As the government moves (slowly) towards a consumer-driven model of aged care and away from a regulated system there needs to be a better understanding of the demand for aged care services so that government can estimate what services will be demanded, what the costs involved will be and how those costs will be met.[…]

The aged care sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia, currently servicing 1.3 million Australians. It employs 366,000 paid workers and 68,000 volunteers. A major aim of government reform in the sector is to ensure its financial sustainability by limiting the expansion of its cost – running at $16.2 billion in 2016.[…]