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Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015

C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’. The covenant commits signees to providing healthy and hygienic environmental conditions, controlling epidemic diseases, improving child health and facilitating access to health services without discrimination. Care for the elderly: Around 3.3 million people in Australia are over the age of 65 – 14 per cent of the total population (2013). At the age of 60, a person in Australia can be expected to live for an additional 25 years, on average (2013). The Australian social security pension system dates back to 1900. Today, monthly pension credits are paid by the state at a rate of US$1,427 per person on a means-tested basis (2007–12). Overall, public pension spending is equivalent to 3.5 per cent of the country’s total economic output (2009). The department of social services is responsible for administering care of the elderly in Australia. In 2015 more than one million people were in receipt of aged-care services from the Australian government, with more than half a million people receiving support at home. The system employs around 350,000 aged-care staff across approximately 2,100 aged-care providers. With Australia’s rapidly ageing population, the government has announced plans to begin reforming the aged-care system in order to keep up with future demand. The Australian government provides funding for the care of elderly patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia through national charity organisation Alzheimer’s Australia. The organisation administers national dementia programmes and services as well as providing national policy and advocacy for Australians living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Programmes are funded by the Australian government and delivered by Alzheimer’s Australia associations across individual states and territories. Further information Department of Health: www.health.gov.au Department of Human Services: www.humanservices.gov.au Commonwealth Health Online: www.commonwealthhealth.org/health/pacific/australia 138 Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015 Population over 65 14%


Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015
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