were warned not to apply for home support because of fears their care would be downgraded by the government’s aged care algorithm.
Documents released to Guardian Australia under freedom of information (FoI) laws reveal the warnings came within weeks of the November rollout of the algorithm, which is used to determine funding packages and priority of need for older Australians requiring home support.
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