Almost 154,000 older Australians are waiting to receive all of the in-home aged care funding they have been approved for, according to a recent ABC Four Corners investigation into Australia's aged care system. 

Current My Aged Care guidance shows that people assessed as standard priority for ongoing Support at Home funding can expect to wait around seven to eight months, while those assessed as medium priority face an estimated wait of five to six months.

For older Australians and their families, those numbers represent something much more personal -  months spent trying to manage at home while waiting for the care they need.

In communities like Ballarat, that can mean adult children juggling work and their own families while trying to care for ageing parents, older people struggling with everyday tasks at home, or someone leaving hospital without the support they need waiting for them.

For people without the financial means to pay privately for care in the meantime, there can be a very real gap between the care they need now and the care currently available to them.

It is a gap that Nurse Next Door Home Care Services sees firsthand every day.

With more than 70 locally owned territories across Australia, Nurse Next Door teams regularly meet older Australians and families trying to navigate the aged care system -  including people waiting for government-funded support who simply do not have the financial means to pay for the care they need in the meantime.

That experience was one of the driving forces behind The Making Lives Better Million, a national commitment from Nurse Next Door to provide $1 million worth of free, short-term care over the next year to older Australians who have fallen through the cracks.

The Making Lives Better Million is not a replacement for government-funded aged care. It is about doing what Nurse Next Door can to help bridge the gap - providing immediate, short-term care when someone needs help now, while they wait for a longer-term solution.

Depending on the individual's circumstances, that care could include support following discharge from hospital, assistance with showering and personal care, help with everyday activities, companionship or professional nursing care.

There is no standard amount of care provided. Every person's circumstances are different, so applications are considered individually and, before care begins, a Nurse Next Door Care Designer (Registered Nurse) assesses the person's needs and determines where short-term support could make the greatest difference.

Locals Caring for Locals

Here in Ballarat, The Making Lives Better Million will be brought to life by the Nurse Next Door Ballarat team, with local caregivers and nurses delivering the care to older people within their own community.

For Michelle Connor, the local owner of Nurse Next Door Ballarat who is also a Registered Nurse, being part of the initiative is an opportunity to put Nurse Next Door's purpose of Making Lives Better into action right here in Ballarat.

“We know there are older people in our community who need help now but, for all sorts of reasons, the care simply isn't there yet,” Michelle said.

“We can't help everyone, and The Making Lives Better Million isn't going to solve the broader challenges in aged care. But if there are people here in Ballarat who have fallen through the cracks and we have an opportunity to make their lives a little better while they wait, we want to do what we can.”

“For us, this really is about locals caring for locals. The care will be delivered by caregivers and nurses from our own community, to people living right here in Ballarat and the surrounding region.”

Importantly, The Making Lives Better Million is not about replacing the government-funded aged care system or creating an ongoing source of free care.

Its purpose is to provide immediate, short-term support where it can make a meaningful difference while the person and their family work towards a more sustainable care solution.

For some people, that may mean several weeks of personal care while they wait for their Support at Home funding to become available. For someone else, it could mean support after leaving hospital, help attending important medical appointments, or some respite for a family member who has suddenly found themselves providing significant amounts of care.

And sometimes Making Lives Better may mean helping in another way.

Applicants can also ask Nurse Next Door for help understanding or navigating the government-funded aged care support that may be available to them. This could include helping someone understand how to contact My Aged Care, apply for an assessment or request a review of their existing support plan.

There is no charge for this help and no obligation for the person to subsequently choose Nurse Next Door to provide their ongoing care.

Who can apply?

The Making Lives Better Million operates as one national pool of free care, rather than allocating a set amount to individual Nurse Next Door locations or postcodes.

Applications are considered based on each person's individual circumstances, including the urgency and level of need, the care required, the difference the support could make, the person's financial circumstances and the amount of care available through The Making Lives Better Million at that time.

To receive care, the person must live within a community currently serviced by Nurse Next Door.

Because The Making Lives Better Million is primarily intended to help people who do not have the financial means or government-funded support available to access the care they need now, applicants are asked about both their financial circumstances and whether they are currently receiving or waiting for government-funded aged care support.

While $1 million worth of free care sounds like a lot, Nurse Next Door knows it will not be enough to help every person who applies.

That is why each application is considered individually, with the aim of using the care available where it can make a meaningful difference.

Help us find the people who could use our help

Older people across Ballarat and surrounding communities can apply themselves, or an application can be submitted on their behalf by a family member, friend, healthcare professional or someone else who knows their circumstances.

Michelle Connor says the local team is particularly keen for people working with older Australians throughout the Ballarat community to be aware of the initiative.

“The conversation we're having with our community isn't ‘refer people to Nurse Next Door’. It's much simpler than that.

If you come across an older person who genuinely needs immediate, short-term care and doesn't have the means or funding to access it, please tell them about The Making Lives Better Million.

They can apply, their family can apply for them, or someone supporting them can help them apply. We just want to find the people in our community who could really use our help.”

Applications for The Making Lives Better Million are now open.

Click here to apply or nominate someone for The Making Lives Better Million